I had lunch with a friend in a mall food court about a week ago. A new taco stand had opened up, and for 2 large soft-shells and a soda for $5, I decided to give it a whirl. I guess I just wasn’t expecting authentic Mexican ingredients. I slathered one taco with a strange yellow-brown sauce. I normally think of myself as pretty tough, but my eyes watered and my tounge burned for hours afterward.
Pretty good taco otherwise.
Soon after I moved to Dallas in 1998 I was at a small Taqueria on Maple. The only English in the joint was the name Budweiser (yes I know that’s really German) on the beer bottles. I ordered one of the varieties of taco plates phonetically, not knowing what it actually was. The waitress smiled and asked if I was sure.
“They’re really hot,” she warned about my choice.
“That’s good,” I replied.
She brought me a plate with tacos, the shells cooked as Pantellerite described, filled with chilie peppers sautéed with garlic, cilantro, various spices and pure liquid hellfire. No meat nor cheese.
They were abolutely delicious; but unbelievably hot. By the end of the first one, my brow was sweating profusely. Half-way through the second, my mouth was a raging inferno, my breath singed the paper napkins and my stomach protested each bite. I couldn’t even attempt the third.
The next time I went with someone who spoke Spanish and got the even more tasty goat meat tacos.
Then take a look at these $1.95 tacos! If you’re ever in Atlanta you must go to Taqueria del Sol!
Tacos are full of fat and high in calories. It’s a shame cause they are cheap at Taco Bell.
Taqueria Mercado, in Fairfield, just north of Cincinnati. Surprisingly (given that this is Cincinnati-land, home of anomalous foodstuffs, like goetta and greek chili/mac), this is really great stuff. Gawd I love finally having Mexican immigrants around here!
Yeah, if you buy them at a toxic waste dump like Taco Bell. Try making them with chicken or with a firm fish like halibut, seasoned well (ancho pepper, chipotle powder, cumin, pinch of cinnamon, Mexican oregano, garlic, maybe a little sweet paprika), topped with non-fat Daisy sour cream or fat-free yoghurt, and some sauteed veggies (bell pepper, onion, jalepenos). The only serious calories you’re getting is from the torts and they’re only about 2 points on the Weight Watcher’s diet.
At another forum they have a church of the Taco with a lot of members. (eg You will cry out for the taco on your deathbed)
Taco Bell is properly condemmed to the pits of hell in the Taco church threads.
Its mostly in jest as a way to lambast the overly religious but still fun.
They’re a little place I miss now that I’ve moved away from Hilton Head, called “Amigos”. They’ve got awesome catfish soft tacos. $1 a piece on Tuesday nights, too.
Yum, yum, yum.
My favorite taco:
Fried yellow corn tortilla hardshell
Lightly seasoned shredded beef
Shredded lettuce
Chopped white onion and cilantro
Jalapeños en escabeche (pickled peppers)
Grated queso blanco
Herdez salsa casera
Grated Cotilla or Parmesan cheese
The chopped white onion and cilantro makes for sabor mui authentico. The rajas de Jalapeños are one of the all time great Mexican condiments. These vinegar cured peppers lend a fantastic background heat. If you have never tried a sprinkling of grated Cotilla or Parmesan, you are missing out on an incredible flavor. The dried cheese replaces any need for salt. If you really want to go whole hog, have a fresh green Jalapeño or Seranno chile pepper in hand and take bites of that as you munch down your taco.
If you have some left over ceviche, try lightly pan frying a small amount and making soft tacos with it. The results are fantastic, instant fish tacos with an attitude. I like it with a bit of green salsa and chopped tomato.
So, how does everyone else like their tacos?
Lightly fried corn tortillas (as described above),
Pollo deshebrada (*),
Queso asadero (**),
Shreded lettuce, diced tomato, and diced onion,
Cholula and/or Jalapeños.
(*) I cheat on the pollo deshebrada and use only chicken thigh meat, instead of a whole chicken, as a time- and money-saver. I just poach the thighs (in some kind of poaching liquid, which varies based on what’s available!) then shred 'em up and toss with some prepared red chile, garlic, and comino.
(**) Queso Asadero is best, followed by Queso Quesadilla, but these are remarkably hard to find here on the NC Coast, so I’ve been reaching back to my Tex-Mex roots and using good ol’ Colby-Jack.
I really, really need a taco right now. Too bad I just finished packing my kitchen up!