Taco Shops – Page 15

Vampire Tacos: Taqueria El Chipilon

March 10, 2008 ed fromyuma Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops, What Ed Eats -You too can be like Ed!, Yuma

The blog is mmm-yoso!!! Sometimes (like today) Kirk lets one of his friends do an entry at the blog. Today ed from Yuma writes about his cross-border pursuit of the elusive VAMPIRE taco. It really won’t be scary at all – I promise.

Beginning last November, a friend of mine who teaches English as a second language began hearing from his students about vampiras — vampire tacos. He kept regaling me with stories about these mysterious treats, so soon I was driving down to the southern terminus of US Hwy 95 in San Luis (a city of well over 250,000 mostly located in Mexico, but with a smaller Arizona extension) on a mission to locate and sample the elusive vampire taco in its native habitat.

When I describe these tacos as elusive, I am really speaking of my difficulties in locating, tasting, and photographing them. My friend had convinced me that they were objects worthy of pursuit. However, my first two trips to a purported purveyor of bat tacos in San Luis Arizona (Nuevo Asaderos los Jarros) only convinced me that this was an establishment not open during the day – which I suppose is fitting for a place serving tacos vampiras:

When I finally tracked down vampiras in San Luis Mexico, in my excitement I must’ve hit the wrong button on my camera because I mostly ended up shooting a movie of my right knee. Oops! I’m sure it had nothing to do with the Cervezas Pacificos. Then, a nighttime visit to Los Jarros in San Luis Arizona was a great adventure that resulted in some tasty vampire tacos, but few usable pictures.

Finally last weekend, four of us descended into Mexico just to taste and photograph tacos vampiras – and some other goodies – at Taqueria El Chipilon, a huge taqueria (two outside seating areas and one inside) located on Revolucion near 22nd:

As the menu indicates, this taqueria serves a range of different tacos, but at the bottom of the menu lurks the dark shape of the vampiras’ namesake, a vampire bat:

In a matter of minutes, four vampiras arrived at out table – three of them having corn tortillas, the other flour:

At first glance, these tasty treats look much like ordinary carne asada tacos over stuffed with carne. However, a closer inspection shows that the marinated beef pieces lie atop a thin layer of white melted cheese. Also distinctive are the browned scalloped edges of each of the tacos:

A single bite makes instantly clear the difference between these and ordinary tacos. Instead of the soft tenderness of a regular tortilla, these tacos are crunchy.

Since they are filled with carne asada and not blood or bat flesh, why do vampire tacos carry their distinctive and unusual moniker? The answer to this question and the key to a vampira is the preparation of the tortilla. The tortillas are not just warmed, steamed, or deep-fried. Instead they are griddled until they are completely desiccated and charred and have begun to shrivel up, giving them the appearance of a bat’s wing (hey, use some imagination here, help me out) — hence the name vampira:

Sometimes when I describe vampiras, someone will say, "oh, that is just a tostada." And yes, the vampire taco shares the crunchiness of a tostada, but they are not tostadas. First, they have a concave shape, perfect for holding meat and toppings. Second, vampiras do not shatter as one bites into them, so they are intended to be eaten with one’s fingers. Every tostada that I have tried to eat by hand has sent tortilla shards and various toppings cascading down whatever shirt I was wearing, leaving an avalanche of guacamole, sour cream, and frijoles resting in my lap. So very not good. That does not happen with a vampira.

Another tasty feature of El Chipilon that improves the taste of their vampiras is the wheel of condiments served with the tacos:

In addition, grilled chilies and charred scallions along with cucumber and radish slices and an excellent spicy house salsa are also brought to the table:

The first time that I ate a vampira, I left it very plain so that I could savor the lightly marinated tender beef chunks, the mild cheese, and the tortilla. Later, thinking about the experience, I realized that vampire tacos have another distinctive quality. Because of their concave shape and because the crunch of the tortilla is protected by the layer of cheese, one can load up the taco with lots of various goodies. This one, for example, is covered with two kinds of salsa, guacamole, chopped onion, and chopped cilantro; if I wanted to, I could have added even more stuff. Nothing oozed out of either end, and a fiesta of flavors hit my tongue:

One of my fellow culinary adventurers even put some of the grilled green onions on hers.

So some vampires do come out during the day. My flying taco hunt was no wild goose chase. Maybe my karma intended for me to return again and again to seek out and eat these tacos. I hope so; that’d be good karma.

