Jawz is Here

There's a new restaurant in Encinitas that is fresh, healthy, and inexpensive. What a great combination. Fran and I checked it out after a late afternoon walk in Solana Beach. Jaws is an island style grill serving fresh tacos, enchiladas, burritos and Hawaiian style pork ribs. They're from Kihei in Maui and you can check out their website at www.jawzfishtacos.com. They have opened several San Diego locations recently.

The Encinitas location took over what was formeraly Auggie's Crab Shack, a small non descript little place on Highway 101. They have redone it, with colorful oilcloth tablecloths inside and on the outdoor patio, TV's on the wall showing surfing films, and a very nice salsa bar. We had a taco plate for $5.95. Two large tacos, one chicken and one grilled mahi mahi, covered with shredded cabbage, a little cheese and some delicious pink sauce. Normally this is served with rice and beans and chips, but we opted for the tangy papaya cole slaw and the cilantro rice. Everything was delicious, in fact neither of us could finish.

The salsa bar has several varieties of salsa with four degrees of heat. We chose the mild pico de gallo and tomatillo salsa. They also have a spicy corn salsa, their famous pink sauce (a little like thin Russian dressing) and another hot jalapeno sauce. Lots of fresh lime, chopped cilantro and spicy carrots complete the salsa bar.


Also on the menu are sweet Hawaiian pork ribs served with ginger fried rice and spicy papaya cole slaw. I'll save that meal for another day. Big burritos, wet and dry, including a vegetarian tofu burrito. They serve breakfast as well, and offer a breakfast burrito in addition to eggs with beans and tortillas and chipotle chilaquiles. The restaurant hours are 6am-9 or 10 pm (varies by day) and breakfast is served all day.

This is a great choice for a healthy Mexican meal, breakfast, lunch or dinner. The taco plate was really big enough for two light eaters to share. The help is friendly and go out of their way to make sure everything is as you wish. I will try it again. I love pork ribs and their sweet sauce may be just what I've been looking for.