Tacos are always on my mind. I cook them frequently as part of my day job, I visit the local taquerias for fun and I seek out tacos whenever I travel. Interesting fillings such as duck, vegetables and fish, rather than ground beef, intrigue. Same for wrappers: homemade, supple wraps capture my attention.

Fish tacos sporting Asian umami flavors prove irresistible. Recently, a tuna version at La Grande Orange Cafe in Pasadena, Calif., seasoned with a sesame wasabi cream and shredded daikon, rocked my taco world. A photograph and a couple of notes locked the idea in my mental cookbook.

At home, I cook with the best tuna I can afford to buy from a store that provides information about its fish sources. When wild-caught salmon, U.S. mahi mahi or swordfish are on special, I substitute them for the tuna. If you're in the mood for beef tacos, try this recipe with two portions of lean, tender steak, such as filet mignon. As with the fish, you'll want to sear the steak over high heat for an exterior crust with a rare center. Use a very sharp knife to slice the steak paper thin.

A brief marinade in soy and sweet mirin wine seasons the fish (or beef) perfectly. A schmear of wasabi-and-sesame-spiked mayonnaise lets your taste buds know these tacos are different. Ditto for the crunch of finely shredded daikon. As for the salsa, a touch of lemon and lemon zest, along with rich avocado, turns ordinary cherry tomatoes into a year-round treat.

True, satisfying tacos feature inventive fillings, but the wrapper matters too. Corn tortillas taste best used the same day. Flour tortillas keep a bit longer and suit these tacos beautifully.

My favorite wrapper for the taco recipes here turns out to be naan bread sold in the bread aisle or the freezer case. Use one 4-ounce bread per serving. Whether you choose tortillas or naan, be sure to heat the wrappers over a gas flame, grill or in a heated cast-iron to soften, warm and lightly toast before filling.

Chilled Sapporo or Kirin beer pairs perfectly with these tacos. My son says these are the best tacos ever — high praise indeed in our world.