Tacqueria La Paisanita

2505 Inwood Rd
Dallas, TX 75235

(214) 351-3232

Finding quality food open on Thanksgiving was a task in itself. We opted to skip the overpriced generic turkey offerings at several hotels, so Mexican restaurants and diners seemed to be the sole options. I read about Tacqueria La Paisanita in the Dallas Observer, it was award the best tacos al pastor and a quick confirmed they were open on Thanksgiving.

 

We headed out on our way to the Cowboys game and grabbed a taco and a gordita. 

$1 Taco Al Pastor (8)

The taco came garnished with cilantro and onions.  The pork was moderately tender. It came prepared in chunks, rather than sliced that we ubiquitously see in Los Angeles. The highlight, though, was the greasy homemade corn tortilla. I can't remember the last time I had an al pastor taco this good. Well, actually it was week earlier at Tacos Leo in LA.  Nonetheless, this version was a worthy representation. 

$1.95 Barbacao Gordita (7)

We order another item to get us through the game.  The barbacao gordita sounded like the next best item on the menu and it satisfied. A homemade bun layered with cooked down brisket and marinated onions. Simple, good ingredients, and greasy enough to suffice on gameday. After all I had to give a speech later on in the day to rally the troops at halftime.

Primavera - Ferry Plaza Farmers Market

1 Ferry Plaza

Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market

San Francisco, CA 94101


While finishing our first visit to the Ferry Plaza Farmers' Market, we walked by several food stands and a couple grabbed our attention. One was RoliRoti Gormet Rotisserie; however, the line was 50 yards long so there was not a chance in hell I was waiting. We walked a little further and noticed Primavera Mexican. The food coming out was vibrant, but the line was only slightly shorter than RoliRoti. My girlfriend convinced me to wait and thank god we did.

$3.75 Chi Chi Rodriques - Ginger Peach Tea (6)
Refreshing, but I still prefer the unsweetened version at Nordstrom Cafe.

$9.50 Chilaquiles Verdes (9)

Green chilaquiles with a sauce of chile poblano-tomatillo, sour cream, avocado, onion, cilantro and cojito cheese.  Holy shit, I've been looking for Mexican food like this for years. The key to the chilaquiles was having a thick chip to hold up to the salsa. It was topped off with a light cream and the ripest, meatiest avocado in recent memory.  This was an eye-opening dish. The fluffy eggs that accompanied the chilaquiles on the side wasn't a bad addition either. The only reason I didn't give it a ten was because I still prefer Bobby Flay's elevated perfection on this traditional dish.

$9.50 Chile Relleno de Elote con Crema (9)

Roasted poblano stuffed with cream, cheese and white corn, cherry tomato salsa
The soul of this dish was the creamy corn, which was perfectly complemented with light cherry tomatoes and fresh tortillas. We also enjoyed their house salsa with hearty slivers of roasted tomatoes.

This experience made us question the Mexican food back home for a moment. I thought LA was supposed to be the American capital for Mexican food. We'll have to try another spot on our next trip to San Francisco.

Huarache Azteca Restaurante

5225 York Blvd
Los Angeles, CA 90042
(323) 478-9572

The signature dish, as the restaurant’s name indicates, is a Huarache. It translates to sandal in Spanish. My understanding is that Mexicans immigrating to the U.S. would wrap their feet in masa to get over the barb wire fencing safely. When they got hungry, they would just eat the dough. In 1995, L.A. Gear prototyped a sneaker designed around masa and successfully marketed it towards cholos and since then both the huarache and the huarache, have been a staple in Los Angeles culture.

$2.50 each Cabeza [left] and Adobada [right] Huarache (6)

The oblong masa base comes topped with meat, crème, cojita, onions, and cilantro. Both had a lot of flavors coming together in unison. I enjoyed the chewy bite the dough had freshly sautéed in ample fat. The depth of the dough gave it a crisp exterior and a tender center that just says homemade. Of the two meats, the adobada was superior. The heavy seasonings and marinade gave it a more complex and rich flavor. Although, I’m a big fan of head, I’ve had more memorable experiences, some of which have been in the back of a taco truck.

$2 Beef Taquito (5)

The taquito was about average. I downgraded it mainly for the lack of flavor in the beef. I would have preferred a better ratio of beef to tortilla also. On the upside, I liked the addition of Cojita (the Mexican version of Parmesan cheese), crème, and fresh avocado. For anybody making a run for the border, I read that taquitos sold in Mexico are marketing under the name tacos dorados, or golden tacos.

Manny's El Tepeyac Cafe

812 N Evergreen Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90033

(323) 267-8668

One of the few historical culinary icons of Los Angeles and is infamous for its massive portions, Manny's El Tepeyac has stood tall for over 50 years. Named after both the owner, Manny Rojas and a hill located near Mexico City that is the site where Saint Juan Diego is said to have met the Virgin of Guadalupe in 1531. Given the modest number of Mexican virgins, it seems appropriate to name a restaurant in her honor. A few of the dishes are named after the local Hollenbeck police precinct that have frequented the restaurant over the years.



$0 Habanero Salsa, Chipotle Salsa (7)
Both good quality salsas, the habanero had a bigger kick than the chipotle. I preferred the smokiness of the latter and when dipped, it added a welcomed spice to the guacamole.



$5.00 1/4 Guacamole with Chips (6)
OK quality guacamole accented with onion, tomatoes, lemon juice and I believe avocado. The chips were home made and heavy, could have been fresher and more salted. Order a smaller portion than you think you need.


$7.35 Chicken Enchilada, Cheese Enchilada (6)
This dish was basically two average enchiladas suffocated in shredded cheddar cheese and red enchilada sauce. The stewed chicken is chopped and wrapped in a flour tortilla. I felt a need to dip the chicken in the velvety blend of sauce and cheese to tenderize the meat.


$8.50 Okie de Machaca Burrito (7)
A shredded beef, egg, rice, beans, guacamole, bell peppers, tomato, sauteed onions burrito topped with the same red sauce and shredded cheddar cheese. Better than I expected, the flavors and ingredients melded together very well. The highlight was the combination of the cheese and red sauce. Again, I would have prefer a more tender meat.

We couldn't even eat through the guacamole, let alone the enchiladas or the burrito and there were enough leftovers to feed the back of an immigrating pick-up truck. The quality of the food surprised me and it was discernible that El Tepeyac does not survive on reputation and calories alone.