Tacos in Dallas are shameful

[Eddiehaskell7]

Look, I know Tex Mex is big here and that's fine. But why is it? Why is it virtually ever single Mexican Food Restaurant has taco bell type, preformed, premade , crappy taco shells? I mean, I think I can count on one hand, the restaurants the actually deep fry and make their own taco shells. And that is very important in setting apart a taco from a great taco.

Mariana's Taco Shop in Frisco is one of the few and they are EXCELLENT. Southern California style. I just happened to read about this "Taco Joint" in Orange CA and they have a picture of the tacos and there they are......homemade deep fried taco shells. Not the cheap preformed premade taco bell shells which are in even the more upscale Mexican Restaurants here.

I Just don't get it. Take a look at these tacos in Orange CA. Those are Tacos. And so are the ones in Mariana's Taco Shop in Frisco, which happens to be the best Mexican Food place I have yet eaten at here. Excellent!

http://foodfrenzy.ocregister.com/2011/12/13/eat-like-youre-family-at-orange-taco-shop/61193/

http://www.yelp.com/biz/marianas-taco...

-----
Mariana's Taco Shop
6890 W Main St, Frisco, TX 75034

[masnole]

Tried that new "Republic Taco" joint on 75 near Beltline yesterday. Very disappionting.

[CocoaNut]

I think it's all subjectively relative to:

1) what you grew up "knowing"
2) what tastes good/appeals to you now
3) lastly and most pretentiously, what the current trend is

[twinwillow]

I concur!

[William Rucker]

Good 2 Go Tacos.

They're really good and not your generic TexMex grease-cups. They have great ingredients and some off-beat taco's as well as your normal steak or egg + beans fare. These are the best I've had anywhere to date.

1146 PEAVY RD
DALLAS TEXAS 75218

Two faves:
Mini Pearl: Cuscous, corn, mushrooms, spinach, goat cheese
Hotlanta: Waffle battered fried chicken with sweet potatoes

[twinwillow]

I agree. Very good. As is also my personal favorite, Velvet Taco on Henderson at 75 Central. Love their cornmeal fried oyster taco and, their Ahi poke (raw) tuna taco in a lettuce shell. Plus, lot's more "gringo" tacos to choose from.
http://www.velvettaco.com

[pappy97]

I'm from Cali myself (SF Bay Area) and yes, haven't found too many places round here to get those street style tacos like in the Cali Taquerias. Mariana's as you mention is THE place, they even have "carne asada," which you see on the menus at those Cali Taquerias, but here it's either "fajita" or "bistec" for steak. My guess is, sadly, the Mexicans here are from a different place than Mexicans in Cali so there are slight variations.

When I don't want to go all the way to Frisco, I go to El Paisa on Harry Hines. Their fajita tacos, on corn (double tortilla), with onions and cilantro, come pretty close to the Cali Taqueria taco. They even have pickled carrots, although sadly, they aren't free.

[twinwillow]

Try the taquerias I listed in my post 5th from the top. Especially, El Tizoncito.

In addition, there are a few others that don't fall into the category of "street tacos" or, "taquerias. The following are restaurants that I think you will find more to your liking and California style Mexican palate.
1. Mesa. On W. Jefferson in Oak Cliff. The very best in Dallas!
2. Restaurant Gonzalez. Also on W. Jefferson in Oak Cliff. If you go here, be sure to ask for the "Salsa Fresca" for your chips. They won't bring it to you unless you ask for it. And a must have is their home made flour tortillas.
3. El Ranchito. Further down on Jefferson. Great Mexican specialties such as cabrito. It's a party every night at El Ranchito..
My advice would be to Google all the above.
Let us know how you fare.

[DallasDude]

+1 The twin speaks wise. There has been more written about great and bountiful tacos in Dallas in 2011 to feed all of Texas.

[twinwillow]

Thank's, 'Dude. Good to see you posting here again.
Btw, I said above, El Tizoncito in Dallas was on Walnut Hill. Sorry, it's on Forest Lane Between Webbs Chapel and Marsh. A bit closer to Webbs Chapel on the south side of Forest.

[Eddiehaskell7]

Dallas, good to see you, You have always been fair and kind. I appreciate your posts. Thanks again.

[Eddiehaskell7]

Thanks pappy, I"ll have to try El Paisa. Ive driven by it many times. Thanks.