* * * * * * *

Sometimes, disappointments and frustrations can have positive results. In my search for the wonderful and rare vampires of the taco world, I was reminded of the tremendous culinary resource that is San Luis, Sonora, Mexico. Back in the 80s, when I was merely a visitor to Yuma, a trip to San Luis was a part of every visit to the area. And no trip to San Luis was complete without a meal or two at local restaurants. By the time I moved to Yuma, however, the road between here and San Luis seemed to be in constant repair, and the 20 minute drive more often took 35 minutes with detours and stops. At the same time, the overwhelming majority of the local American tourist trade rerouted itself to the convenient tiny border village of Algodones, Baja California. Now, though, the road to San Luis is in good repair, and the return border crossing on foot at San Luis runs about 10 to 15 minutes (compared with over an hour at Algodones). Even more important for me is that San Luis Mexico is really Mexico. It is not overflowing with American tourists, and a walk along Obregon – the main street – exposes one not only to the sights and sounds of a truly foreign city but also to all of the fragrant and enticing smells of al pastor tacos, tortas de lomo, and birria. Large Chinese and mariscos restaurants abound. I will be back. I feel like somebody living in Mira Mesa who just remembered the existence of El Cajon Blvd and University Ave. Yum.

El Roberto’s, The Battle of the ‘berto’s, and a contest

January 26, 2008 mmm-yoso Taco Shops, What Howie Eats - Where the Foodie from Foodieview Eats, yoso-silly

If you’ve been in San Diego long enough, or are an ex-pat San Diegan, all you need to do is mention the name of a taco shop that goes “Something” – berto’s……be it ‘Ai’, ‘Roi’, or the one and only Roberto’s, and the first thing that will come to mind will probably be a representation of the quintessential San Diego Taco Shop. Serving up stuff like California Burritos(carne asada & fries), Rolled Tacos(aka Taquitos), and the classic Carne Asada Burrito…or what Jay, proprietor of The Linkery, calls the ‘CAB’. I guess it just shows the power of branding….you can just add whatever prefix you want(within reason – I don’t think Rodent-O-Bertos would work real well, though the name Shigella-bertos has a ring to it), and suddenly you are a San Diego Taco Shop. Just looking at a list of current “Something” – berto’s goes to prove my point….they range from rather tasty(Hamberto’s anyone?), to something with a bit more action(Ramberto’s), to places I may give thought to before entering(Rigoberto’s). I can’t think of anything else quite like this….I mean there is 97 Supermarket, which looks strangely similar to 99 Ranch Market, and perhaps a few other examples, but nothing to the extent of the berto’s. I’ve personally tried to cook up a few similar schemes that have never panned out. I had the idea to hire a bunch of surly Chinese wait staff, buy as many “San Gabriel” sticky tables as I could, and bring in white paper-hatted Cooks with questionable hygienic habits, and open my Chinese BBQ, calling it Sam-my Woof BBQ, but that never panned out. I had the great idea(or maybe it was just brain freeze) of selling super tart fro-yo…..2 oz frozen yogurt, which you top, nay bury, with 6 ounces of various toppings (which you can buy in bulk from Henry’s), and selling it for $8 a cup….calling it Pink-buried. But as with many of these bright ideas…it just never took off.

Which leads me to El Roberto’s:

There I was minding my own business, in a strip mall on the corner of Murphy Canyon Road and Aero Drive, when I saw this sign:

Geez, I didn’t know there was a Roberto’s here…..my stomach started growling. As I walked up to the shop, the truth was revealed:

Hmmm, I didn’t see an L, um ‘El’ in front of Robertos on the large sign in the front of the restaurant. I got a chuckle out of that. Still, I decided, or my stomach decided, to grab a bite. The interior of El Roberto’s is simple, but man is that counter built high…..

The menu listed a good 15 or so burritos……..

I decided to order a Texas Burrito($4.10). A Texas Burrito, by San Diego Taco Shop standards is a Pollo Asado(chicken) and French Fry(yes, french fries) burrito, sometimes with Pico de Gallo(basically a tomato and onion condiment), and sometimes guacamole.

This was not a very good version of a Texas Burrito. The fries were fine, but finding any chicken in the burrito was an experience akin to finding “gold in them dere hills”…… What was worse was the very sour hot sauce….

But heck….something more than the “Something” – berto’s name keeps this place in business, right?

