Taco Shops – Page 6

La Vecindad Neighborhood Tacos

June 12, 2017 mmm-yoso Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops

I know a couple who can't stop raving about La Vecindad. So, when I had some meetings in the area recently, I decided to drop by.

Located in the old Guild Theatre; this location really hasn't done well as businesses sure don't seem to last long here.

I gotta say, this place really went for it with regards to bright colors, making the place look quite festive.

The drill here is you go to the counter and order…..the young lady working was an absolute joy; so friendly! I looked over the menu and not really sure what to order, just winged it ordering three tacos. Not cheap at $3.75 a piece, but heck, in this age of hipster tacos, I've kinda gotten used to higher taco prices for a better quality (and tasting) product.

Though I thought the salsas here were really mild. And on this day, I had to ask for some limes….though that really friendly young lady was more than happy to get me some.

I ended up ordering an Al Pastor, El Perron, and a Taco de Papas (potato).

I quickly noticed how hefty these tacos were.

Of the three, I enjoyed the Al Pastor the best.

First thing I noticed that the rather succulent and tender pork, was not the usual thin cut pork and didn't have the bright red color I'm used to with the usual Al Pastor I consume. The flavor, was on the mild side and lacking in the sweet-fruity tones I get from versions I enjoy. The flavor of the white corn tortilla was quite mild and I prefer a more assertive corn flavor. As whole, very mild taste wise, but not bad.

Funny, I was rather happy to see a Tacos El Perron on the menu; it made me think of what I had at the "counterfeit" Tacos Yaqui in San Ysidro that was only open for a short time. This was definitely not that.

When I think of Tacos Perron, the meat is grilled flank steak, mild, but with a nice beefy flavor. This was the usual thin slice beef, you know, the stuff used on your run-of-the-mill carne asada. It was the tough side and lacked flavor. Also, this version used the corn tortilla, which, as you can see in the photo to the right was not up to the task, versus the flour tortilla with a nice layer of cheese melted on the bottom to help preserve it. No beans on this one. It had some nicely seasoned nopales, which, while on the salty side really brought that green bean like flavor along with a pleasant sliminess and griddled onions which were also quite good.

The Potato Taco was nice in terms of texture as the potatoes weren't mushy and dry.

But this just seemed quite bland. The really mild salsas really didn't help much either.

Overall, not bad….nothing outstanding per se, but decent. I did have a nice short chat with the young lady working here. She told me to come back for "Taco Tuesday" when the tacos were two for six bucks and try the two top sellers; the Campechano and the Costa Azul. So I did just that….returning on a Tuesday a few weeks later.

I had to crack up when I got to the salsa bar; notice the Salsa Roja is labeled Salsa Verde and so forth.

Following orders I got the two tacos…..

The Campechano had all the ingredients; thin sliced, though under flavored and rather unwieldy and chewy beef and longaniza; which was on the milder side with regards to flavor, but decent.

Along with the nopales and onions like the El Perron and griddled potatoes which were nicely seasoned. This had a certain greasiness to it and again the tortilla was not up so the task. It was one hefty taco though; that is easily worth the three bucks on taco Tuesday.

The Costa Azul was much better.

On my first bite I was greeted with a nice bacon wrapped shrimp. The bacon was so crisp that it was like having a bacon flavored batter. The creaminess of the avocado and the slightly milky cheese worked together nicely. And the absence of grease or liquid, the tortilla held up, though it's still not my favorite tortilla.

The verdict? I really like the folks who work here. They are really friendly.

Definitely mixed results with the tacos I sampled and was not fond of how they prep and cook their beef. I don't think this would be counted as a "destination" taco stop for me, but I'd stop by if I'm in the neighborhood and hungry again. After all, they call themselves La Vencidad "Neighborhood Tacos".

La Vecindad Neighborhood Tacos
3827 5th Ave
San Diego, CA 92103
Hours:
Mon – Thurs 11am – 10pm
Fri – Sat 11am – 11pm
Sun 10am – 9pm

Carnitas Uruapan (revisits)

May 30, 2017 Cathy Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops, What Cathy Eats!

