Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Le taco de vallée fonctionnent : Je mange finalement le lengua

IMG_0926fgh

The sign said tortillas hechos a mano but my tortillas were store bought, dry, and wilted. I ordered al pastor but they were out of al pastor so I ordered suadero, carnitas, and asada but got two carnitas, and one dreadful, fatty, tougher than wild monkey in borneo cut of carne asada.

IMG_09259
carnitas, carnitas, asada

There were too many niño's running to and fro, too many flies landing on my arm and trying to land on my tacos and too many cars in the parking lot for tacos this bad.
But Daniels tacos comes highly recommended. I have heard of the late night taco fiestas that stay open past 2am. The crowds that fill the parking lot, the taco wagon they wheel out at night with the al pastor spit over open flame with pineapple on top.

IMG_0932d

Walking back to my car I saw a taco wagon in the distance and the words tacos al vapor. It was like an oasis in the dessert. So far tacos al vapor had escaped me on this hunt. The authentic slow cooked meat only came to me in dreams and in emails from fellow taco hunters wanting to know where the elusive tacos al vapor could be found.

Tacos al vapor are steamed tacos. Meat,typically cabeza and lengua are pressure cooked for hours . The slow cooking process makes the meat incredibly tender and moist. Often as was the case here, the corn tortillas are steamed also.

IMG_0928

My tacos (cabeza and lengua) came con todo, with onions and cilantro. The taquero placed two squirt bottles of salsa next to my plate and I doused verde on the cabeza and roja on the lengua and dug in.

The cabeza was excellent. The beefyness was toned down allowing the more subtle flavors of the meat to come out. A squirt of lemon(i prefer lime) and some salsa provided the perfect balance.
IMG_0928df
lengua taco

The lengua I wasn't so sure of but after a few bites I adjusted to the slightly gamey flavor and with some extra salsa roja and lemon got through it. It was my first lengua taco since starting this taco hunt. I need to order the lengua more often

IMG_0920

Five tacos in and I was starting to hit my limit but I promised a certain taquero after trying his burrito I would return for the tacos. It had been a couple weeks since I was at Taqueria Emanual in Van Nuys. I walked up to the taquero looked him in the eye and threw him a curveball " burrito de carnitas con todo"

He paused at first, making note of my homemade I love tacos t shirt but I nodded in affirmation.

"I will try your tacos next time my friend"

And that was that, my new friend went about preparing my burrito.

Over the next 10 minutes I was to be transported to burrito heaven, with each bite a mouthful of creamy refried frijoles, soft rice, salsa roja and juicy, salty carnitas. A masterful wrap, the perfect amount of rice to beans to meat ratio and quite possibly the best burrito I've ever had.

IMG_09213
carnitas, pastor, asada

So it was on this day I returned to keep my promise. I ordered the trifecta:carnitas, al pastor, asada and sat outside with plate in hand devouring my tacos. The carnitas was just as I remembered it, full of flavor and juice. The al pastor was sweet and charred, the carne asada nice and tender with the spice from the chile salsa stinging my tongue and the coca cola adding that refreshing finish.

I got back into my car and got on the 405 heading south when I heard a strange sound coming from my stomach. (A sound I had never heard before then again I had never downed 8 tacos and three sodas in such a short span of time). It sounded like a mutiny, as if my body was trying to stage a coup to end my taco extravagance. I could here the little pansavistas uniting with their anti-taco chants. I had become too decadent, pushed the limit too far, too many jalepenos, too much chile, too many tacos. But then all was quiet and a feeling of conquest came over me . My immune system was triumphant. The years of vodka swirling, jalapeño popping, and outlaw truck eating had paid off and the pansavista uprising was silenced.

