Don Pepe's Shrimp Zarandeado (Fresno)

[glazebrookgirl]

Had lunch at Don Pepe's and was craving something with spicy shrimp. Last time I had the Shrimp Diabla plate and loved it, here is the link for that report: http://www.chowhound.com/topics/show/...

Anyway, decided to try the Zarandeado based on the description I had read about it, "shrimp served with chiles, tomatoes, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, and onion. The soy is used because of the Asian influence found along Mexico's west coast". The gentleman who took my order said that was his favorite shrimp preparation but cautioned that it was a little spicy. I told him the spicier the better!

My plate came overflowing with shrimp. They were still in their shells and covered with a chili-based oil. The plate also comes with beans topped with cojito, rice, guacamole, cabbage, pico de gallo, and your choice of corn or flour tortillas. I peeled one of the shrimp and gave it a try, absolutely delicious! The shrimp were cooked perfectly, still meaty and moist inside. The chili-oil tasted well rounded and flavorful with a kick of spicy at the end. I devoured as many shrimp as I could, making small tacos out of them. I flashed a thumbs-up to the gentleman who had taken my order and he smiled back knowingly.

They were fabulous and I can't wait to eat them again. My only problem was that I was going to try all the different versions that Don Pepe has, but now all I want is the Zarandeado. Oh well.

As a side note, hubby shared my plate but also ordered the shrimp toastada. The toastada came loaded with beans, lettuce, tomato, guacamole, and the shrimp. He enjoyed his tostada very much, commenting that it was a different way to eat shrimp that he liked a lot. Of course, it couldn't really compare to my dish. :-

)

Don Pepe's
4582 N Blackstone Ave
Fresno, CA 93726
[phone]

P.S. For those on the hunt for the breakfast burrito, Don Pepe's serves a chorizo and egg burrito all day.

[glazebrookgirl]

Ok, a correction about hubby's tostada, which apparently I got confused with another tostada he ate at Taco Grande. The shrimp tostada was a fried corn tortilla topped with crema, cabbage, sliced tomato, sliced avocado, onion, shrimp, and then cilantro. No beans. Sorry about the confusion. Anyway, he said he enjoyed it, but that you need to add hot sauce for heat.

[PolarBear]

Excellent point, the time I tried the Shrimp Botana it was to take back to the office and I neglected to fill a bunch of the little containers with the salsas, cilantro, limes, and a few pickled jalapenos just for kicks (sorry).

[alanstotle]

Don't worry glazebrookgirl. You order the Zarandeado and I'll order, one by one, the rest of the items on the shrimp menu. That way you can have your cake and eat it, too. Uh...er...I mean...have your shrimp and eat them, too.

[PolarBear]

Did the same thing last week, gbg. Damn that's some fine shrimp, ate a few by themselves, shelled a bunch and made fajitas style taco throwing in the guac, cilantro, a couple of the salsas, then finished the remainder off one by one.

I'm still going to try and force myself to work down the shrimp dishes on the menu in order, might have to take some help along and just order them all at one time.

[glazebrookgirl]

Yeah, I need to meet a bunch of people there so I can try a little of everything. That way I can always go back to the Zarandeado if the others aren't as good!

[PolarBear]

I'm pretty optimistic after finding the Botana and Zarandeodo so tasty, and trusting your assessment of the Diablo. But yeah, a small group (with a large order) and you've got the best of all worlds.

[T.bone]

Great, descriptive review. I have only been to Don Pepe's once, a few years ago. My wife and I didn't think much of it but it sounds like it's time to give them another try.

Bye the way, I think when you write "cojito" you really mean "cotija". Cotija is the crumbly, white, Mexican cheese.

[glazebrookgirl]

Thanks, I did mean cotija...obviously still have some learning to do on the foreign word spelling front.