Thanks for dropping by to read about food on mmm-yoso!!! Kirk and Ed (from Yuma) are both otherwise engaged and Cathy is also busy, but is able to write today.

Kirk has mentioned how he had been working 12 hour days, yet He did find time to eat and write about it. The Mister and I haven't had the time to go out and eat at a variety of places, but always take photos of meals. I posted about Carnitas Uruapan in 2006, when I first started helping Kirk on this blog (and I posted again in 2012) it's a regular spot for us. The location is in a corner of a small lot, small inside and there is an ordering window. Walk inside and the menu plus some specials are listed. The carnitas 'Dinner for one' ($6.25) is probably the most popular item here. 1/2 pound of freshly prepared pork, served with tortillas, rice, beans, onion, tomato and cilantro is more than enough food; easily shared. That bowl of crispy looking fried meat at the 2 o'clock position is 1/2 pound of pork chicharron ($4).
When you order inside to eat, a bowl of fresh made chips and salsa are brought to your table. The salsa is pepper (not tomato) based and has just the slightest amount of heat and a wonderful flavor. Enchiladas Suizas ($8.99). My favorite version is from Ponce's, but the version at Carnitas Uruapan is a close second. The unique tomatillo/garlic based sauce mixed with cheese ('Suiza' means 'Swiss') satisfies cravings.Divorciados ($8.99). A plate symbolizing divorce, differences and also a choice when I can't decide (mentioned at the bottom of this post). Red sauce over shredded pork, green sauce over chicharrones along with beans and rice. This pretty much satisfies all of my cravings.

Here is another meal of the 1/2 pound carnitas, along with 1/2 pound of chicharrones. Sorry for the repetition, it is my favorite meal here.

I hope your week is going well!

Carnitas Uruapan 4233 Spring Street La Mesa, Ca 91941 (619) 337-2448 Sun-Thurs 9a.m.-9p.m., Fri-Sat 9 a.m.-11 p.m.

TJOyster Bar (location #3)

November 2, 2016 Cathy Seafood, Taco Shops, What Cathy Eats!

All of us at mmm-yoso!!! wish you a good November. It's the time year with chilly mornings and evenings and clear blue, nicely warm daytimes. Kirk is still on vacation and Ed (from Yuma) is busy out there. Cathy is writing another short post.

In 2012 and again in 2014, I wrote about a favorite small spot for Mexican seafood. A second location had opened around the corner on the same block in August 2012, with table service, more space and a slightly different menu. Then in October 2014 this third location, a few miles South, in Chula Vista, opened.Located in the same parking lot anchored by a Ralph's grocery store as well as a McDonald's, both the parking and seating situations are larger/better than the original location.

The menu at the first and third locations are about the same. Some items are served on paper plates, but most items here are served with reusable plates and cutlery.

The grilled fish salad ($9) here is quite large and filling. The mildly seasoned and grilled fish is on top of a good size bowl of Romaine and has a Caesar-like dressing, about 1/3 avocado and basic salsa (chopped tomato, onion and cilantro) as topping. Since we also ordered tacos with this, we decided to share a side of refried beans ($2.50), which were surprisingly good. Unless you are ordering a plate, no items here come with refried beans (unlike at other taco shops, with beans and other items mixed in the burritos) and these were a really nice addition.
The grilled fish taco ($3) was made with the same seasoned grilled fish, onion, cilantro and a dab of white sauce. Again, enough to satisfy. Simple, fresh, beer battered and crispy fried ($1.50/each) fish tacos are what started this business. Always good and quite large. Fried calamari appetizer ($8) is not overly large, lightly dusted with a seasoned flour and fried properly:lightly crispy with tender squid as the final outcome. The fish ceviche tostada ($4) is quite satisfying, marinated in lime juice and mixed with the basics of tomato/onion/cilantro, it needs no additional condiments. The 'fish chicharron' appetizer ($13.50) is basically breaded and fried fish nuggets, served with a savory fish sauce based onion filled dipping sauce and always good to share. On chilly days, a bowl of shrimp soup ($9.50) hits the spot. Plump, fresh shrimp in the tomato based, slightly spicy (just enough; not too much) broth, topped with cilantro is enough to ward off a chill. I'm almost always ordering a Pescadilla ($9) at every visit and the craving for smoked fish was overwhelming one day. Combined with the melted cheese, this really hit the spot.

