Mariscos Chihuahua Makes A Splash. By Rebecca Cook EVEN FOR THOSE of us who love the climes of the Sonoran Desert, there's often a wistful longing for the sight, sound and scent of the ocean. The feel of soft sand between your toes, the rush of the waves as they cascade onto the beach, the glorious sense of deep relaxation as you slather on sun screen, put on your shades and prepare to spend the entire day engaged in nothing more taxing than reading the latest John Grisham novel. What a life. Fortunately, Tucsonans are not so landlocked that they're without plausible recourse when the desire for salt air becomes overwhelming. Rocky Point and the Gulf of California are only four hours away by car, and if that won't work for you, don't worry. Mariscos Chihuahua serves up seafood so unbelievably fresh you'll swear you're within a stone's throw of the beach. Now, if you know your geography at all--and we've been told repeatedly how stupid Americans are on this subject--you're probably wondering what mariscos (shellfish) have to do with the central high-desert Mexican state of Chihuahua where there is nary a wave in sight. The story goes that years ago, in Nogales, Sonora, two food stands stood side-by-side selling their goodies. One sold mariscos and the other sold fresh fruit from Chihuahua. Over time, the stands became joined in people's minds and were referred to as, you guessed it, Mariscos Chihuahua. The fruit stand eventually closed up, but the mariscos half remained and kept the combined name for itself. A family-run enterprise, Mariscos Chihuahua attracted many devotees from north of the border who were anxious to have an outlet for this delicious seafood a little closer to home. Fortunately, the Valle family had enough members to accommodate the request and, at present, there are three restaurants in Phoenix and two in Tucson that originated with that first little mariscos stand. Mariscos Chihuahua in Tucson, with locations on North Grande and South Sixth avenues, is nothing short of a small marvel, a place that evokes the Mexican seaside experience so vividly that it's something of a shock to gaze out its windows and not see a shoreline. The menu is not huge and it's not particularly varied, but if you're a lover of shellfish, you'll think you've died and gone to heaven. If you're one of those unfortunate souls with a violent allergy to crustaceans, it's unlikely you'll find anything here that isn't potentially lethal. Shrimp is the specialty here, but you can also order abalone, oysters, conch, squid or octopus. The fish is served in three sizes of "cocktails," but if you have any notion of seafood bunched around a horseradish-inflected ketchup, discard that idea immediately. Mariscos Chihuahua's cocktails consist of your choice of seafood (a combination is also possible) served in a gazpacho-like cold broth accented with onion, garlic, cilantro and chile pepper. I opted for the shrimp, and although the soupy presentation was a slight surprise, it only took a few bites to make me a passionate convert. The barely piquant broth combined with fresh Guaymas shrimp was a savory wonder, each taste better than the last. Not to be missed under any circumstances is the ceviche. Made of chopped shrimp, onions, tomatoes and cilantro and served solo or as a tostada, this ceviche is incredibly delicious. For days afterward I couldn't get the flavor out of my mind and, finally, had to succumb to a return trip for more. Mariscos' Grande manager Cirilo Preciado says this is a common phenomenon. "We have regular customers that come in here and as soon as they walk in the door we know they're going to order a couple of ceviche tostadas," he says with a laugh. Well, add me to the list. My friend April was equally impressed with the seven seas soup, a Mexican bouillabaisse replete with every conceivable kind of seafood, including crab legs, carrots, onions, tomatoes and cilantro swimming gloriously in a savory golden broth. Preciado says he's working on getting a beer and wine license but wants to maintain the comfortable family atmosphere that's developed at Mariscos Chihuahua. At present, customers can bring in their own liquor and the restaurant will happily provide a bucket of ice to keep the beverage cool. Maybe eating at Mariscos Chihuahua

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