El Roberto
3755 Murphy Canyon Rd.
San Diego, CA 92123

Have I told you about my latest project? It’s a chain I’ll call Cuy-potle, specializing in burritos featuring free-range, alfalfa fed, Cavia porcellus, humanely slaughtered. The burritos contain 1 ounce of Cuy meat, along with 16 ounces of various pseudo-Mexican sauces, rice, beans, and salsas..creating a boat-sized burrito that defies the term healthy eating! Hmmm, looks like I’ll need some help with this one…maybe the team of wordsmith Elmo Monster and marketing genius Eatdrinknbmerry will come on board…..we’d be unbeatable!

The Battle of the Berto’s:

So what about the Carne Asada Burrito at L El-Roberto’s, you may ask? Well, I did manage to try the CAB at El Roberto’s…recently, the one and only Howie who does the excellent A Foodie Eye’s View. Invited the Missus and I to what he called the Battle of the Bertos. We managed a tasting of 10 different Carne Asada Burritos, from random “Something” – berto’s around San Diego. It was a fun and interesting time…though I don’t think I’ll be having another CAB for a while!

So to quote Howie; “Which Berto Reigns Supreme?” You’ll just have to check out the results here. You can also vote on your personal favorite “Berto”. In case you were wondering, the Missus(otherwise known as The Missusberto), and yours-truly-berto came up with almost the exact same results in our blind tasting…..

And to add even more “cred” to the project, the Arbiter, was a vegetarian! Who deserves major props for first, dealing with a group of “crazed carne asada Psychos”. And secondly, for dealing with the “smell of grilled beef” permeating our very being……

And just in case you wanted to know what the post-bertos scene was like….this is the aftermath:

The Name Your (Faux)Berto Contest:

I’ve always poked fun at the proliferation of these “Something”-berto places. It is quite entertaining when driving to think up stuff like:

Vito-Bertos – “You better like our meatball burrito, or else….”

PETA-Bertos – At least you can be sure that the fur growing in your burrito didn’t come from a living creature…I’m sure that would be comforting!

I’m also sure you’re much more creative than I am, so come up with your best “Something” – berto’s name and tagline, and/or menu item, and send it to me via email at mmm-yoso@hotmail.com, I’ll pick my 3 favorite names, and I’ll also forward the list to Howie, to pick his 3 favorites…and I’ll send the winners a Peet’s Ecup of coffee. One winner per IP address, and try to keep it clean, ok? I’ll list the winners mid-week. The contest closes midnight on Sunday, 01/27/08…after all, I know you’re all creative geniuses, with an unending flow of ideas….and my personal CPU can’t deal with that!

So let’s see what Faux-berto’s you come up with.

Tacos El Compita

January 15, 2008 mmm-yoso Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops

*** El Compita is gone….to where who knows…..

I'll let you in on a little secret right now. If I'm deeply engrossed or otherwise distracted….perhaps concentrating on the ratio of soup to meat in a Xiao Long Bao, or some other similar task, there's a way to get my complete, and undivided attention…..you simply whisper "Barbacoa de Borrego", "Birria de Chivo", or maybe "Cabeza" into my oreja, and you will have an attent, straight backed, wide eyed, slobbering, taco lover on your hands. Or you could simply wave a banner….perhaps like this one, in front of my face:

My eyes were instantly glued to this sign…..affixed…..in fact, I'd even say that my head rotated a complete 360 degrees as I drove past, a la the Exorcist. At that moment I knew…that I must, no needed, to check this place out. I had driven by the corner of 25th and Imperial dozens of times, but never noticed this taco truck. Probably because it is covered with a tarp when not in service.

I parked on a side street, and walked toward the taco truck. As I entered the parking lot, I saw the 6 tough looking gentleman sitting at the portable tables set-up in front of the truck stand up, all eyes were fixed on me……I noticed that none of them were eating, which made me a tad uncomfortable. The first thought that crossed my mind was "uh-oh, this must be a front for some illicit business." One of the Guys starting walking up to me, and I quickly said "you have Barbacoa????" The Guy stopped in his tracks, stared at me suspiciously, tilted his head, and said, "Si, goooood Barbacoa!" He turned and walked into the doorway into one of the strip mall's "offices". I could hear a flurry of Spanish, and soon enough a lady walked out, and started talking to me….and I couldn't understand a darn thing, She didn't speak English…… But once it got to food, I had no problems, "Dos Barbacoa…….Cabeza, Lengua." She walked into the taco truck, opened a container of masa, and proceeded to make tortillas with the skill of an Itamae making Nigiri sushi.

So here they are……2 Barbacoa de Borrego, 1 Cabeza, and 1 Lengua taco – each cost a mere $1.25! Four tacos – 5 bucks.