Always good and fresh here. cc has also been to this location and ordered different items.

I hope your week is going well.

TJ Oyster Bar 601 East Palomar Street Chula Vista, CA 92111 (619) 421-4787 Mon-Sat 10-9, Sun 10-7 Website

What’s Our Craving? Selecta International Taco Shop

July 31, 2016 mmm-yoso Markets & Grocers, Taco Shops

Selecta International? Actually, if you've been reading long enough, you'll recognize this as Internacional 2000 – the window in the market's parking lot. Different name; but that Al Pastor sure looks the same.

For some reason, both the Missus and I were craving some Al Pastor……so we drove all the way down to Chula Vista…….

It's now $1.29, but still a bargain in my book. Order at the window……you pay, they tell the guy, he asks you "con todo"? And we answer "si"! He slices of bits, makes sure they get a nice mix in the fat….adds some crunchy bits, onions, etc…..slathered with guacamole….. Same guy doing the Al Pastor as well.

Nicely caramelized, not quite as sweet as it used to be, in the past the version here reminded us of char siu. Still, quite satisfying.

Love the charred bits.

Good to know the Al Pastor here is still pretty good in spite of the market's apparent change in ownership. So I guess we'll keep dropping every so often when we need our Al Pastor fix.

Selecta International Grocers
1415 3rd Ave
Chula Vista, CA 91911

Yuma’s Mad Tacos

May 24, 2016 ed fromyuma Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops, What Ed Eats -You too can be like Ed!, Yuma

mmm-yoso!!! is a blog about food and travel. Today, Kirk is traveling, Cathy is busy eating, and Ed (from Yuma) is blogging.

"You eaten at Mad Tacos?" It was my friend and former colleague, Dawn.

"What? Where?" She then explained that it had won some awards and was supposed to be really good, and asked if I wanted to join her and a couple other folks there for lunch on an upcoming Friday.

The answer to "Where?" was a little complicated as well, because Mad Tacos is inside a pharmacy, Sant Drugs, that has had a lunch counter ever since the days when lunch counters and soda fountains were commonplace in drugstores and five and dimes:
This is what an old-fashioned lunch counter looks like:

Here is the view in the other direction:

With such limited seating, and being open only weekdays from 8:30-6 pm, how can they stay in business? This pic is part of the answer to that question:

Every time I've eaten there, people have come in for takeout, sometimes a lot of takeout.

So why is this little place really busy? I think because the food is really good and the prices are really cheap.

Case in point – Friday is fish taco day, so this taco cost $1 on a Friday (prices as of May, 2016):

There is nothing skimpy about that taco. There are numerous chunks of breaded fish and a lot of toppings including spiced mayo. And if you like your fish tacos to have some crunch, you won't find a better one in town, crackling crunchy.

What's more, the two house salsas are excellent:

The one on the left is the guacamole sauce, smooth and creamy from the avocado, with a lime tang and a spicy zip. Really excellent on the fish tacos, but also great on some of the meats, like asada.

The sauce on the right is a complex, smoky, dried chili salsa. This is not a chip dipping salsa, it is a spicing up flavor booster, perfect for a lot of things like these tostadas (regularly 2 for $5, but Thursdays $1 apiece):

So good. Underneath the cotija cheese, pickled red onions, chopped lettuce and tomato, and spicy mayo, lurked pieces of carnitas and a nice smear of frijoles. Even the crunchy tortilla was first rate, substantial enough that I could eat most of the tostadas with my hands and get no fallout on my shirt.

