There's very little out there as satisfying as a really great "Mexico-city style" taco. It's such a simple idea of a dish but so hard to come by a really good one. I liken it to a really great Bolognese - everyone can make it, but few can make it swoon-worthy. The tortilla has to be the right texture of soft and smooth but not too thick. The meat has to be juicy, perhaps even fatty, salty and slightly charred. This all needs to then be topped with a generous heaping of onions and cilantro. No more, no less. Don't destroy this lovely bundle of tastiness with tomatoes or cheese; it doesn't need all those extras! The finishing touch is to douse on salsa - something spicy, runny and home-made. Tapatio is not what I'm talking about here. Next, assemble your plate to have some sliced radishes ready in case your mouth needs to be cooled down from all that salsa. Grab a napkin and a big cup of soda and you're ready to have one fine meal.
I've been missing tasty tacos for awhile now. We've run into some ok places so far in Seattle, but home-made, authentic Mexican food isn't as easy to access as it is in LA. Driving through Toppenish this weekend on our way to the wineries, we noticed the large hispanic population and the numerous taco trucks and that got me super-excited about finding a hole-in-the-wall joint that could give me my taco fix. We randomly pulled into El Charrito and I'm happy to report my tummy left satisfied! I ordered a Carnitas taco and Carne Asada taco. Both weren't the best I've ever had, but they soothed the cravings for now. The tortillas were wonderful and the meat well seasoned, but I wished the salsa was spicier and the carne asada not be so chopped up. In any case, it felt a little like being back in the Valley, what with the hot weather outside. the Mexican radio inside and me munching away on tacos!
There's very little out there as satisfying as a really great "Mexico-city style" taco. It's such a simple idea of a dish but so hard to come by a really good one. I liken it to a really great Bolognese - everyone can make it, but few can make it swoon-worthy. The tortilla has to be the right texture of soft and smooth but not too thick. The meat has to be juicy, perhaps even fatty, salty and slightly charred. This all needs to then be topped with a generous heaping of onions and cilantro. No more, no less. Don't destroy this lovely bundle of tastiness with tomatoes or cheese; it doesn't need all those extras! The finishing touch is to douse on salsa - something spicy, runny and home-made. Tapatio is not what I'm talking about here. Next, assemble your plate to have some sliced radishes ready in case your mouth needs to be cooled down from all that salsa. Grab a napkin and a big cup of soda and you're ready to have one fine meal.
I've been missing tasty tacos for awhile now. We've run into some ok places so far in Seattle, but home-made, authentic Mexican food isn't as easy to access as it is in LA. Driving through Toppenish this weekend on our way to the wineries, we noticed the large hispanic population and the numerous taco trucks and that got me super-excited about finding a hole-in-the-wall joint that could give me my taco fix. We randomly pulled into El Charrito and I'm happy to report my tummy left satisfied! I ordered a Carnitas taco and Carne Asada taco. Both weren't the best I've ever had, but they soothed the cravings for now. The tortillas were wonderful and the meat well seasoned, but I wished the salsa was spicier and the carne asada not be so chopped up. In any case, it felt a little like being back in the Valley, what with the hot weather outside. the Mexican radio inside and me munching away on tacos!
1 comment:
I agree, a swoon-worthy taco is pretty hard to find. Sometimes, they're just grease bombs. The ones you had look really good though! Next time you're visiting me, we'll hit up Tacos La Familia to satisfy your craving. :)
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