Wahoo's Fish Tacos Turn 21

Wahoo's Fish Taco, the West Coast fast-food joint known both for its tacos and California surfer sensibility, celebrated its 20th anniversary in February with a party at its original Costa Mesa, Calif., restaurant. At the party they served 20-cent tacos and the first 200 guests won raffle prizes and an autograph session with professional skater Ryan Sheckler.

But the party isn't over yet. On Saturday, the company's beloved fish tacos will have their own 21st birthday shindig at all 38 California Wahoo's locations.

It's unclear what it means for a fish taco to turn 21, but customers who get free food and prizes, probably won't be complaining. (At 21, can fish tacos now finally be cooked with alcohol?)

The first 21 customers at each restaurant will get a swag box of prizes, including gifts from Tony Hawk Inc., the pro skateboarder's action-sports company. Everyone who eats at a California Wahoo's on Saturday will be rewarded with a free meal or gift card.

The organizations 14 other restaurants in Colorado, Hawaii and Texas won't be joining in the fun.

"Everyone who visits their local Wahoo's to celebrate our milestone will get a present to share with us," says Wing Lam, Wahoo's co-founder. "The past 21 years have been amazing, and the founders are expressing their gratitude to everyone."

The first Wahoo's opened in Costa Mesa in 1988 and insinuated itself into Southern California's crowded fast-food landscape with its laid-back vibe and its surfer/skateboard decor. The menu choices -- which include enchiladas and burritos -- have been described as a hybrid of Brazilian, Hawaiian and Mexican cuisine.

The company has become decidedly more aggressive since its humble beginnings.

In September, it announced plans to add 100 new restaurants in the next five years, including four new locations in Arizona this winter. Wahoo's has also gone collegiate. In October, they opened an outlet on the University of California Irvine campus that was greeted by a school newspaper headline "Wahoo it's Wahoo." They'll soon open a similar operation at California State Bakersfield.

The company recently introduced three new dishes to its menu all chosen by customers who were invited to submit their best ideas. The result: the Power Chopper Salad, (traditional chopped salad with rice, beans and salsa), Wafu Bowl (a tofu combo platter served with rice and beans) and the Baja-ladas Platter. (Cream cheese, chicken, spinach and salsa, with enchilada sauce beans and rice.)