First off, these were the best tortillas I've had in a while, great texture, great flavor. The cabeza had a nice beefiness to it, but was a bit on the dry side. The Lengua was a bit too greasy for me, but had decent beef flavor, and some gelatinous goodness. The Barbacoa de Borrego was nice, very moist, mildy "wild"….great roasted flavor. The one thing that the meat lacked was salt, but with the addition of one of the salsas it was very good.

Four different salsas, and the usual garnishes are provided on what looks like a retired taco cart. The only problem I had was that the onions look to be a bit on the "sour" side. Still, these tacos were very good, and well worth the price.

I had visited on a week day during the Christmas long weekend. On a recent weekend, I decided to head on down to El Compita. On this day, the woman was working on the "cart", and the Taco Truck was empty.

As I waited, I could see the various trays in the steam table being opened, and the wonderful aroma of the various roasted meats hit me, which got my salivary glands going.

On this day I ordered 2 Barbacoa, 2 Birria de Chivo, and 1 Adobada(marinated pork):

I saved one Barbacoa, and one Birria for the Missus, and consumed the other 3. I found the Adobada to be a bit too oily for me, and the flavor was surpisingly mild. The meat was very tender and moist.

The Birria de Chivo was nice and gamey, but lacked the spicy bite that I've had with other versions. As with all the other meats, it was very moist and tender.

The Barbacoa on this occasion was even better than my previous visit, rich, moist, tender…with a nice dollop of salsa, some onions and cilantro…things don't get much better than this. In fact, though the tortillas were not as good this time around, I'd say all the meats were much more succulent. Looks like weekends are the way to go. And I'll be sure to be back soon.

Overall, it's hard to feel ripped off when you pay $1.25 for tacos. And these are much better than those that start with the word 'Del' or end in 'Bell'. Light years better…….in fact, it is of a completely different universe.

Tacos El Compita
2586 Imperial Avenue
San Diego, CA 92102

Filibertos Mexican Food – Linda Vista

January 8, 2008 mmm-yoso Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops

This location of Filibertos (not "that" location) always struck me as the Teal and White Taco Shop looking for an edge:

First off, they have a menu that rivals some of the larger Vietnamese establishments I know of. Than they started the $1(now $1.25) "Mexico City Tacos". And recently, they’ve put banners up advertising their "Panaderia", specifically fresh bread. I’m trying to figure out whats coming up next!

Being a sucker for good tacos, I dropped by on a recent weekend morning. The interior of this location of Filibertos is rather large, but on the dingy side, not necessarily a bad thing for a taco shop. On one side of the long counter is the bakery case, and on the other the drinks/aguas frescas, and the salsa bar.

I ordered a Suadero(Beef Shoulder), Lengua(beef tongue), and an Al Pastor(marinated pork). Each cost a mere $1.25:

I don’t know if I chose a bad day, or what…the suadero had a decent beef flavor, but was very dry, the lengua was gummy and greasy, and the Al Pastor was under flavored and tough. Even for $1.25 a piece, these weren’t very good tacos…heck for a quarter more I could get these right down the street in a few hours.

One thing did get my attention. As I was leaving, I noticed several groups of Hispanic males eating Menudo. I made mental note to return at a future date, which I did. Unfortunately, they were all out of lengua….so since they’ve been "advertising" their bread, I ordered a Torta….actually, I think I ordered a Carne Asada Torta, but the Gal at the counter told me, that I had ordered a Al Pastor Torta($3.96):

In this case the flavor of Al Pastor was even worse than the last time….just really bland. I was floundering, looking for a "silver lining", and I finally found one….the bread was indeed good, fresh, placed on the griddle and toasted, even the charred edges couldn’t spoil the bread. Even the faux liquid butter flavor couldn’t spoil the bread…..I scraped off the contents of the sandwich, and just ate the bread.

For now, I think I’m going to give this location of Filibertos as "rest"…though I’ll try to be back for the menudo…maybe.

Filibertos Mexican Food
2399 Ulric Street
San Diego, CA 92111

Postscript – For those that think you can’t get good tacos for a "buck-n-quarter"……I was expecting something more like this – Two Barbacoa de Borrego, one Cabeza, and one lengua Taco, in tortillas made fresh while you wait – total $5.

It can be done…….

Coming up in a future post.

Soup Weather! A revisit to Palomino’s-yes, soup but not pho.

January 5, 2008 Cathy Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso!!! is the blog. The bloggers are friends. The bloggings vary and are mildly interesting, informative and sometimes bizarre. Today, its Cathy, with her blogger-ish perspective of mildly interesting food.

