Page 140 - South Mississippi Living - June, 2019

EL AGUILA
story by Jeff Clark photos by Jeff Clark and Donn Hupp
El Aguila owner Joaquin Morales
ADDRESS:
187 Tegarden Rd., Gulfport
PHONE:
228.284.1742
Mexico is a large country with many different types of regional cuisines. There’s the lamb or goat stewed with chiles in Jalisco, the
fish tacos of Baja California and the use of fruit in the Yucatan region. Joaquin Morales, owner of El Aguila Mexican Restaurant has a menu that’s indicative of the food he grew up eating and watching his family prepare in Northern Mexico. “Everything my mother and grandmother made was from scratch with fresh ingredients,” Morales said. “They made three meals a day – breakfast, lunch and dinner. This is the same philosophy we apply at El Aguila – we make fresh food when it’s ordered. We always want it to be fresh and flavorful when it hits the table.”
One of the first things that is noticeable about the menu at El Aguila is the restaurant’s use of
fresh avocados, including table-side guacamole. Although the Yellowfin Tuna is the star of Morales’ ceviche, expertly-cut fresh avocados are the perfect touch to the rich, buttery tuna and cilantro and fresh jalapenos. In
a community of seafood options, it’s among the Coast’s best fresh seafood dishes. The avocado is also featured in what Morales said is his best- selling entrée – the stuffed avocado.
The stuffed avocado features a whole half avocado that has been peeled, pitted and sliced on a plate with a tomato cream sauce that features white wine and roasted garlic. It can be topped with vegetables or proteins such as steak, chicken or shrimp. It’s
CEVICHE
140 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • June 2019
FOR MORE REFLECTIONS OF THE GULF COAST >> www.smliving.net
TABLESIDE Guacamole
{
{