[Eddiehaskell7]

Thanks Pappy, I'll give El Paisa a try. Ive driven by it many times. thanks

[foiegras]

I'm a bit confused here ... I'm a native San Franciscan, but came to Texas before I could order my own tacos (or eat one). On visits as an adult, what I've been served at taquerias in the Bay area were what I call 'kitchen sink' tacos. They are fantastic, with pinto beans and the whole world on them, with 2 or 3 steamed corn tortillas at the bottom of everything. A completely different dish than the much more minimalist and individual Texas tacos.

I have never seen a crisp taco shell in California either. Did I miss something??

[twinwillow]

I believe loaded "crisp shell" tacos are available at good old Dallas Tex-Mex places like El Fenix and Taco Bueno.

[irodguy]

"Real" Mexico city Taco's don't have a bunch of "goop" on them. They are soft corn with some meat and a little crumbled cheese onions and cilantro. That is what most of the taquerias here will be. The SF taco you are talking about is good, but it's really a "California taco" normal Mexico city street food.

[foiegras]

Yes, I am clear that what I had was Cali-Mex, possibly northern Cali-Mex? I was asking for clarification wrt crispy vs. soft Cali-Mex tacos. I have only seen soft, in that respect similar to the authentic tacos we get here.

[LewisvilleHounder]

If the pickled carrots (zanahorias en escabeche) aren't free at the two locations on Harry Hines they are at the location on Walnut Hill and the Carrollton locations. I have tried to go to the location on NW Hwy and Harry Hines and have had less than stellar experiences on each instance.

So I have never been to a taqueria in California....tried to go the day after the last Super Bowl but all were closed. So what makes or breaks a Cali-style taqueria for you? The fact that a place has rolled tacos (taquitos/flautas), carne asada (fajita) and Ensenada style fish tacos?

With the exception of the fish tacos which is understandable I can't tell any difference between what we have here in Dallas and what is in California at the authentic taquerias. Now the "Mission" taquerias in San Fran are a bit different.

[pappy97]

"So what makes or breaks a Cali-style taqueria for you?"

Offering carne asada (not the same as fajita), street style tacos with two small corn tortillas with only meat, onions, cilantro, salsa bar with various salsas and pickled carrots and limes, free chips, but as I alluded to in another thread, not regular tortilla chips but chips I can't find here (but did have in McAllen, TX as I said in that thread).

I'd have to walk you through a taqueria here and walk you through the places back in Cali to really show the differences. I have come to accept that the Mexicans here are different than those in California and the food is a bit different. That makes some sense given that I would expect many of the Mexicans here to be from a different part of Mexico than those in Cali.

[twinwillow]

I must be missing something. Here In Dallas years ago, the only Mexican food I ate was Tex-Mex, (a La, El Fenix) the tacos were all deep fried and crispy, folded corn tacos. Then, I discovered the true Mexico City style tacos offered at the little Mexican taquerias sprinkled all over the Hispanic populated areas in Dallas and Oak Cliff. They serve the soft tacos Barbara described above as the tacos she ate in California. Somewhat "smallish" double soft corn tacos filled with a little meat of choice, onions and cilantro and a squish of lime. That's it! You put a little red or green hot sauce or, both on them and you're ready to enjoy taco heaven. I haven't eaten a lot of California style Mexican food but what I have eaten does not compare to the Mexican food found here in Dallas.
Btw, the crispy "open" style corn taco as described by Alice above is actually a "tostada"

[CocoaNut]

I've always known these (wonderful) tacos typically referred to as "street tacos". Whatever they're called and where-ever they're "from", they're usually pretty good...... but just because they're made in this fashion or the establishment has "taqueria" signage certainly does not mean they're worthy of the praise sometime bestowed generically upon all. I'm sure most of them don't have a little grandma in back hand-making those tortillas.

That said, sometimes, the mouth wants a crispy taco - bought or made fresh, soft or fried, if it's fresh tasting and doesn't taste like cardboard, I'm good with that.

If you're ever in Grapevine, don't miss El Taco H in the JoAnne's shopping center.

[Barbara76137]

Isn't Mexican food much like Italian food, where there is no standard fare throughout the country, it is much more by region? What you find in Milan is totally different than Sicily. I've been watching Chuck Hughes' "Chuck's Week Off" as he's driving across Mexico and I think he's showing the same thing.

Out of the nine of us that work together every single day, only three of us are non-hispanic. Today I got another nice compliment on my cooking of Mexican dishes, so I must be doing something right :)

[twinwillow]

Barbara, That show make me sooooo hungry!

