Karina's Mexican Restaurant- Seafood- The El Cajon location

mmm-yoso!!! is just a blog, writing about food consumed.  Today, Cathy consumed.

Hi.  The Mister and I have been in the Rancho San Diego area of El Cajon lately and have noticed places we hadn't previously. Karina's is one of those places.
We finally stopped in the other day and were pleasantly surprised.
The bar area is pretty large and has two televisions and the regular seating area is nicely decorated.  You can see the type of chairs in the dining area...kind of looks like we are in Mexico.  But with air conditioning.  Most people had a bucket of beer on their tables.  We were here for the food, though.  
I had to order a marlin taco ($3.75).  Unfortunately, this was the disappointing part of the meal.  The marlin was smoked well  but it was stir fried with green peppers and onions in some sort of grease and was very salty. I found a few unadulterated chunks and those were good, but the combination of the stir fried flavors and the cheese on the corn tortilla was overwhelming.  I still finished it though...  
  The Mister chose from the appetizer menu-the melted cheese molcajete with both steak and shrimp ($17.95).  This photo is not as detailed as I would like, and you can't see the molcajete bowl (a mortar-no pestle)  that is heated  and very deep.  Filled with a tender, flavorful carne asada and at least 8 very large, juicy shrimp, the melted cheese laden area also was interspersed with sauteed mushrooms, fresh tomatoes and green peppers (no onions). It was well worth the price paid.  Apparently you are supposed to enjoy the cheese with tortillas or chips.  We did, once we got tired of everything else, but it took us a while.

I decided to at least appear to be healthy and got the mixed seafood salad ($12.50).  Tomatoes, cucumbers, mixed greens, shredded red cabbage and shredded carrots along with fresh cooked octopus, tuna and shrimp (not as large as were in the molacajete, but just as flavorful and plump) topped with a light flavored citrus based creamy dressing. There was plenty of seafood hidden under the already mixed lettuces.

Everything here was very fresh and very good.  We will be dropping by again soon. The lollipops that come with the bill are made in Mexico and are really good...

Karina's Mexican Seafood Cuisine 820 Jamacha Road El Cajon 92019 (619)588-4119

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Comments

[Carol]

Hi Cathy! This place reminds me a bit of Mi Guadalajara in Escondido, down to the chairs and the molcajete dish (which looks delicious, BTW).

Hope you and the Mister and the rest of the mmm-yoso gang have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

[Cathy]

Gosh- THAT's where we had a molcajete. An ocean of time ago. Thanks for reminding me and you and your Mister have a nice Thanksgiving, wherever you spend it...

[Karen]

Dog friendly patio area! Great friendly service! We love to order the bucket of beers and chips and guacamole and bring our two large dogs. The people here are so nice both to us and our pups.

[Cathy]

Yes. this is a great place to relax and get some great food, Karen. I never thought of bringing the dogs...but I could. Welcome to our blog.