And if you look carefully at the salsa, you can see numerous tiny flakes, flecks, and bits, many red, but others green, black, white, yellow, and translucent. The complexity of a pointillist painting.

Maybe the most amazing lunch special is rolled taco Monday. Potato tacos at $.50 apiece. So this is a $3 plate:

The quality is also superb. The mashed potato is copious and flavorful, and the shell is deep fried crispy.

As I was leaving that day, I mentioned to Mannie (the head cook and proprietor) that his rolled tacos were better than my previous favorites at Buen Taquito up the street.

"Yeah," he said, "they don't flavor the mashed potatoes and their salsa is real basic." A spot on evaluation, and he could’ve added that his are larger in addition to better tasting. But his answer showed that he knows the competition, pays attention, and focuses on quality.

That's also evident in this bacon wrapped hot dog ($4):

While not as overloaded as some bacon dogs, the grilled and charred onions, chopped tomatoes, spiced mayo, mustard, and ketchup are enough, and the real focus here is on the quarter pound sausage:

That's a good hot dog. It has the right texture, excellent flavors, and abundant juiciness.

The quality also shows up in the plate of 3 tacos (choice of pastor, asada, carnitas, pollo, or pescado), a good value at $6:

In the photo, I’ve got a pastor, a fish, and an asada taco. There was a lot of asada:

and I was particularly impressed with the seasonings and grilling of the pastor:

Similarly, the chicken at Mad Tacos is not just bland generic white meat, but is nicely spiced and grilled. Look at this quesadilla ($4):

About as good as a quesadilla can be. The grilling of the tortilla is perfect, the cheese melted creamy, the chicken flavorful, and the roasted green chili strips abundant.

One day I decided to try takeout, so I called in an order for a chicken burrito ($6). When I walked to the counter, everything was almost ready, so Mannie could assemble it quickly, and my burrito was perfectly fresh and nicely packaged:

That burrito was also very tasty:

I realize that a lot of folks don't like lettuce in their burritos, but here the lettuce, pico de gallo, refritos, and abundant guac sauce complemented the warm spicy chicken chunks.

So is everything at Mad Tacos really great? Well, truth be told, the french fries ($3), are pretty ordinary:

Not bad, but not great. Otherwise most things here are real good eats and real good value. Thanks, Dawn.

What’s My Craving? The Mariscos el Pescador Truck

May 2, 2016 mmm-yoso Food Trucks, Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops

I readily admit, I got kinda tired of Hipster Tacos after the fourth place (post coming up one of these days). One morning, I just wanted some good tacos; places like El Gordo (which I haven't been to in a couple of years and haven't posted on in ages), La Fachada, El Poblano, and even Fernandez, But I had been wondering how the Mariscos el Pescador Truck was doing. It had been a couple of years since I last visited.

I shouldn't have worried about how business was…..the place was pretty busy even at 1030 in the morning!

I went with two old favorites of mine; the Gobernador and a Tacos de Marlyn.

Which came with the free cup of consommé. My experience with the broth is a mixed bag. On days when it's on, it's tangy, rich, full of shrimp-seafood flavor. It truly has the "aaah" factor. On other days, it's weak, with flavors not balancing out. On this day, it was spot on. Just plain delicious with a squeeze of lime to cut the brininess.

The Gobernador was a bit of a disappointment.

It had a nice amount of plump shrimp, but was missing the right complement of griddled onions and peppers which add flavor and balance to the taco. There also wasn't enough cheese melted on the tortilla, an important touch which keeps it from breaking apart. It wasn't bad, just not at the level I'd expect from El Pescador. Overall, I still prefer the versions with tomato in it as it adds a nice touch of acid.

The Taco de Marlyn on the other hand was almost a work of art.

The smoked fish was moist, just tender enough, with a ton of flavor. Adding cilantro and a squeeze of lime brings all the saltiness into line. This was a much larger portion than I recalled and not fishy like other versions I've had.