Hi again. We are having lots of rain storms this weekend. If you are daring to venture out of the house and driving about and maybe want soup, but *not* pho…well, there are options, you know. Here are a few choices. Really. If you are going to any taco shop, you may have noticed (and ignored) the “soup” part of the menu. This weekend (and any time, actually) would be the perfect time to try some.

You may recall I did a post about non-pho soup abou this time last year, but that restaurant (Los Michoacaños) is in Santee and so this time I am doing a more central location, and showing more of the variety Palominos has to offer, just on the “Soups” (or “Caldos”) side of the menu.

There are 11 caldos listed on the menu on the wall above the cash register and I will only show you five, however know the “basics” of pozole and menudo have been extensively enjoyed by The Mister and myself, are plentiful and really good.

These first two photographs are of Caldo Talapeño ($5.99)..Yes, chicken soup…but there are three “chicken soup” choices listed on the menu board-the bottom one that is simply called “chicken soup” for $5.99 is just the “American” menu listing of Caldo de Pollo-the third soup I will be telling you about-below.

This soup was made with all chicken breast meat and had hominy as the starch.

As you can see, a LOT of chicken breast meat. There was no “add in” plate to top this soup. There was a chipotle pepper in it and that added enough spice. The usual vegetables- carrot, and celery as well as zucchini are in large chunks and barely cooked (i.e, not mushy). Also, there were a smattering of garbanzo beans, same size as the hominy at the bottom of the bowl. All in all, a good, home made chicken soup stock base topped with sliced fresh avocado.

The Caldo de Camaron(Shrimp Soup)($8.50) is an absolute delight! There are more than 15 of these large, juicy plump, flavorful shrimp in the bowl and the broth, tomato based, was a deeply rich and flavorful seafood stock and quite filling. The vegetables in the soup were carrots and celery. A simple and wonderful meal.

This side plate of cilantro, onions, limes, pepper and dried herbs(a mix or marjoram, thyme and some oregano) as well as a choice of corn or flour tortillas accompanied this soup. You can mix in at the start, or after you are eating. I usually enjoy the initial soup “plain” and then do add ins, to give myself a whole new soup later in the meal.

This is the Caldo de Pollo ($5.99), yes, a different, more basic chicken soup which comes with the sides plate, above, as well as the tortillas and the cup of rice as the starch, although, as you can see, there are corn, carrot, zucchini and potatoes in the soup…as well as a *lot* of dark, flavorful thigh meat. I really kind of was hoping this soup would have had more broth, but am not complaining. It is the same base stock as the first chicken soup (caldo de talapeño) pictured above.

Caldo de Res (Beef Soup) ($6.25) By far, the deepest, richest broth of those shown here. Plenty of non-fatty stew beef, potatoes, carrots, zucchini, corn and cabbage, served with tortillas and rice. This broth will satisfy you even more than the chicken broth if you are losing your taste buds due to a cold or flu. There also was almost too much meat in the bowl. Again, not complaining.

I’ll just end this post with the traditional Albondigas Soup ($5.99). At least five of these large meatballs, made with rice, celery and onion as well as the dry spice mix(again, mostly oregano) and in the mix, corn, potato, zucchini, cabbage and carrots. The broth of the albondigas is the same as the pozole broth(not pictred and usually what I have for breakfast when I come here)…kind of what I call “hollow” and absolutely the only broths here that I feel I have to add in those side items to give it a deeper flavor- the lime automatically enriches the flavor and the onions, cilantro and pepper flakes give the depth needed, especially on cold, wet days such as are in our midst right now.

To summarize: there are five main broths for ten soups: chicken, beef, seafood, the pozole/albondigas broth and the menudo. All are used for homemade, flavorful and filling soups. So, don’t be afraid to enjoy the soup at any of your local taco shops – not at all your everyday “Taco Shop” meal. If you are on Clairmont Mesa near the Registrar of Voters office, stop in at Palominos. Parking is tight at lunchtime, but not in the morning or after 3 p.m.

Palomino’s #2 9353 Clairmont Mesa Blvd, suite I San Diego 92123 (858) 292-8470 Mon-Fri 6:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m., Sat 6-9, Sun 6-8

JV’s Mexican Food

November 26, 2007 mmm-yoso Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops

First off, my apologies…..I’m sure after eating more calories in a few days, than you would in a month, the last thing you’d want is to have me waving a burrito in your face. But with a small backlog, I decided to start the post-Thanksgiving diet with a very popular taco shop. When we lived in the area JV’s was a regular stop, in those days we thought they made a pretty good burrito. So not having eaten at JV’s in 4-5 years or so, I was wondering how my tastes had changed, if at all, and recently paid a visit to JV’s.