Daniels Tacos
Sun Valley
7956 Vineland Ave
Sun Valley, CA 91352
Tacos $1.25
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


Taqueria Zapotlanejo (tacos al vapor)
corner of Vineland and Strathern(in front of autozone)
Tacos $1
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


Taqueria Emanuel
6350 Van Nuys Blvd.
Van Nuys, CA 91401
Tacos $1.25
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Valley taco run: I finally eat the lengua

IMG_0926fgh

The sign said tortillas hechos a mano but my tortillas were store bought, dry, and wilted. I ordered al pastor but they were out of al pastor so I ordered suadero, carnitas, and asada but got two carnitas, and one dreadful, fatty, tougher than wild monkey in borneo cut of carne asada.

IMG_09259
carnitas, carnitas, asada

There were too many niño's running to and fro, too many flies landing on my arm and trying to land on my tacos and too many cars in the parking lot for tacos this bad.
But Daniels tacos comes highly recommended. I have heard of the late night taco fiestas that stay open past 2am. The crowds that fill the parking lot, the taco wagon they wheel out at night with the al pastor spit over open flame with pineapple on top.

IMG_0932d

Walking back to my car I saw a taco wagon in the distance and the words tacos al vapor. It was like an oasis in the dessert. So far tacos al vapor had escaped me on this hunt. The authentic slow cooked meat only came to me in dreams and in emails from fellow taco hunters wanting to know where the elusive tacos al vapor could be found.

Tacos al vapor are steamed tacos. Meat,typically cabeza and lengua are pressure cooked for hours . The slow cooking process makes the meat incredibly tender and moist. Often as was the case here, the corn tortillas are steamed also.

IMG_0928

My tacos (cabeza and lengua) came con todo, with onions and cilantro. The taquero placed two squirt bottles of salsa next to my plate and I doused verde on the cabeza and roja on the lengua and dug in.

The cabeza was excellent. The beefyness was toned down allowing the more subtle flavors of the meat to come out. A squirt of lemon(i prefer lime) and some salsa provided the perfect balance.
IMG_0928df
lengua taco

The lengua I wasn't so sure of but after a few bites I adjusted to the slightly gamey flavor and with some extra salsa roja and lemon got through it. It was my first lengua taco since starting this taco hunt. I need to order the lengua more often

IMG_0920

Five tacos in and I was starting to hit my limit but I promised a certain taquero after trying his burrito I would return for the tacos. It had been a couple weeks since I was at Taqueria Emanual in Van Nuys. I walked up to the taquero looked him in the eye and threw him a curveball " burrito de carnitas con todo"

He paused at first, making note of my homemade I love tacos t shirt but I nodded in affirmation.

"I will try your tacos next time my friend"

And that was that, my new friend went about preparing my burrito.

Over the next 10 minutes I was to be transported to burrito heaven, with each bite a mouthful of creamy refried frijoles, soft rice, salsa roja and juicy, salty carnitas. A masterful wrap, the perfect amount of rice to beans to meat ratio and quite possibly the best burrito I've ever had.

IMG_09213
carnitas, pastor, asada

So it was on this day I returned to keep my promise. I ordered the trifecta:carnitas, al pastor, asada and sat outside with plate in hand devouring my tacos. The carnitas was just as I remembered it, full of flavor and juice. The al pastor was sweet and charred, the carne asada nice and tender with the spice from the chile salsa stinging my tongue and the coca cola adding that refreshing finish.

I got back into my car and got on the 405 heading south when I heard a strange sound coming from my stomach. (A sound I had never heard before then again I had never downed 8 tacos and three sodas in such a short span of time). It sounded like a mutiny, as if my body was trying to stage a coup to end my taco extravagance. I could here the little pansavistas uniting with their anti-taco chants. I had become too decadent, pushed the limit too far, too many jalepenos, too much chile, too many tacos. But then all was quiet and a feeling of conquest came over me . My immune system was triumphant. The years of vodka swirling, jalapeño popping, and outlaw truck eating had paid off and the pansavista uprising was silenced.

