A Classic California Roadside Staple: Gott’s Roadside

Gott’s Roadside, a classic staple located in the hearts of iconic towns across California. Serving burgers, salads, shakes and much more since 1999. Because I don’t eat beef, burgers or not my things, but seafood, I’ll take seafood any day. So at Gott’s, my favorite options are the Wild Shrimp Tacos and the Baja Fish Tacos but today, the delicious Wild Shrimp Tacos are going to be in the spotlight. Although Gott’s is a typical California restaurant, it is clear how it has a strong influence from other cuisines, one of them being Mexican food, showcased in their various tacos. This is the reason Gott’s is so successful. 

Baja Fish Tacos, Kale Salad and Mint Chip Milkshake

In the Wild Shrimp Tacos, Gott’s starts with a blue corn tortilla instead of white corn or flour tortilla. From an aesthetic standpoint, the blue corn adds a spark of color in an otherwise monotone dish. Also by using the blue corn, you are not losing out on any of the flavors of a regular corn tortilla so it’s a win-win situation. Inside the tortilla are three parts, the slaw, the chipotle mayo, and the buttermilk-fried shrimp. The slaw was a classic slaw with cabbage and carrots and some purple cabbage which only added to the variety of bright colors of the dish. Mixed in with the slaw was a Mexican influenced chipotle mayo. Instead of a classic sweet lemon mayo sauce, Gott’s went with a smoky, spicy and creamy chipotle mayo. While sticking to the roots of coleslaw with cabbage, carrots, and mayo and retaining an American feel, Gott’s went above and beyond and incorporated other flavors such as chipotle and purple cabbage to fuse cuisines. Besides all of this, there was also the star of the dish, the fried crispy shrimp. The two components to getting shrimp right in my eyes are having a crispy outside and a chewy shrimp that is cooked all the way through. Gott’s got both of these right. The crispiness was just right so it wasn’t soggy and it wasn’t burnt and the shrimp was cooked well all the way through. Finally, to top of the dish was some cilantro from garnish and some pickled onions that cut through shrimp and slaw without overpowering them.