I was tempted to head on over to El Gallito across the parking lot but I was stuffed. There's a reason that all these locheras change hands so much and El Pescador doesn't. A loyal clientele and good tacos.

Mariscos El Pescador (In the parking lot pf RTA/Toys R Us)
1008 Industrial Blvd
Chula Vista, CA 91911

2 Yuma Trucks: Mariscos Güero and Taqueria San Pedro

April 26, 2016 ed fromyuma Food Trucks, Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops, What Ed Eats -You too can be like Ed!, Yuma

mmm-yoso!!! is a foodblog focusing on San Diego and the world. Kirk posts most, Cathy posts often, and today Ed (from Yuma) posts this.

Every year the Yuman food truck culture spawns more spots. Here's a couple:

Mariscos Güero

Angie, Tina's manager at work, was raving about a fantastic seafood molcajete at a place on Ave B, just a little south of 8th Street. So a couple of weeks later Tina and I found the place, Mariscos Güero, tucked behind another truck on the east side of B:

There are a few tables and folding chairs sheltered under canvas with windbreaks on all sides. On the truck there’s a menu with no prices (though prices are fair):

On our first visit, in the evening, there were few customers (and the nice folks at the truck said they would be closing evenings once the main season was over). At weekday lunch, the place can be quite busy:

On our first visit, Tina and I had a molcajete:

It was packed with cooked shrimp, octopus, and surimi. The seafood was mixed with large slices of red onion and cucumber pieces, all topped with generous wedges of avocado. The sauce was exceptional –flavors of seafood, lime, chili spice, and even a touch of soy sauce. Overall very good.

We also ordered a ceviche tostada:

Also very good. The sweetness of the fresh raw and cooked shrimp came through the lime. The fresh chopped onions and cucumbers and crunchy tortilla gave textural balance.

On my next visit, I ordered two fish and one shrimp taco:

Here's a close-up of a fish taco:

The tortilla, cabbage, and tomato were fresh and fine, but the crema was awfully thin and lacking in flavor. While the breading on the seafoods was not crunchy, neither the fish nor shrimp were overcooked so they tasted fresh and moist.

On my last visit, it was time for a campechana:

That's huge. And it is filled with a lot of good stuff:

When I ordered the mixed seafood cocktail, I was asked if I wanted it with "blood clam." "Sure," I answered, "con todo." I hadn't run across a campechana with blood clam (also known as concha negra, black clam) since Tio Juan’s disappeared from 8th Street. Here is one of them:

I did not know that some websites list blood clam as one of the most dangerous foods in the whole world. Of course, my old seafood purveyors in Monterey sell them, so maybe not all that deadly.

In any case, I am still alive and feeling good, so I guess I dodged another bullet (picture smiley face of your choice here). I also had the joy of consuming a really wonderful campechana. The octopus and shrimp were not overcooked. The surimi had a pleasant sweetness that I liked. But the mollusks were the stars: the abundant octopus had a perfect chewiness and octopus flavor; the clams had a different chew and were distinctly clammy; and the few fresh bay scallops were tender and lightly flavored. The cocktail juice tasted of cooking water, tomato sauce, (Clamoto?), lime juice, and a hint of soy. With a little bit of salsa it was perfect for my palate.

Taqueria San Pedro

This taco stand on 8th Street has long been a favorite of Tina and me. Though they quit serving hotdogs, their carne asada and other tacos, as well as the attractive ramada area, made it a good place for a quick dinner.

We had noticed, however, that the place seemed to be deteriorating slowly – the leather seats becoming ragged and torn. Then one evening San Pedro was not open. No sign and no sign of life. Oh well, we shrugged, that's the world of taco trucks.