One of the reasons I enjoyed grabbing a bite from JV’s was that service was very quick, and the crew at JV’s were almost always friendly…….

In fact, the attitudes are almost as bright as the orange and yellow colors that comprise the interior…. There always seems to be a steady stream of customers.

The menu at JV’s goes beyond the usual San Diego Taco Shop fare, with items like the Del Mar Burrito(shrimp, fish, beans – $7.10), the Surf and Turf Burrito(Shrimp and Carne Asada – $7.10), the Tuna Melt Quesadilla(!!! – $4.90). On this day, I chose the Al Pastor Burrito($4.40):

For some strange reason, I always like to place my burrito next to another object when taking a photo….just for the sake of determining scale. I guess it’s just a bad habit…. The burritos at JV’s are fairly large.

This was just okay, the Al Pastor (marinated pork) was mild in flavor, though the meat was tender. I thought that the guacamole and large quantity of pico de gallo detracted from the overall flavor of the Al Pastor. In this case it was obvious that the pork wasn’t spit roasted, the hallmark of Al Pastor.

Nevertheless, the burrito did fill me up. I also like the hot sauce at JV’s, and the salsa bar stocks roasted jalapenos, marinated carrots, and the like for free.

Of course, I had to make another visit and grab the ubiquitous California Burrito($4.95):

This burrito, as with all the burritos are pretty hefty in size. The Carne Asada was pretty mundane, dry and bland, not quite what I remembered. I also wished for more french fries, and less sour cream.

Still, not bad for under 5 bucks. But not as good as I recall. These days, I’m less of a burrito guy, and more of a taco dude…..

I had thought of going back to JV’s to grab more of our favorites from not-so-way-back-when, the Red Chile Burrito($4.20), and other stuff(Lengua Plate!), but I think, that at least for now, I’ll just rely on my memories.

Still, if you’re in the mood for some "different" burritos, like the Big Chicken Philly(grilled chicken, onions, and mushrooms), perhaps JV’s is worth a try.

JV’s Mexican Food
1112 Morena Blvd
San Diego, CA 92110
619-276-0758

Open Sunday-Thursday 9am-11pm
Friday-Saturday 9am-2am

La Playita-Mexican Seafood. Excellent.

August 13, 2007 Cathy Seafood, Taco Shops, What Cathy Eats!

La Playita has closed

Other posts on La Playita can be found here, here, here and here

mmm-yoso never goes on vacation. It is a blog, you know. A blog about food. Today, Cathy is talking about what she ate. The other blogger guys are merely reading and enjoying vicariously.

Hello again. I am back and oh so happy. The Mister and I just had the most wonderful meal. In April, Mr. P. told me this place was great when I asked him about it and I merely stored that tidbit of information.

I could kick myself for not going to La Playita sooner. It is right up the street from Ba Ren, in the same parking lot as the Smart N Final on Clairmont Mesa Boulevard, in the back corner of the parking lot Lp_003 , closer to Limerick Street.

This is pretty much what it looks like inside-3 small tables and 7 stools at the counter…and lots of references to Pancho Villa, I am unsure why. You order and they start assembling and cooking. Basically, it is all seafood except for the corn tortilla quesedilla for $2.50, mentioned on a piece of paper taped on the wall.

We decided to be the token Caucasians and order in that way this first time, so the fish(0r shrimp) taco ($2.50) (also mentioned only on a piece of paper taped to the window and on the wall), was ordered. They had to fry it- an unusual sound – using the pan fryer and all. These two are the only fried items you can order.Correction- when it is hot weather out, those are the only two fried items you can order. When it is of a better temperature outdoors, there are several 'specials' on the wall listed that are pan fried and delicious!

Lightly corn meal battered slices of fresh red snapper (which is otherwise used in the ceviche) served on a single tortilla with tomatoes, cilantro, onion and some spicy, creamy orange colored sauce which is also made in store. Served with a home made hot sauce which is very good.

This is the menu on the wall. No take out menu and the website isn't quite working. (Click to enlarge.)

The medium Shrimp Cocktail ($7). We did not count how many large, juicy, sweet tasting shrimp were in here, but at least a dozen. They were barely cooked (i.e., not mushy) and nicely chilled. So sweet and quite large. The nice lady at the counter (mom?) put some what we thought were onions and shrimp juice on the bottom, then the shrimp, then more sauce, which was made of fresh tomatoes and their juice, cucumber slices-not onions!-, cilantro and lime juice. Perfectly simple and wonderfully refreshing. (The Mister does not like onions at all.)

