Flea Market Tacos? I'm in!

Freezing rain, chattering teeth, and empty stomachs on a murky day, Sara, Evy, Rafa, and myself thought it was an ideal opportunity to visit the Maxwell Flea Market for tacos. Ecstatic about the diverse taco options that would be at my tongue tip, I was frozen by the sad site of the, only two, taco stands on the block.

Normally, the market is crowded, overflowing with people,chachkies, deals and food vendors from early in the morning until the afternoon. Yet, this snowing mid-day Sunday was cold enough to scare anyone away. Not us! Oh no, the four of us stood in line (surprisingly) at Manolo’s stand. 

Manolo’s is definitely a family business. An entertaining mother and son duo prepared our orders. We placed our orders with la doña, and her son confusingly whipped around the comal, often asking his mother if he was adding the right ingredients.

That day they had three meat options, including, al pastor, carne asada and chicharron en chile. Rafa and I ordered at least one taco of each, with the works, cilantro and cebolla. Although, I want to rave about these tacos, because I know them to be famously delicious, Manolo’s tacos were not completely satisfying.

Yes, they definitely serve fantastic tortillas. There is nothing dainty about this tortilla; it can withstand any great portions of meat. The taste of the maiz, and the char from the comal felt warm and gratifying.

Still, I could not overlook the unpalatable texture of the chicharron, as it turned to mush in my mouth. The al pastor and carne asada was tough to chew, but we were the last round of customers, on an extremely stinging cold day.

If I were to return to Manolo’s stand, I would return for their tortillas, and their savory spicy salsas. I’m sure on a much warmer day,I could fully enjoy the flavorful heat of their salsa verde and the rub on the al pastor. 

Plus, I’m sure my friends would return, purely for the atmosphere created by the family dynamic at Manolo’s stand. Their sharp tongue comebacks,tasty tortillas, and energy, despite the weather, transports me to the best pueblito eateries in Mexico, and I'm anxious to return. 

New Year with New Taco Adventures

Happy New Year Everyone! As the old year has gone and passed, too, has my old taco favorites.Last year my top taco expereinces were at La Quebrada and at El Milagro.A mash-up of these two tacos would be as good as a master collaboration of Adele and Daft Punk.



Ugh, so good! This taco would have super flavorful meat, in great quantities, and homemade rustic tortillas. My mouth is salivating, GAH!

Yet, this new post is not to remenice on past taco bites. This post is meant to once again, engage myself on a beloved mission to find my perfect taco in Chicago, mainly searching on the South Side.


Before the New Year began, after a night of ice-skating and warm hot chocolate, at the Bobby Hull Ice Rink in Cicero, my aunt from Mexico and the rest of my family were craving something a bit more fulfilling.

Rosy, Marty, Jenny, Jess, Abby, and myself left Dunkin Donuts, and searched for something satisfying. Hotdogs? Pizza? Gyros? Eh, nothing was going to trump my need for a fix of some tacos.

Besides, I had Rosy, who craved something native to the motherland, and Jess, who was anxiously awaiting a spotlight on BuscoTacos. The odds were in my favor....

Immediately, I suggested tacos and my idea was not refused. We struggled on the location, the most convenient late night spot is Los Comales, but we all know how I feel about those convenient taco places. Marty recommended we go to El Solazo, off 56th and Pulaski.

El Solazo, is conveniently near my home, but there’s nothing plain about these tacos. They don’t have homemade tortillas, or large amounts of meat on their tortillas, but they have flavor.

The most flavorful taco of the night was my taco de cecina, served with beans, cilantro and onions. For an extra kick, I added their smoky salsa picante and a couple of grilled onions. Money!

Yet, los tacos de lengua (tongue), were my favorite. The lengua dissolves tenderly, and the tacos are excellently paired with a hot green sauce that will make your nose run.


Although, I only had one taco de lengua, I can testify that they are delicious, ask Abby. She had four tacos de lengua. Every bit of tongue was devoured by Abby.

El Solazo, absolutely, is a taqueria worth visiting, again. I'm sure our CPD would agree, since they practically packed the house that night.

 Looking forward to a year of tasty tacos. Keep me posted on your favorite spots for 2013!

Eventful Night, Uneventful Taco

Sara, Alex, and I, hastily, jumped out of my car and into the side door of Atotonilco on 57th and Kedzie. By this part of the night, Doll face (Sara), Clark Kent (Alex), and Rosie the Rivetar (me) were stunned, cold, reeked of "jungle juice," that tasted like some strawberry medicinal liquor. All we needed was some grub, and the best type of late night pick-me up is a delicious taco.

 Doll face

Now, I only live a couple blocks away from this Atotonilco. I've avoided taqueria for years because of my previous unfortunate stomach malfunctions, after eating a taco from Atotonilco on Kedzie. But, being that my passenger side window was shattered on the floor of my car, the wind was blowing directly into my face, and I neglected to bring a jacket, because it clashed with my costume, Atotonilco was conveniently close.