A couple of months ago, we were cruising 8th Street and saw billows of fragrant looking smoke rising from the back of a lot. "Oh My God," Tina exclaimed, "it's San Pedro!" And so it was:

Pedro himself was still there being grillmaster. But the interior had been renovated – now more closed off and refurnished:

Wow. Fancy tables and chairs, a tiled floor, even a heater. The menu, still very small, is on every napkin dispenser:

After we ordered, the first thing brought over was a cup of frijoles:

Good, simple pinto beans in a light broth. Good by themselves, but made even better by adding some of the condiments:

Notice the spicy and the roasted salsa. The guacamole sauce was thinner than eight years ago, and many of the other items were nothing special. However, we really enjoyed the mild and fresh pico de gallo:

and loved the roasted jalapenos, mellowed and sweetened by the grill:

Then came volcanes:

Basically, a volcan is just a vampira except that the cheese goes atop the carne asada rather than between the meat and the desiccated corn tortilla. This was excellent, crunchy and toothsome with meaty asada.

The taco San Pedro is another Sonoran specialty, matching cheese, roasted green chile pepper, and quality asada:

This night, the cabeza was decent but nothing special:

What was our favorite? The tripa:

Tripa is difficult to get right. Sometimes too musty, often too rubbery, and usually too flavorless. This one, however, was perfect. Crunchy in places with a little char, and what was not crunchy was tender chewy. Porky good. Yum.

Tina and I are happy that San Pedro lives again.

Tacos Perla

April 20, 2016 mmm-yoso Taco Shops

**** This location of Tacos Perla has closed

Our third stop in the Hipster Taco tour. Over the last few months, I made a couple of stops at Tacos Perla. I'm kind of late to the show here, so you may want to just check out Kirbie's or CC's posts instead. Located near the hipster ramen haven, Underbelly, Tacos Perla occupies a nice spot on the corner of 30th and Upas.

Being an old fart, I love the black and white movies projected on the rear of the small dining room.

On one of my visits they were showing Fun in Acapulco….my late Mom was a big Elvis fan, though not as big as my best friends mother who went To Elvis's Aloha from Hawaii concert in 1973. I still kid that tough talking cigarette smoking "Tita" about going all goo-goo and gaga and crying because she loved Elvis so much. Anyway, I grew up listening to Elvis, and "No Room to Rhumba in a Sports Car" was a big favorite along with Wooden Heart. Which I got to sing when I was in a oldies band waaaay back when…..waaaay back when. But that's another story.

One of the draws to Tacos Perla is the short, but quite interesting collection of salsas. It's nice that they have a pairing list as well.

On my first visit I went with three tacos that interested me. At that time it was a pretty pricy proposition, $4.95 for "non-traditional" tacos and $3.95 for "traditional" style tacos. Not a huge list of items to choose from, but that's not important if everything is well prepared and flavors to match.

As you can tell, I also added a side of Chapulines (crickets) for 75 cents. It had been a while since I'd had chapulines, which really have little flavor (when prepped well), but adds a nice crunch to things.

I really enjoy a good Al Pastor/Adobada, so I started with that.

I found the adobada to be a bit gummy and tough. So I decided to add the crickets to this. Not my favorite version of adobada as I found the flavors lacking, especially in sweet and savory tones.

The tortillas struck me as well. Liked the rather rustic homemade feel, but it was a bit too crumbly and there was a tad of sweetness that I could detect as well.

The Ocho ($4.95) was no-brainer for me since I love most edible Cephalopods.

Loved the texture of the octopus, was less enamored with the rather weak flavorings, which did just enough to mask any brininess provided by the octopus, but didn't bring much else to the table. I've had everything from sannakji to pulpo zarandeado, to wonderful versions in Greece and smoked tako back home in Hawaii. This was a bit of a disappointment in the "what could have been" kind of way.

The best of the bunch was the Del Mar (Shrimp).

The achiote based seasoning didn't interfere with the pure flavor of the shrimp. The jack cheese added just the right amount of milkiness and salt to this for me. The recommended "pico de gallo" was a perfect match, good acid-tangy-pungent flavors that didn't mess about with this.

