RESTAURANT REVIEW: Going overboard at Sharkeez pays off

The city of Huntington Beach has considered closing part of Main Street for years to increase foot traffic.

The sidewalks on Main are a flurry of activity, with a mix of surfers, bar hoppers, shoppers and tourists. Closing Main Street would only enhance the atmosphere.

Until that happens, a great place to people-watch is at an outdoor table at Sharkeez. The Mexican Cantina is part of a row of restaurants that has outdoor seating, and getting one of the coveted tables outside is certainly a treat.

So is the food.

The restaurant has taken traditional Mexican food and put a nouveau influence on the dishes.

A perfect example is the gourmet burritos. There are six choices and each one has a twist on this staple of Mexican food.

On this trip, I chose the lobster burrito, with grilled pieces of lobster mixed with cilantro rice, jack and cheddar cheeses, guacamole, pico de gallo sauce, sour cream and a jalapeno-tartar sauce. It is a lot of different flavors in a very large burrito and is extremely satisfying. The burrito is not smothered in either the tartar or the pico sauce so the cilantro is evident and the lobster is still able to be the dominate taste.

It is pricey, at $11.25, but a nice treat. The other burritos are in the $5 to $7 range and are equally as good.

The fish burrito has mahi mahi that is grilled and mixed with, among other things, an avocado pico sauce.

Get the mahi mahi blackened and it will add to the tang of the burrito.

The inside of the restaurant is set up like a cantina you would find in Ensenada, Mexico, or Rosarito Beach. There are 18 televisions around the dining and bar area and it certainly has a party atmosphere.

Don’t be intimidated by the younger demographic. During the days and weeknights, this is an ideal place to dine in downtown Huntington.

Because of its cantina motif, a majority of the menu has bar food influences. There are weekday specials, with the best one Monday. There are six fajitas, from chicken to roasted carnitas. Other specials are tacos on Tuesdays, burgers on Wednesdays and burritos on Thursdays.

There are five types of soft tacos, including one that is marinated in teriyaki glaze and chunks of pineapple.

One of the regular menu items I really enjoy is the barbecue mesquite chicken. You can order either a quarter or half chicken, which is slow-roasted and marinated in citrus chipotle spice, then grilled over hot mesquite coals. The pieces are big and it is a great value at around $6.

The only downside is that food is ordered at the bar, unless you are sitting outside at certain hours. Getting the attention of the bartender can be tricky, but persistence pays.

The best bet is to hover around the outside and wait for a table. Sipping margaritas, eating soft tacos and people-watching is a perfect afternoon.

SHARKEEZ

Address: 211 Main St., Huntington Beach

Phone: (714) 960-5282

Cuisine: Mexican

Specialty dish: one of six gourmet burritos

Alcohol served: full bar, beer and limited wine

Dress: beach casual

Family friendly: not the best place for children

Credit cards accepted: Visa, MasterCard, and American Express

Rating: ***

JOHN REGER reviews restaurants for the Independent.