Playa Azul offers a new taste of authentic West Mexican seafood in Huntingburg

Aimee Blume
Evansville Courier & Press

HUNTINGBURG, Ind. — When you eat at a Mexican restaurant, what do you expect to see on the menu?

At our prolific Mexican-American places, you’ll find loaded nachos, fajitas and Chicken on the Beach. At a more authentic spot, street tacos, gorditas and handmade tamales are dishes to look forward to.

But what about oysters on the half shell topped with shrimp, octopus and minced tomato and cucumber salsa? Or a whole grilled octopus? Or a whole lobster stuffed with shrimp, octopus, clams, crabs and oysters in a creamy mushroom sauce?

These are only a few of the unique seafood entrees you’ll find at Playa Azul Mariscos Estilo Sinaloa (seafood in the style of Sinaloa) in Huntingburg, and eventually, a new Evansville location on Green River Road (we’ll keep you posted on that).

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Tortilla chips with ceviche and house-made hot sauces at Playa Azul Mariscos Estilo Sinaloa on Friday, September 18, 2021.

Sinaloa is a state on the west-central coast of Mexico. The long coastline means this is an area where cooks have developed an incredible way with seafood, and that’s what Playa Azul brings to the table, literally —  authentic Mexican seafood presentations you may have never seen and which are worth driving an hour for.

Playa Azul opened in May. At this time, the restaurant is open on Friday, Saturday and Sunday only.

Juan Pablo Hernandez is the owner. He owns other Mexican restaurants around the Tri-State but wanted to explore the concept of offering an authentic taste of Mexican seafood, according to Playa Azul’s manager Nardo Barrios.

An oyster shooter with a fresh oyster, tequila, and minced fresh vegetables at Playa Azul Mariscos Estilo Sinaloa on Friday, September 18, 2021.

“He’s excited to try this kind of food for people around here,” Barrios said. “Business has been OK, sometimes we get more Hispanic people, sometimes more American people. A lot of the Americans ask what everything is, so we tell them and explain. We do tell them the salsa is spicy!”

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At the beginning of the meal, each table is presented with a plate of chips with fresh tilapia ceviche, which is minced white fish pickled lightly in lime juice with diced tomato, red onion and shredded carrot with a sprinkling of cilantro. To the side are two small containers of smooth house-made salsa — a tangy green chile version that is quite hot, and an orange habanero sauce that will make you cry, in the best way, of course.

Fair warning — things not to expect here are: mild tomato salsa, beans, or, for the most part, tortillas, cheese or orange "Mexican rice." Except for a small selection of street tacos, fajitas and steak dishes, tortillas are not served with any of the meals. They are accompanied instead by a pretty salad topped with a slice of orange, french fries, cheesy garlic bread for soaking up sauce and a cone of deliciously seasoned white rice.

Even though you won’t get mild tomato salsa for your chips, there is ketchup for the French fries and many of the dishes are mild in chili heat.  

Nardo Barrios squeezes a grapefruit into a Cantarita cocktail inside Playa Azul Mariscos Estilo Sinaloa on Friday, September 18, 2021.

The menu

Let’s start with appetizers. Ceviche is served in many forms, made with fish or shrimp, often served atop a crisp tostada.

Aguachiles is a Sinaloan specialty of raw shrimp “cooked” in lime juice with red or green chile sauce and garnishes. A Pepino is a cucumber, hollowed and filled with ceviche.

La Torre is a vertical-layered dish of shrimp, avocado, onion, tomato, cucumber and a special sauce.

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Seafood cocktails are served hot or cold with shrimp or mixed seafood in a tangy tomato sauce with lots of veggies. The Coctel Playa Azul contains shrimp, octopus, crab, scallops, clams, oysters, ceviche fish and crab claws. The Levanta Muertos platter takes it even further by adding mussels and crab legs, orange slices and vegetable garnishes in a special spicy sauce.

Shrimp Nayarit style with fries, salad, rice and garlic bread at Playa Azul Mariscos Estilo Sinaloa on Friday, September 18, 2021.

Shared plates are meant to serve the whole table and come in large or huge sizes, with prices ranging from $27 - $80. Seafood entrees for one are also generous and are priced from $15 - $30. Some dishes are market price.

Many plates are simply listed as seafood such as filets de pescado (freshwater fish filet), camarones (shrimp) or pescado huachinango (red snapper), then you choose the style of preparation. For example, empanizados means breaded and fried. Or it could be prepared in mantequilla butter sauce, or ajo garlic sauce, or ajillo garlic and guajillo chile sauce, or grilled a la plancha. Diablo and cucaracha sauces are both made with spicy chiles, although cucaracha sauce includes butter. Nayarit sauce is not hot but is savory and brothy with just a touch of chile.

Pescado Zarandeado is a traditional preparation for red snapper, filleted and grilled with spicy red sauce.

Have your seafood with linguine in a creamy spicy sauce, or filling a coconut half or pineapple in a creamy mushroom sauce.

Shrimp Zandareado style at Playa Azul Mariscos Estilo Sinaloa in Huntingburg, Ind.

You can even get a seafood boil in a bag or bolsa. The broth is rich but not overly hot, and you’ll find the shrimp, mussels and crab legs accompanied by corn and potatoes. We highly suggest an order of cheesy garlic bread to sop up all the good juices.

For the holdout that doesn’t like seafood, street tacos with lengua (tongue), carne asada grilled skirt steak, al pastor pork or chicken are available, as are fajitas with chicken, steak, shrimp and chorizo. You may get melted cheese sauce with your fajitas. Steak dishes are made with skirt steak, tender meat often used for fajitas.

There’s even a kids’ menu with mac & cheese, chicken nuggets and pasta with chicken or shrimp.

Huntingburg is about an hour away, but it’s worth the drive just to enjoy an authentic cocktail out of Playa Azul's wonderful handmade clay cups.

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The full bar has a nice selection of tequila and beer. Have your choice of tequila in a cazuela drink, which is literally served in a large clay cazuela pot. Choose your tequila, then add mineral water, lime juice and slices of oranges, limes and grapefruit. The Cantarita contains tequila and the same fruit juices, freshly squeezed, but is sweeter, with grapefruit soda. The cups are rimmed with tangy tamarind paste and salted chile powder.

A Cantarita cocktail with fresh citrus juice, tequila and grapefruit soda at Playa Azul Mariscos Estilo Sinaloa on Friday, September 18, 2021.

If you go

Playa Azul Mariscos Estilo Sinaloa is at 1205 N. Main St., Huntingburg, Ind. 

Phone: 812-684-8002

Hours:

Friday - Saturday, 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Sunday 11 a.m.-9 p.m.

It is wise to call to check on hours, especially if you will be arriving later in the evening. 

facebook.com/Playa-Azul-Mariscos-Estilo-Sinaloa-102833865320683

Contact Aimee Blume at aimee.blume@courierpress.com.