I did return two more times, I'll spare you the second visit, which was kind of basically the same to see if I held the same opinion, with the addition of a carne asada taco, which ended up having quite a bit more gristle that I anticipated. That Del Mar still came out on top.

I decided to drop by one more time after I heard that Tacos Perla had dropped their prices……great news since I thought almost fifteen bucks for three tacos was kind of pushing it for this type of ingredients put together in this manner, with this portion size.

So, I dropped by once again. This time things were a bit cheaper.

The Missus really enjoys the Portobello con Vegetales at City Tacos. So I thought I'd try the version here.

This left a bit to be desired in terms of flavor as it was very bland. Too many underseasoned components. The salsa, advertised as fire roasted pepper and papaya really lacked smokiness, heat, or even enough sweetness to really matter. Strange thing, the main thing I recall with this is how much I could mainly taste the tortilla…..

I tried the Carne Asada yet again. In terms of flavor it was much better; I swear, there's some soy sauce here?

It was still a bit to "gristlely" for my taste.

The surprise was the Taco de Pescado. Folks who've read this blog long enough know because of having to deal with quite a bit of mahimahi in a previous life, I'm a bit hesitant about ordering it as it attains a rather "sour" taste beyond 48 hours.

This was quite decent, perhaps edging on a bit too salty, but tempered by the mango salsa. I do prefer a more crisp batter for my fish tacos though.

So, in the end, I think the Missus is going to stick with City Tacos, though I'll keep tabs on Tacos Perla….I'm sure I'll visit again the future.

Tacos Perla
3000 Upas St
San Diego, CA 92104

City Tacos

April 4, 2016 mmm-yoso Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops

Over the last year, I went ahead and checked out several of our "hipster" taco shops. I've already posted on ¡Salud! and will probably get around to the rest eventually. Of these taco shops, the only one I took the Missus to was City Tacos; I think Salud has better tortillas, Perla is definitely tops in the salsa department, but I think City Tacos, which I recall first hearing about from Candice and then "CC" was the overall best of the lot. It's a small, cramped space, you order at the counter, pay, are given a placard with a number…..

The salsa bar is nice in that they encourage you to try the various salsas, though not quite inspiring on jicama first. I usually just go for the rojo, though there's one that's basically chili oil…..the Missus, She needs no salsa for the tacos She enjoys.

What's quite fascinating is that the Missus treats City Tacos as an alternative to Tiger! Tiger! when She wants to grab a beer at Toronado. So I'll let you know what the Missus enjoys here first.

Numero Uno would be the Puerco Agri Dulce….basically chunks of pork tenderloin with pineapple.

Disregarding the rather strange fried noodle thingy; which I guess is added for texture, the Missus loves the "sweet-sour" flavors of this taco. It's one of Her favorites. The tortilla on this is perfect as it just adds a bit of "breadiness".

As is the Chorizo Asado, which to me is pretty plain, but the Missus loves Her chorizo and also the milkiness of the cheese.

Number three, which could have easily have been numero uno (for the Missus, not me) is the Portobello con Vegetales.

The main reason is that we've never had it the same way twice…..once there wasn't any greens on it, the next time it was amazingly good (photo above), the cheese had been griddled to a wonderful crispy texture, the next time it was just melted. Personally, I'm not sold on veggie tacos, but give me something with that cheese crisp from the comal with black beans and corn….

I usually order the "Borrego", though those tacos have wildly varied as well.

I once got it ice cold, the last time I ordered it, there were some delicious fried veggies on top. The lamb is very tasty….I just wish for some consistency.

We also like the Carnitas when they have it.

Nicely porky….In spite of questioning the addition of mangos to this……it was tasty, even with the Missus's edict of "no salsa". The corn tortilla was perfect for this.

As a whole, we're not big fans of the seafood offerings here; I had the tacos de pescado (no photo) which was really fishy and not very tasty. The El Especial really wasn't much better.

Tough and rubbery octopus and squid, overly fishy flavors, just didn't do it for us.

