Five years ago, Tamarindo Del Mar opened its doors on the ground floor of the Plaza. Since then, their patio at the corner of 15th and Camino Del Mar has become a regular meeting spot for Del Mar locals, and a place our own team ends up more often than we’d like to admit.
We feel lucky to call them neighbors. So to celebrate the milestone, we’re looking back at Tamarindo’s story and sharing the dishes our team keeps ordering.
Where It All Started
Tamarindo’s story started in North Park. The first Tamarindo Latin Kitchen opened there in 2017, in the space that used to be Claire de Lune Coffee Lounge, and it built a following for its Latin fusion menu and a bar stocked with tequila and mezcal.
That location closed in 2020 and by then, the Del Mar location had already been in the works for close to two years, and in 2021 Tamarindo opened here at the Plaza, with a covered patio facing Camino Del Mar and a full bar inside. They started with dinner only and have since added lunch and weekend brunch.
The team behind Tamarindo comes from Moose Restaurant Group, which opened its first restaurant in Waikiki in 1980 and also runs Fred’s Mexican Cafe in Old Town. Five years is a big one for the Del Mar location, and the group has been running restaurants for more than 45.
What We Order
Tamarindo’s menu mixes Mexican classics with dishes from across Latin America, like a Peruvian salmon ceviche. After five years of team lunches and happy hours, these are the dishes we keep coming back to.
Short Rib Tamarindo. Braised short rib finished with the tamarind glaze, served over corn puree with kale, garlic, tomato, and micro radish on top. The tamarind gives the glaze a tangy edge, and the corn puree underneath is mild and a little sweet. If you’re only ordering one entrée, make it this one.
Oaxacan Fig Mole. Oaxaca is known for its seven classic moles, and dried fruit is often part of what gives mole its sweetness. Tamarindo’s version uses fig and is served with chicken. It’s one of the dishes guests post about most, right alongside the carne asada tacos.
Seaside Molcajete. A molcajete is a bowl carved from volcanic stone, traditionally used in Mexico for grinding salsas. The stone holds heat, so the seafood stays hot while it sits on the table. It’s a big dish, so plan to split it.
The tacos. Most of Tamarindo’s tacos come with a cheese crisp layered inside, which adds a salty crunch to every bite. The carne asada tacos use grilled skirt steak with onion and jalapeño crema on a flour tortilla, and the octopus and mahi tacos are the pick if you want seafood. Our sleeper hit is the crispy zucchini tacos, with tempura-battered zucchini, cabbage, corn salsa, radish, and jalapeño crema on corn tortillas.
Starters. The elote spears come off the grill smoky with dipping sauces on the side. The carne asada yucca fritas have been on the menu since day one, and they’re basically carne asada fries made with yucca. If the table can’t decide, add the queso fundido.
Dessert. The churros are the classic.
Here’s to the Next Five
Thank you to the Tamarindo team for five great years at the Plaza. Next time you’re here, grab a booth on the patio and wish them a happy anniversary.
