First Look: Authentic Mexican seafood, drinks at El Capitan in Sandy Springs

El Capitan's menu includes Patas De Cangrejo (crab legs; upper left), Pescadilla (quesadillas filled with fish stew; lower left), Canta Rito (drink at top-left), Capitan Margarita (drink at top-right), Pescado Zarandeado (red snapper; center below drinks), Zarandeados (marinated shrimp; upper right) and Chicharron De Pescado (marinated, then fried fish; lower right). (Chris Hunt for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Credit: Chris Hunt

Credit: Chris Hunt

El Capitan's menu includes Patas De Cangrejo (crab legs; upper left), Pescadilla (quesadillas filled with fish stew; lower left), Canta Rito (drink at top-left), Capitan Margarita (drink at top-right), Pescado Zarandeado (red snapper; center below drinks), Zarandeados (marinated shrimp; upper right) and Chicharron De Pescado (marinated, then fried fish; lower right). (Chris Hunt for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Alfredo Negrete was born in Austin, Texas, grew up in Mazatlan on the Pacific coast of Mexico, and started selling street tacos when he was a teenager. After moving to Atlanta, he opened his first restaurant, Mariscos Mazatlan, in Duluth.

“I opened that restaurant because that’s where we’re from, and that’s what we know. We eat, sleep and breathe seafood,” Negrete said. “But when the pandemic hit, I tried to do smaller spaces and faster service, so I started Tacos 1989 in Buford, and opened another location in Nashville.”

Pescadilla at El Capitan refers to a set of three fried quesadillas made with house corn tortillas filled with fish stew and topped with salsa and avocado. (Chris Hunt for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Credit: Chris Hunt

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Credit: Chris Hunt

Recently, Negrete debuted a second Mexican seafood restaurant, El Capitan, in a strip center on Roswell Road in the Northridge area of Sandy Springs. The storefront space features a sidewalk patio, a sizable dining room, and a small bar in back, plus a stage for live salsa and Latin rock bands. The rather kitschy maritime decor conjures a mashup of Baja and Captain D’s, with a motto on the wall that translates to “Drink like a sailor and eat like a captain.”

Alfredo Negrete, owner of El Capitan, was born in Austin, Texas, but grew up in Mazatlan, Mexico. (Chris Hunt for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Credit: Chris Hunt

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Credit: Chris Hunt

“El Capitan is the new baby. It’s the new project,” Negrete said. “I knew this was a challenging area. This is a food desert. There really hadn’t been a successful restaurant here, but I wanted the challenge. I renovated the space, and I had some fun with it. The menu is traditional Mexican seafood, but I’m trying to modernize it a bit for this market. Everything we have here is wild caught, and fresh from our purveyors.”

Chicharron De Pescado (pieces of fish marinated and fried to perfection) at El Capitan in Sandy Springs. (Chris Hunt for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Credit: Chris Hunt

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Credit: Chris Hunt

That includes starters such as Chicharron De Pescado, a cubed fish dish marinated in adobo and fried like pork chicharron. And Pescadilla, fried quesadillas made with house corn tortillas filled with fish stew and topped with salsa and avocado. Of course, there’s a section of ceviche and aguachiles, as well as raw and grilled oysters.

El Capitan's Pescado Zarandeado is grilled, seasoned red snapper. (Chris Hunt for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Credit: Chris Hunt

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Credit: Chris Hunt

Among the larger offerings, Pescado Zarandeado is a family recipe for butterfly-cut grilled red snapper seasoned with signature adobo. Patas De Cangrejo is a heaping helping of crab legs drenched in butter and garlic. But beyond seafood, you’ll find tacos and tostadas, fajitas, and even steaks, chicken dishes, and pasta.

Patas De Cangrejo at El Capitan is a heaping helping of crab legs drenched in butter and garlic. (Chris Hunt for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Credit: Chris Hunt

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Credit: Chris Hunt

At the bar, two of the favorites are the Capitan Margarita, with tequila, orange liqueur, Grand Marnier, fresh lime, and agave, and the Canta Rito, with tequila, orange, lime, grapefruit, soda, and a pinch of salt. You’ll also find a take on currently cool Ranch Water — Topo-Chico spiked with mezcal and topped with a lime wedge dipped in spiced salt.

Two popular drinks at El Capitan are (from left) Canta Rito (tequila, orange, lime, grapefruit, soda with a pinch of salt) and Capitan Margarita (tequila, orange liqueur, Grand Marnier, fresh lime juice and agave). (Chris Hunt for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Credit: Chris Hunt

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Credit: Chris Hunt

“I’m somewhat of a celebrity chef in Mexico,” Negrete said. “I started when I was 19. What I want to do now is create different brands. I think it’s better to create diversity and not just go for one thing. Tacos 1989 has had such a good response in Nashville, we’re going from there with it. It’s a taco bar in the heart of downtown and it’s just jamming.

“And the one in Buford is doing well for what we designed it to do during the pandemic, which was just quick service. Then I’m working on opening a new restaurant in Nashville, as well. That one is going to be a very traditional place called Pacifico’s. Right there I’m going to have everything from carnitas to barbacoa to mole.”

El Capitan, in a strip center on Roswell Road in the Northridge area of Sandy Springs, features a sizable dining room, and a small bar in back, plus a stage for live salsa and Latin rock bands. (Chris Hunt for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Credit: Chris Hunt

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Credit: Chris Hunt

Assessing his current businesses, and looking to the future, Negrete explained that he believes authenticity mixed with an enjoyable atmosphere is the key to success.

“I was thinking I was going to get mostly Latin customers here, because of the authenticity of the mariscos, but it’s been the contrary,” he said. “That’s been my biggest satisfaction, seeing regulars from the neighborhood enjoying themselves and coming back. And we’re getting pretty good reviews, so far.

“Noticing the trend with Hispanic food, people want authentic now. People know food, and they’re not getting tricked anymore. They want to venture out. Maybe 10 years ago, you would never think of somebody trying a whole octopus, versus now, when that’s a bestseller. But with that, I still take pride in our tacos. Our fish tacos are like what you’d have in Baja.”

DINING OUT

Noon-9 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays; noon-10 p.m. Fridays-Sundays.

8540 Roswell Road, Sandy Springs. 678-620-3977, elcapitanseafoodga.com.

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