The Mahi Adobo wasn't much more pleasant either….

It could be that in a "previous life" I had to deal with a ton of Mahimahi and understand how quickly it "sours"……but to me, this was too fishy and "sour". You can easily get a good tacos de marlyn from a Mariscos truck that would be much better than this.

Overall, we've figured out what we (the Missus) enjoys from City Tacos and it's a nice stop for us in the area when the Missus is craving some tacos. One of the women who work here is very nice. We've even taken the tacos to go….they put them in a pastry box, you know, like when you order a dozen donuts, and ate them at Poseidon.

City Tacos
3028 University Ave
San Diego, CA 92104

Tacos El Zamy – Yuma

March 28, 2016 ed fromyuma Mexican Restaurants, Taco Shops, What Ed Eats -You too can be like Ed!, Yuma

Kirk and Cathy are really busy today, so another post by Ed (from Yuma).

When the long defunct Indian restaurant on 4th Ave. was transformed into a taco shop, the change was instantly apparent:

So of course I had to drop in and see what was going on. On my first visit, if memory serves, they were serving only quesadillas, or pastor, asada, or cabeza tacos, so I ordered three tacos. I was pleasantly surprised when a wheel of condiments showed up on my table:

The guacamole sauce was pretty standard, as was the salsa, cabbage, onion/cilantro, and lime wedges. I enjoyed the thick slices of cucumber which I dipped in the guacamole sauce and topped with a little salsa. My taco shop appetizer.

Looking around, I could tell that the new owners had painted the inside as well as the outside, cleaned the place up, and put in new furniture:

The tacos were decent, if nothing really special:

All the meats, even the very red pastor, were lightly seasoned – the basic flavors coming through.

On my next few visits, it was clear that the restaurant was thriving with customers in the front, back, and side room:

No longer was the young son of the family wandering around amazed at the restaurant and the customers. Many more choices were written on a whiteboard:

Wow, a vampira – gotta try one of those:

Crunchy, meaty, cheesy. Yep.

Covered with fresh chopped lettuce and tomato and sprinkled with crumbly cotija cheese, a beef and frijoles sope was tasty as well:

The beefy rolled tacos (topped with cabbage) had plenty of crunch:

And I could wash everything down with real Mexican Coca-Cola:

Since this is an independent family restaurant, there is some variation from visit to visit. For example, most of the time the chicken taco looks like this:

But one day, the chicken had lingered longer on the grill and had a more interesting crispy texture:

On that same visit, the cabeza was really outstanding, muy rico:

And of course, all of these things came with that same condiment wheel.

And Tacos El Zamy continues to get better. The whiteboard has been replaced by this electronic menu:

And the wheel of condiments comes with an extra spicy salsa on the side:

One thing that hasn't changed is the friendly and personal service. I have always been well treated. For example, when I recently ordered three tacos, my friendly server reminded me that at El Zamy 4 tacos are only $5. I couldn't resist what was basically a $.50 taco, so this platter soon showed up at my table:

The cabeza, chicken, and pastor were pretty much the same as before, but the birria (de res) was wonderful – rich and savory.

I couldn't quit thinking about that birria, so on my most recent visit I ordered the birria plate (after all, this post wouldn't be complete without trying one of the plates, right?):

The wheel of condiments and the warm corn tortillas on the side were fine. And even though the rice was subpar and the beans a bit runny, the birria was really great. I left happy and satisfied.

In many ways, El Zamy is like a taco truck in a building, featuring many of the basic taco truck favorites done well. Unlike a taco truck, the restaurant offers protection from wind and weather. The ambience – such as it is – makes this the kind of place where a Yuman could give Cousin Fred and his wife Nancy from Nebraska a good quality authentic Yuma taco experience without subjecting them to plastic chairs, a dirt parking lot, and inclement weather. And the food is good and prepared with love.

Tacos El Zamy, 2071 S. 4th Ave, (928) 366-3269 or (928) 817-2461