[Dallas Alice]

From DallasFood.org, a list of fried-to-order crispy tacos:

"Closed" style crispy tacos:
- Mia's
- Rafa's Cafe
- Mi Cocina
- The Loon
- El Fenix
- Luna de Noche
- La Jaivita
- Primo's
- Avila's
- Carolina's Mexican Cuisine

--------
"Open" style crispy tacos:
- Gonzalez Restaurant
- Pepe's & Mito's
- Mattito's
- Desperados
- Escondido Restaurant
- Tupinamba Restaurant
- Las Ranitas
- La Palapa Veracruzana (no longer available)
- Taqueria Arandero

[twinwillow]

Please note, the restaurants I listed above your post are not "Tex-Mex" restaurants but Mexican restaurants serving authentic Mexico City style "soft" corn or flour tacos.

IMHO, the very best "gringo" (soft) tacos being served in Dallas are at Velvet Taco at Henderson and 75 or,
Good 2 Go Tacos on Peavy Road just off Garland Road in East Dallas. Both of these places serve excellent upscale and unusual (soft) tacos. They're priced in the $4.00-$5.00 each range.
But, they're all larger and more elaborate than Mexico City style tacos.

[Eddiehaskell7]

Great info Alice. Thank you!

[twinwillow]

Alice, an "open" style crispy tacos is actually a tostada.

[CocoaNut]

Do we have to do the Cali ad-nauseum crap again????? Here's a news flash. You're in TEXAS.

[Eddiehaskell7]

Yeah, I know, and Texas is great but dayum........don't they believe in anything other than preformed, premade, prepared, preboxed taco shells? Seriously, how come anyone hasn't ever said anything about this?

[Veggo]

Yes, they do. Fried crunchy taco shells are unauthentic crap, whether made on premises or machine issued, and that seems to be all you are looking for. They are not Tex-Mex, they are not Mexican. Maybe they fly on street corners in East LA. I certainly have not had one in 9 months in Dallas.

Go try the brisket tacos on soft harina tortillas at either of the Blue Goose Cantinas, and tell us what you think. Or Coquitas. Or Mesa. Or Agave Azul. Or Calle Doce. Or the seafood crepes at Nuevo Leon. And then we can tell you about 30 other places.You are looking for taco love in all the wrong places. It won't happen for $3.99 at a drive through window.

[twinwillow]

Yes, they are shameful. But, I have to laugh. After all the blogging about great tacos in Dallas you're still eating "gringo" Tacos.
A few suggestions for truly great authentic Mexican Tacos......
El Tizoncito on Walnut Hill or Oak cliff. They serve authentic Mexico City style tacos Al Pastore cut from a Trombo.
El Guero on Gaston or Bryan street. Gaston is more comfortable. Have the Suadero tacos.
El Si Hay on Davis Street in Oak Cliff
El Paisanita on Inwood just north of Maple.
El Ateron on Henderson.
The prices for tacos at the above places run anywhere from a $1.10 to $1.35 each!
These few I mentioned are among the best in Dallas.
Try them and then come back and talk tacos to us.

[RobbnTX]

It may not be exactly Fuel City but at least I have Chitos not too far from where I live here in Plano!

I occasionally eat lunch at Tacos Y Mas, a little Taco stand on the corner of Ross and Greenville. Not bad, again maybe not Fuel City but not bad.

I drive by El Paisanita on Inwood every once in awhile so note to self; stop and eat lunch there sometime.

[twinwillow]

El Paisanita is more comfortable now that they have "indoor" seating. Used to be, you had to stand and eat outside the shack a la El Si Hay.

Of the list I mentioned above, El Tizoncito is easiest, the best of the bunch considering it's modern, comfortable setting. They give you an "Amuse Bouche" of a small bowl of (some of the best in town) bean soup to start.
I usually order the Tacos Al Pastore "Alhambre".
Have a look at their menu. I prefer the original Oak Cliff location but the new one on Forest Lane just west of Marsh Lane near Webbs Chapel is more convenient for me.
Google El Tizoncito and read the Yelp and other reviews.

[OaklawnKaren]

El Paisanita also has a location on Maple with very pleasant indoor seating.

[twinwillow]

Yes, We've been there and it's very good but, we still prefer the "shack" they have on Inwood just north of Maple. It's more, "Mexico City" style.

[pocketmonster]

Not sure what part of Plano you are in, but if you're ever on the east side, grab some great tacos & tamales from inside the Chevron station at Shiloh & 14th Street.

[RobbnTX]

Thanks for the rec!

[Eddiehaskell7]

You see how the taco shell is kind of crooked? Not perfectly straight like a taco bell shell? When it's crooked , it's a sign they deep fried it there, it's homemade, their own way, fresh. It didn't come in a box from some vendor. You see that?