Found Treasure: Sister Restaurants Pollo Rey and Barba Azul

March 25, 2022 – Sometimes, when I have a hankering to navigate a major brain warp, I think about Turtle Bay Boiling Krab. 

Boiling Krab played host the last “normal” meal I had out at a restaurant pre-COVID, two years ago this month, not long before the pandemic locked the state down.

I had just moved back to my Seaside home after extended time working capital “R” Remote, just in time to never leave my house. 

The warp takes me back to pre-COVID reality that feels anything but real at this point: Pebble Beach Food & Wine was still on and awesome spots like Alberto’s Ristorante, Cult Taco, Mecca Deli, Pour Taproom and Holly’s Lighthouse Cafe were still open. (They’re among the tough losses Edible documented with a piece published a year ago this month.)

I put “normal” in quotes because it was not a typical night eating out. 

We were served crab in a plastic bag. An intense jazz keyboardist rocked hard on the patio. The menu and sauces were dangerously similar to those at Boiling Crab (with a “C,” and with locations in San Jose, Sacramento and Southern California, which made me dubious that Boiling Krab could get away with a direct ripoff). 

But it was fresh crab, and it was deliciously sauced with vampire-grade garlic, which made the weird scene an overall win. 

The subsequent descent of the COVID curtain quickly dropped Boiling Krab for the count. 

The good news is that property on Fremont Boulevard now has brand new residents. (Meanwhile, neighboring Fishwife, which closed during pandemic shutdowns, gave way to one of my favorite new restaurants of the last two years, Seaside Seafood Market.) 

Barba Azul Marisquería Estilo Sinaloa opened last Tuesday.

I’ve been twice this week, and can report there’s a lot to recommend it. 

Menus in both Spanish and English—and the preponderance of Mexican-Americans packing in during its first days open—speak to its authenticity. 

The presentations are unique to this area: Note the shrimp taco “gobernador” and its melty melange of cheeses, sautéed shrimp and house sauce. (That name for the dish provides a mini-timewarp itself, flashing me back to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s daily news updates amid early COVID and their welcome contrast to the bizarre federal messaging.)

Best of all, owner-operators Alejandra and Armando Berrelleza are industry vets despite their young age. (They’re both in their early 30s.) 

Their first restaurant was already on my short list for a Found Treasure to share with Edible readers, because El Pollo Rey Express on Broadway/Obama Way, about a half mile away from Barba Azul, is one of my favorite semi-secret spots on the Monterey Bay. 

Before we talk Pollo Rey (in English, Chicken King), some final notes on Barba Azul (or Blue Beard): 

• The price points are a touch steep for what you get ($4 for basic lemonades?) and the savory spice choices on the fish tacos are a little hard to figure out. 

• That said, the Baja style fish tacos are still very good, as is the “popcorn shrimp,” which look like mini seafood meatballs but aren’t the albondigas de camaron listed on the menu. I also loved the shrimp ceviche and the house salsa, which brings more heat than most. Plus it’s fun to watch chef Alan Leon work the grill while you wait to eat. (They’ve been busy right out of the gate.)

• The main treasures to celebrate here, then, are 1) the welcome addition to Seaside; 2) the enthusiasm of the hands-on owners and chef, who composed the three-person staff on my visits; and 3) Pollo Rey getting a new sister spot. 

For its part, Pollo Rey comes inspired by the family restaurant in the Sinaloa region of Mexico Armando grew up in. The specialty was, sí, chicken.

As with Barba Azul, the decor and menu are simple.

The puts the focus is on the food, traditional Sinoloan-style charbroiled chicken, available as a half or whole. 

Whenever I catch myself slipping on prep for a potluck, Pollo Rey’s my go-to play for juicy, smoky, yummy chicken paired with side orders like the frijoles charros and a tub of made-to-order guacamole. Tortillas, grilled onions and salsa come along for the ride.

For $30 or less, you can get a lot of quality food that’s plenty for four peeps.

While she’s clearly proud of the original restaurant, Alejandra seems to be enjoying the onda of the new spot because it allows for a different speed of experience. 

“It’s a different vibe down here,” she says. “We’re used to the fast-paced Pollo Rey. We’re making it more chill. Everything is being made as you order it, everything is freshly squeezed, so there’s a lot to enjoy if you’re patient.”

It’s a long way of saying Barba Azul is a place worth the wait and the brain warp, particularly for ceviche fans. And Pollo Rey is deserving of its name.

Hours are 11am-8pm Tuesday-Sunday. More at Barba Azul’s Facebook page.