Daniels Tacos
Sun Valley
7956 Vineland Ave
Sun Valley, CA 91352
Tacos $1.25
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


Taqueria Zapotlanejo (tacos al vapor)
corner of Vineland and Strathern(in front of autozone)
Tacos $1
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


Taqueria Emanuel
6350 Van Nuys Blvd.
Van Nuys, CA 91401
Tacos $1.25
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Taco of valley run: I eat finally the lengua

IMG_0926fgh

The sign said tortillas hechos a mano but my tortillas were store bought, dry, and wilted. I ordered al pastor but they were out of al pastor so I ordered suadero, carnitas, and asada but got two carnitas, and one dreadful, fatty, tougher than wild monkey in borneo cut of carne asada.

IMG_09259
carnitas, carnitas, asada

There were too many niño's running to and fro, too many flies landing on my arm and trying to land on my tacos and too many cars in the parking lot for tacos this bad.
But Daniels tacos comes highly recommended. I have heard of the late night taco fiestas that stay open past 2am. The crowds that fill the parking lot, the taco wagon they wheel out at night with the al pastor spit over open flame with pineapple on top.

IMG_0932d

Walking back to my car I saw a taco wagon in the distance and the words tacos al vapor. It was like an oasis in the dessert. So far tacos al vapor had escaped me on this hunt. The authentic slow cooked meat only came to me in dreams and in emails from fellow taco hunters wanting to know where the elusive tacos al vapor could be found.

Tacos al vapor are steamed tacos. Meat,typically cabeza and lengua are pressure cooked for hours . The slow cooking process makes the meat incredibly tender and moist. Often as was the case here, the corn tortillas are steamed also.

IMG_0928

My tacos (cabeza and lengua) came con todo, with onions and cilantro. The taquero placed two squirt bottles of salsa next to my plate and I doused verde on the cabeza and roja on the lengua and dug in.

The cabeza was excellent. The beefyness was toned down allowing the more subtle flavors of the meat to come out. A squirt of lemon(i prefer lime) and some salsa provided the perfect balance.
IMG_0928df
lengua taco

The lengua I wasn't so sure of but after a few bites I adjusted to the slightly gamey flavor and with some extra salsa roja and lemon got through it. It was my first lengua taco since starting this taco hunt. I need to order the lengua more often

IMG_0920

Five tacos in and I was starting to hit my limit but I promised a certain taquero after trying his burrito I would return for the tacos. It had been a couple weeks since I was at Taqueria Emanual in Van Nuys. I walked up to the taquero looked him in the eye and threw him a curveball " burrito de carnitas con todo"

He paused at first, making note of my homemade I love tacos t shirt but I nodded in affirmation.

"I will try your tacos next time my friend"

And that was that, my new friend went about preparing my burrito.

Over the next 10 minutes I was to be transported to burrito heaven, with each bite a mouthful of creamy refried frijoles, soft rice, salsa roja and juicy, salty carnitas. A masterful wrap, the perfect amount of rice to beans to meat ratio and quite possibly the best burrito I've ever had.

IMG_09213
carnitas, pastor, asada

So it was on this day I returned to keep my promise. I ordered the trifecta:carnitas, al pastor, asada and sat outside with plate in hand devouring my tacos. The carnitas was just as I remembered it, full of flavor and juice. The al pastor was sweet and charred, the carne asada nice and tender with the spice from the chile salsa stinging my tongue and the coca cola adding that refreshing finish.

I got back into my car and got on the 405 heading south when I heard a strange sound coming from my stomach. (A sound I had never heard before then again I had never downed 8 tacos and three sodas in such a short span of time). It sounded like a mutiny, as if my body was trying to stage a coup to end my taco extravagance. I could here the little pansavistas uniting with their anti-taco chants. I had become too decadent, pushed the limit too far, too many jalepenos, too much chile, too many tacos. But then all was quiet and a feeling of conquest came over me . My immune system was triumphant. The years of vodka swirling, jalapeño popping, and outlaw truck eating had paid off and the pansavista uprising was silenced.

