Mariscos Azteca, 1100 North Tuttle, 941-954-5500

I’m always on the hunt for tasty and authentic Mexican fare. Sarasota has no shortage of great Italian restaurants but you have to search more closely to find the great Mexican joints. Recently, my roommate, Melissa, and I wandered into the strip mall on Tuttle and 12^th looking for lunch and we happened on Mariscos Azteca, which bills itself as a Mexican seafood restaurant. We were pleasantly surprised by the excellent, fresh pork tamales and crunchy shrimp empanadas and the Mexican-style tacos are delicious—I tried the Al Pastor (pork), which was seasoned perfectly and topped with cilantro and onion on a soft corn tortilla. At only $2.25 per taco, you can’t beat this deal for a quick lunch stop. A table full of regulars next to us ordered the Whole Fried Tilapia, which looked and smelled heavenly; I can’t wait to go back and try it.

Mariscos Azteca, 1100 North Tuttle, 941-954-5500