u district lunching for beginners.

i seriously do not have enough praise for the little piece of heaven right on portage bay by the name of agua verde. you may remeber seeing the cafe & kayak rental location on an episode of rachael ray's $40 a day, back before she had the CBS daytime talk show.
don't let the water-inspired name fool you, agua verde IS a fish-lover's delight, but also a fish-hater's friend. vegetarian, chicken, and pork options abound on this colorful, creative, and tasty menu.
at lunchtime the place can get pretty busy. however, the dual ordering system offers a streetcart-esque window for those on the go (typically on bike)and those who care to dine-in order and pay up front right at the entrance. time is saved by bussing one's own table, retrieving one's own water, and helping oneself to the delicious salsa bar. i like this autonomous system, and it seems to work very well for the table turnover at agua.
now, on to deliciousity! this visit, i partook in the "tacos boniato"--3 corn tortillas topped with marinated yams, sauteed peppers and onions, cojita cheese and a flavorful avacado cream sauce. lunch orders come with chips and your choice of 3-4 housemade salsas. my favorite is the sweet and cilantro-y salsa verde, but all are very delicious.
my counterpart, my lovely roomie a, is not of the fishless folk and had the "tacos bacalao" which features alaskan cod in a coconut beer batter with shredded cabbage and the same avacado sauce that highlighted my yam tacos. the crispy fried texture of the cod almost made me want to have a bite (!), but i refrained, knowing i wouldn't like what lay underneath the juicy shell.
i can't wait, and i'm sure won't wait...for another quick lunchtime visit to try the portobello or pollo tacos, or the enticing mango quesadilla!