Title: 1/31/2013
Author: jean komatsu
Last saved by: ENU

Axtlan Taqueria
1904 Franklin St. @19^th St. , Oakland CA
No website, menu at: http://dineries.com/ca/oakland/axtlantaqueria/1904franklinst
Yelp reviews: http://www.yelp.com/biz/axtlan-taqueria-and-deli-oakland 
Review date: January 2013

This greasy spoon taqueria is near Carlos' former workplace, the BART headquarters in  the iconic Kaiser Aluminum building on Lake Merritt. They sell the usual Cal-Mex suspects, which are as good as anyone else's. There's little space to sit, as most people do take-out. 

Carlos is inordinately fond of only one dish here: their batter-fried fish quesadillas.
 
Every day they make a very limited amount of batter-fried fish chunks. When they run out, that's it. On some days they don't have any, when they can't get the right fish. These are sizable chunks of fresh fish, probably catfish rather than tilapia. 

Since they're pre-made, they aren't warm when they go into the quesadilla. However, the batter-frying is well done and they're not greasy at all. My only objection to them is that Axtlan reuses its oil a few times too many.

But I can understand why he likes this so much. Because the fish is in such big chunks – these are easily 2" cubes when fried – you get more of the flavor of sweet white fish, as opposed to the usual thinner strips where the batter overwhelms the fish. 

I still prefer La Calaca Loca/Oakland, but Axtlan is less expensive. We treated a friend to a super carnitas burrito, Carlos got the fried fish in both a corn and a flour quesadilla with guacamole in both, and I had the fried fish and guacamole in a flour quesadilla.

Three people, lunch: four items, two beverages, no tip necessary, was only $28.50.