Tuesday, 22 February, 2011 7:41
by Chris Jay
The fantastic Vera Cruz Seafood Cocktail at Mariscos La Jaibita, located at 2292 Barksdale Boulevard in Bossier City.
Mariscos La Jaibita (roughly translated "The Little Crawfish Seafood") is a Mexican seafood restaurant located at 2292 Barksdale Boulevard in Bossier City, just south of I-20. While the restaurant also serves more common Mexican fare like tacos, quesadillas, and fajitas, the focus is clearly seafood. When my dining partner ordered the Vera Cruz Seafood Cocktail pictured above, she asked "What kinds of seafood are in the Vera Cruz?" The waitress thought for a moment before simply replying "todos," or "all of them." This delicious (and enormous) concoction included fish, shrimp, octopus, oysters, avocado, cilantro, a delicious salsa base...and even a cherry on top. At $13.25, the Vera Cruz Seafood Cocktail is one of the pricier menu items at Mariscos La Jaibita, but it easily measures a quart in volume and could be shared by two adventurous seafood lovers.
Also recommended are the ceviche tostada appetizers, available in fish, shrimp, or octopus. The favorite among my group was the fish (photo) - a delicious blend of fresh, white fish meat, lime juice, salsa, cilantro, and avocado piled high on a crunchy tostada. The shrimp ceviche (photo) was also very good. Full disclosure: My group lacked the intestinal fortitude to try the octopus ceviche! At $6.50, the tostada appetizers are large enough to order as entrees. I tried the shrimp fajitas (photo) and found them to be a good value at $12 - large, tail-and-shell-on shrimp served atop a mound of caramelized peppers and onions and served with tortillas, rice, beans, and guacomole.
After dinner, take a moment and explore the carniceria (a Mexican-style butcher shop) located next door, which also sells imported candies, snacks, sodas, etc. that you won't find too many places around town. All-in-all, we experienced great food and great service at Mariscos La Jaibita, despite a bit of a language barrier that was easily overcome. It pays off to try new things in Shreveport-Bossier's rapidly-diversifying restaurant scene - maybe next time, I'll have the octopus?
Lagniappe
View a slideshow of photos from Mariscos La Jaibita.