Daniels Tacos
Sun Valley
7956 Vineland Ave
Sun Valley, CA 91352
Tacos $1.25
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


Taqueria Zapotlanejo (tacos al vapor)
corner of Vineland and Strathern(in front of autozone)
Tacos $1
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


Taqueria Emanuel
6350 Van Nuys Blvd.
Van Nuys, CA 91401
Tacos $1.25
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

The taco of valley function: I eat finally the lengua

IMG_0926fgh

The sign said tortillas hechos a mano but my tortillas were store bought, dry, and wilted. I ordered al pastor but they were out of al pastor so I ordered suadero, carnitas, and asada but got two carnitas, and one dreadful, fatty, tougher than wild monkey in borneo cut of carne asada.

IMG_09259
carnitas, carnitas, asada

There were too many niño's running to and fro, too many flies landing on my arm and trying to land on my tacos and too many cars in the parking lot for tacos this bad.
But Daniels tacos comes highly recommended. I have heard of the late night taco fiestas that stay open past 2am. The crowds that fill the parking lot, the taco wagon they wheel out at night with the al pastor spit over open flame with pineapple on top.

IMG_0932d

Walking back to my car I saw a taco wagon in the distance and the words tacos al vapor. It was like an oasis in the dessert. So far tacos al vapor had escaped me on this hunt. The authentic slow cooked meat only came to me in dreams and in emails from fellow taco hunters wanting to know where the elusive tacos al vapor could be found.

Tacos al vapor are steamed tacos. Meat,typically cabeza and lengua are pressure cooked for hours . The slow cooking process makes the meat incredibly tender and moist. Often as was the case here, the corn tortillas are steamed also.

IMG_0928

My tacos (cabeza and lengua) came con todo, with onions and cilantro. The taquero placed two squirt bottles of salsa next to my plate and I doused verde on the cabeza and roja on the lengua and dug in.

The cabeza was excellent. The beefyness was toned down allowing the more subtle flavors of the meat to come out. A squirt of lemon(i prefer lime) and some salsa provided the perfect balance.
IMG_0928df
lengua taco

The lengua I wasn't so sure of but after a few bites I adjusted to the slightly gamey flavor and with some extra salsa roja and lemon got through it. It was my first lengua taco since starting this taco hunt. I need to order the lengua more often

IMG_0920

Five tacos in and I was starting to hit my limit but I promised a certain taquero after trying his burrito I would return for the tacos. It had been a couple weeks since I was at Taqueria Emanual in Van Nuys. I walked up to the taquero looked him in the eye and threw him a curveball " burrito de carnitas con todo"

He paused at first, making note of my homemade I love tacos t shirt but I nodded in affirmation.

"I will try your tacos next time my friend"

And that was that, my new friend went about preparing my burrito.

Over the next 10 minutes I was to be transported to burrito heaven, with each bite a mouthful of creamy refried frijoles, soft rice, salsa roja and juicy, salty carnitas. A masterful wrap, the perfect amount of rice to beans to meat ratio and quite possibly the best burrito I've ever had.

IMG_09213
carnitas, pastor, asada

So it was on this day I returned to keep my promise. I ordered the trifecta:carnitas, al pastor, asada and sat outside with plate in hand devouring my tacos. The carnitas was just as I remembered it, full of flavor and juice. The al pastor was sweet and charred, the carne asada nice and tender with the spice from the chile salsa stinging my tongue and the coca cola adding that refreshing finish.

I got back into my car and got on the 405 heading south when I heard a strange sound coming from my stomach. (A sound I had never heard before then again I had never downed 8 tacos and three sodas in such a short span of time). It sounded like a mutiny, as if my body was trying to stage a coup to end my taco extravagance. I could here the little pansavistas uniting with their anti-taco chants. I had become too decadent, pushed the limit too far, too many jalepenos, too much chile, too many tacos. But then all was quiet and a feeling of conquest came over me . My immune system was triumphant. The years of vodka swirling, jalapeño popping, and outlaw truck eating had paid off and the pansavista uprising was silenced.

