Wahoo Fish Tacos is offering its coastal California flair near campus.

Wahoo Fish Tacos at 1233 S. Colorado Blvd. features a menu that is a fusion between Mexican and Polynesian. While these two distinctive types of cuisine have seemingly little in common, they blend seamlessly on the menu. The menus features burritos and tacos but also teriyaki. And you can even get a teriyaki burrito.

The menu is divided into a combination section, salads and dishes that are a la carte.

The items that are a la carte are tacos and burritos. The combination plates include tacos and burritos plus the signature “ahi” rice and absolutely fabulous black beans.

Once you have decided what you want you choose from the usual chicken, steak and vegetables and either blackened fish or Polynesian shrimp. Everything is good so it really is just a matter of what you are craving.

The banzia burrito comes with meat and fajita veggies and is stuffed with rice and beans. I had shrimp in mine that were incredibly tasty. I never encountered a fishy tasting one. And they were beyond generous with them, a rarity in fast-food restaurants.

The vegetables were quite varied and, more importantly came in good-sized chunks. I felt that I really got vegetables that were not only fresh, but were cut proportional to the size of the burrito.

I had the burrito smothered in a spicy roasted pepper green sauce. The sauce was quite delicious but was a little heavier than I personally like.

Next time, I am going to try their mild enchilada sauce and see if that is more to my liking.

One of the best parts of the meal was the rice and beans. The black beans were some of the best I have ever had. This is after having had black beans in Central America. They had a great flavor and they were neither too wet nor too dry, but perfectly in the middle.

The rice had an interesting consistency, a little bit sticky and a little bit sweet. When the rice and beans were combined it was perfect. I could have made a meal of just rice and beans. This is something I just might do in the future.

The entrCB)e dishes were reasonably priced at $5 or $6 for a wet burrito served a la carte and $8 for a combination plate, especially considering the amount of food that is served. The appetizers and sides were a little pricey. A side of guacamole is about $2 and the quesadillas $5.

The desserts are the basic ice cream and brownies. I personally did not sample any of them but they looked tasty.

As good as the food was, the service was just as good, if not better. The employees were helpful and friendly.

The food came quickly and correctly and was delivered with a smile. The employees even checked in during the meal in case our table needed anything.

They were friendly even though we were there after closing time which is 9 p.m.

The atmosphere is fun and relaxed. They benches and tables are covered with stickers from different skateboard and snowboard companies.

There was also the occasional political sticker, usually funny and amusing. Reading all the stickers was a great way to pass the time while waiting for the food.

There are Wahoos all over Colorado, but the chain originated in California where it is everywhere in Southern California.

Overall, this was a great dining experience. It was a perfect way to experience a little bit of the stereotypical laidback surfer town while never having to leave Denver. So, whoever said that things can’t be cheap, fast and good obviously has never been to Wahoo Fish Tacos.