Then, the reason I came- ceviche. This is the small ($5) tostada of "House" ceviche- Three sizes available, 4 types to choose from(could have gotten shrimp, imitation krab or the large ($10) size of ceviche tostada called "Super Crazy") and the House one is made with scallops. Scallops that are raw and only start cooking in the lime juice when you order and the ceviche is assembled. Fresh. For you. When you order. This small size is more expensive than other ceviche tostadas around town, but is definitely double the amount of seafood and tomatoes, cucumber and cilantro than you usually get elsewhere. No Jalapeño or onions, just fresh, crisp wonderful fresh flavors. By far the best I have had.

If you are craving Mexican Seafood, this is the place to try.

La Playita Seafood 5185 Clairmont Mesa Blvd, San Diego 92117 (858) 874-6484 . No hours listed. Website

Palominos #2-yet another (good) Mexican and Seafood Shop

August 9, 2007 Cathy Taco Shops, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso is a blog. Today Cathy is doing the talking, because this is where she ate. Kirk and Ed are taking a break.

Hello again. The Mister and I have been sick, yet still eating, just not taking photos and therefore nothing to blog about. However, the camera went with us today when we met up at one of our easy dinner meeting places- Palominos #2 -located across Ruffin Road from the Registrar of Voters Office.

A simple menu with some outstanding food (click to enlarge).

You order, pay and then can load up at the Chips and Salsa Bar.

I kind of like all of the salsas for one use or another, either just to eat with the chips while waiting, or as a compliment to the various meats or seafood.

No real preference. All are outstanding. Fresh made daily.

We started out with an Al Pastor taco ($2.40)- one of the best al pastors I have had.

The pork has been in a deep rich marinade that has a little heat from the red chiles and I detect oregano and cumin in the moist with crispy edged pieces of meat and sweetness from pineapple. It is an excellent example of Al Pastor.

Since it was Tuesday, we got the Special for the day- chile relleños (or cheese tamales), rice and beans ($4.75-reg $5.99).

The chiles are fresh, not canned, the cheese is a very fresh tangy jack and the sauce has a subtle bite to it. They are made in house, fried to order and the batter part that is not covered with sauce is oh so crispy and fresh.

Sometimes I am in a mood for a crispy chilled taco and the shredded beef ones are what I choose($2.05 each). There is something about the shredded beef- must be the grease- that I so crave. Inside the freshly fried shell with some lettuce and cheese and some hot sauce…oh I sometimes *have* to have that crunch.

What I *always* get here, no matter what else we order, is the ceviche tostada ($2.99). Made fresh daily with more tasty fresh rock shrimp (rather than small unflavorful shrimp), fresh tomatoes, cilantro and onions (barely any jalapeño as some other taco shops use)…it is perfect. Almost always I am not the only one ordering this treat no matter the day of the week or the time of day. It is served with a bottle of Tapatio Hot Sauce on the side and a sliver of avocado…just wonderfully refreshing. Quality Food. Plenty of indoor seating and three outdoor tables.

Palominos #2 Mexican and Seafood Restaurant 9353 Clairmont Mesa Blvd Suite I San Diego 92123 (858) 292-8470 (Behind the Carl’s Jr.) Mon-Fri 6:00 a.m.-10:00 p.m., Saturday 6:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. Sunday 6:00 a.m.-9:00 p.m.

Tacos El Rico

July 23, 2007 mmm-yoso Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops

*** Tacos el Rico is now a location of Tacos el Paisa

I've tried unsuccessfully to eat at Birririeria El Nortenita on Imperial a few times in the last 2 months. Call it bad timing if you will, but the place is always too busy, so I usually just have a meal elsewhere. On a recent trip, the elsewhere was a colorful new Taqueria called Tacos El Rico:

If I recall this used to be Delia's, the Clairemont Drive location of Delia's has closed as well, I'm not sure what happened. One thing is pretty clear, El Rico sure makes good use of the colors red and yellow!

As you can tell from the lively and brightly colored menu, basic taco shop fare is served here. The variety of "meats" is pretty decent, with all usual suspects; Carne Asada, Al Pastor, Lengua, Cabeza, and Tripa, all present and accounted for……… And all served as Tacos, Burritos, Gorditas, or Mulita.