Daniels Tacos
Sun Valley
7956 Vineland Ave
Sun Valley, CA 91352
Tacos $1.25
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


Taqueria Zapotlanejo (tacos al vapor)
corner of Vineland and Strathern(in front of autozone)
Tacos $1
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket


Taqueria Emanuel
6350 Van Nuys Blvd.
Van Nuys, CA 91401
Tacos $1.25
Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Food of these annoying young people ' ones
my have the ugly bird very

Friday, May 25, 2007

Superb Tacos Michoacan



Have you ever been driving around with some friends when one of you says "hey..where can we get 20 tacos for 10 bucks?" Well if you have the answer to that question would be Super Tacos Michoacan, a taco stand at the corner of Vineland and Chandler in North Hollywood.

IMG_0709

I joked with the girl behind the counter that if I could eat 20 tacos all by myself if they would be free. "Like that movie with John Candy" I said.

She had no idea what I was talking about and neither did I frankly.

"You can eat 20 tacos?" she laughed "Not you,not 20 tacos"

I guess I don't look like a twenty taco eating guy. I went with the four taco and drink special for $4.99 (al pastor, carne asada, carnitas, birria)

IMG_0707

They have a nice salsa bar with verde and roja and grilled jalapeno peppers. When my tacos were ready I ladled some salsa roja over them and plopped one of the grilled jalapenos on my plate. I have a rule that if a taquero places a grilled jalapeno on my plate I must eat it (I'm actually obsessive compulsive about it..if I don't eat it it alters the taco universe). When I am the one putting the jalapeno on my plate I don't always stick to the ritual. Somehow when the taquero does it I feel that it is dishonorable not to eat it. Especially after they've gone to the trouble of grilling it.

These beauties all went down easy except for the birria, which was a little gamey. The carnitas and al pastor were excellent. The salted pork of the carnitas went well with the spicy roja as did the sweetness of the al pastor.After one bite of the asada taco I got a little adventurous and cut the stem from the jalepeno and wrapped it inside the asada taco. The flavor and heat from the grilled pepper paired perfectly with the juicy flank steak and corn tortillas. Sabroso!

Now if only I can drag some of my compañeros to Noho.

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Super Tacos Michoacan
5342 Vineland Ave
North Hollywood


Technorati Tags:Tacos,North hollywood,
New Italian in park and more echo...
Raita Aubergine

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Taco Of Poisson Of Wahoo' S




It was time to hit the corporate taco again. I drive past Wahoo's fish taco from time to time and I had yet to try their fish tacos.Wahoo's is a west coast chain that originated in Hawaii. They don't claim to be authentic mexican, more of a Hawaiian-mex hybrid I think. There are a lot of stickers on the walls which gives the impression that Wahoo's is a local hang out for "bros"

I went to the West LA location on Wilshire blvd and ordered a fish taco, asada taco combo.

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I opened my box and everything looked good. The rice serving was soft and nicely packed ,the beans as well. The tacos were neatly rolled up individually in tin foil paper. Then it all went downhill.

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I opened the fish taco first. The fish was tender with some flavor but very forgettable. Overall just really bland, bland salsa as well. Just not the kind of fish taco that one would think could spawn hundreds of successful restaurants.

I unwrapped my carne asada taco and I saw this.

IMG_0791
WTF????

At first I was kind of mad. It's a natural reaction for anyone who gets lettuce on their taco. But then I started laughing uncontrollably. I laughed so hard it started to hurt.

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After I calmed down I brushed off the lettuce and noticed that some bits of steak had melted cheese on them. Another mini WTF moment but after the lettuce bombardment I wasn't surprised. Lettuce and cheese not withstanding, this taco was totally disgusting.

Wahoo's is really popular with people on Yelp so maybe it's me. Maybe one too many habaneros on my tongue damaged my taste buds. Nahhhh.

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11911 Wilshire Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90025




Technorati Tags:Tacos,Wahoo's, Fish taco,Los Angeles
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