I placed my order, and waited a few minutes, grabbed my tacos, and went to sit outside, under the bright sunlight, and the even brighter red umbrellas.

I had ordered 3 tacos ($1.75 each). From left to right Birria(I was going to get some Birria one way or another!), Cabeza, and Al Pastor.

Please excuse the somewhat unsightly "bloody" tint to the photos. I didn't realize until I downloaded my photos, but the light filtering through the, yep you got it! Red umbrellas gave the photos this strange tint. The tacos were served on double corn tortillas which had a nice flavor, a bit chewy, and not brittle at all. Each taco also had a generous portion of meat as well.

I started with the Al Pastor:

The pork didn't have the caramelized appearance of typical Al Pastor, and was very "wet". I think of this as more of a marinated pork, rather than something spit roasted on the Trompo. The flavor was very mild, with just hints of chili flavor. There was also the problem of the pool of oil at the bottom of the taco, if you look at the photo closely you'll notice it. Not the best Al Pastor I've had.

The Tacos de Cabeza, was more of the solid "chunk" style, rather than the long cooked shredded meat that I enjoy.

This meant that the texture of the meat tended toward a more "waxy" texture. The overall flavor was very mild, not like the condensed beef flavor I enjoy. On the good side, this wasn't oily in the least, and it tasted okay with a touch of the Salsa Roja. As you can tell, there was so much meat, it was falling out of the taco.

And of course, I had to get my Birria.

This was by far the best. The meat had been cooked until soft and moist, than shredded. It had retained some of the "wild" flavor I was looking for, gamey and rich. The onions and cilantro helped to cut through the richness of the meat, and the corn tortilla stood up well to the moist, but not watery meat. This taco made the meal a success….I did get my Birria! Which made me a happy man(call me obsessed – but you know that already…).

The reason I sat outside, was so I could check this out:

Yep, this Taco Truck looks pretty new(where's all the bright red and yellow colors??). Got me wondering where we might be seeing it soon!

I'm not quite sure if I'll be stopping by Tacos El Rico anytime soon, since there are so many choices in the area. But who knows, I may run into that taco truck one day.

Tacos El Rico
2494 Imperial Ave
San Diego, CA 92102

La Casita Mexican Restaurant- Good Mexican Seafood in El Cajon

June 26, 2007 Cathy Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops, What Cathy Eats!

mmm-yoso is the blog, which Cathy is doing today because Kirk isn’t. He just isn’t.

Hello again. Looking at the past few weeks of the blog, it seems that none of us has gone out to eat, except maybe to a "regular rotation" . So, here is one of our favorite places, yet another Mexican Restaurant, in El Cajon. La Casita "Especialidad en Mariscos"-specializing in seafood. If you are at the interesection of Magnolia and Bradley, ready to turn onto Highway 67- the In-N- Out is on your left, so you are facing south…right there behind the gas station …see it? (So, it is basically on the southwest corner at 67 and Bradley)

OK, park and it looks like this. It is also the Radiator Repair Shop parking lot. One row for cars.

You walk in and there is a menu on the wall in front of you. Order, pay, get a tray with chips and some cups for salsa, load up and sit down. Your food will be brought to you. *** The prices on this printed menu are off by about $1 on some items; new menus are being printed***

It was Friday, so I decided on a fish taco ($2.25)

Two corn tortillas, a lightly breaded, crispy fried fish piece,tangy white sauce, salsa, guacamole and cabbage. Fresh tasting and oddly, light.

I also had a craving for a ceviche tostada ($3.50). It is made with only shrimp here and so wonderful. The mix of tomatoes, onions, cilantro and jalapeño was jsut perfect. Some nights though, I htink there is too much jalapeño. It is always this overfilled.

The Mister wanted a salad, and there is only one on the menu- #9, Ensalada la Casita- beans, lettuce, cheese, sour cream, guacamole and olives, with a choice of shredded beef or chicken ($5.50). Substantial food. Not much lettuce. Great shredded beef. The Mister usually likes the Camarones la Casita plate ($9) 5 very large shrimp with a cornmeal breading and rice, beans, salad and tortilla.

As I said, you do pay first, but the food is brought out to you at these lovely tables. There are murals over all the walls, but I like this one on the back wall the best.

Really, The Mister and I come here for breakfast more often than not. All of the items are $6. We go to the Starbucks in the In-N-Out mall, one block North, for coffee after.

La Casita Mexican Food 1503 N. Magnolia El Cajon 92019 (619)444-8228 Open 7 days 6 a.m.-9 p.m.