Atotonilco is open 8:00 AM to 3AM on Fridays, which is amazing if you live in Gage Park, where most restaurants close their doors early. If only the food was as amazing. If my memory serves me correct, Alex and Sara both ordered tacos de asada, and I ordered tacos de barbacoa and al pastor. Ah, Alex, aslo, ordered a taco de al pastor. Hands down, the al pastor was the best of the three; it was sweet, salty, tender, and generously portioned.

Clark Kent

Sara could not finish her tacos de asada, actually she only took a bite. Her asada suffered the same fate as my barbacoa, dryness and lack of seasoning. I don't often talk about the pricing of a taco, but $2.25 for two large tortillas and some slapped on unseasoned meat, just doesn't seem fair.

The Unmentionables 

Yes, you need to make a profit from the product you're producing, but even if it's three in the AM, the prepared food should be tasty and satisfying.

Where can I get a late night TASTY taco snack on the south side? Donde? Actually, if you know a great place anywhere, please recommend. I have my eye on Flash Taco...

Bitter National Taco Day at Mis Tacos

Many of you may already know, yesterday was National Taco Day. Although, I’ve dubbed myself, amongst only my closest friends, who would probably smirk at the following statement, the taco authority, I was completely baffled and thrilled that such a holiday existed.

Side note: Also, let us not forget, yesterday was National Vodka Day! "на здоровье"

My first reaction was to investigate the origins of this supposed taco holiday. I couldn’t find an actual official record that governed National Taco Day, but apparently many celebrate this holiday, and it’s been going on for years.

Yesterday, should have been another festive taco celebration, especially, since this was the first year, I would officially commemorate a national holiday, devoted to the staple of Mexican cuisine. Why shouldn't there be a day to celebrate the versitatlity of a taco, better yet, my favorite part of a taco, the tortilla.Virtually any Mexican dish can be accompanied by a corn or flour tortilla, if it’s already not part of the dish.

My impetuous nature betrayed me…

Hastily, I chose a dinner spot for my sister, brother, and I, close to the neighborhood.

Marty, was hesitant to eat tacos, since he had already had unpleasant experience at Los Alamos in Pilsen. He was convinced that his burnt carne asada gave him a headache, and Jenny didn’t mind what we ate, as long as we ate, now.

Since, we had to be in the West Lawn area, I remembered a taco restaurant on Marquette Rd. I pointed to the restaurant, and we arrived to Mis Tacos, between Kildare Ave & Kolin Ave. Completely optimistic about this small empty corner restaurant, across the street from West Lawn Park, and aside from a local laundry mat, we sat and took in the tasty aroma of asada on the grill.

Marty refused to order any more tacos, so he ordered one gordita de nopales, and another with chicken. Jenny ordered two tacos de asada with only cilantro.While, I ordered one chicken taco, and un taco de tripas (tripe) with cilantro and onions.

Unlike the tacos I ate last week from La Quebrada, there was no finesse in anything I saw, smelled, or tasted at Mis Tacos. Perhaps, you’re not looking for any finesse, just a taco with some slapped on meat, tiny dried out cilantro, and an overpowering amount of onions.

I’ll admit it. I’m a rotten over-indulged taco eater!

Yes, I prefer a corn tortilla that isn’t greased up, and then simply warmed-up. I prefer a chicken taco that, while, nicely cooked and marinated, isn’t just thrown on a tortilla, and called a taco.

My tripe was cooked medium rare, with a great crisp, but my sisters’ steak was tough, almost burnt. I think that’s all I have to say ‘bout that.

Sorry Jennaaay!

Normally, I would end on a positive note, and suggest that this restaurant needs a redemption day, but I will not be returning to Mis Tacos, after a night of stomach ache, and bitter aftertaste, even if Marty enjoyed his nopales.

*Correction Marty had RAJAS...

More Than Just a Local Favorite: La Quebrada

Every community has their local gem; it’s the place everyone goes to on a Sunday morning for chorrizo con huevo (eggs), or un menudo (tripe soup). Your local favorite is conveniently located at the corner of your block, and never has enough parking, and you don’t mind waiting for a seat. I think I’ve found my local favorite in Gage Park on the South Side of Chicago.

La Quebrada is located on the corner of 51^st and California, an area I’m very familiar with, being only blocks away from my childhood parish and school, St. Simon. I’ve been to this restaurant a handful of times, but never to eat their tacos. I wish I had before. The experience was great!

My sister Jenny and her Queen of Peace classmate, Sara both joined me for an afternoon taco outing. We entered La Quebrada, sat at their newly renovated and expanded section, traditionally decorated as if I was in a restaurant in Guerrero, Mexico.

 La Quebrada in Mexico, is an extremely famous attraction in Acapulco. Many daredevils travel to the cliff dive, and plunge themselves into an extremely narrow entrance of the Pacific Ocean.

Sara, Jenny, and I dived into their steamy salsa, which I knew had barely come off the molcajete (traditional Mexican stone mortor and pestle), since it looked roughly prepared and had great heat.  

Then, we placed our order. Jenny and Sara each ordered two steak tacos with cilantro and onions on the side. While, I ordered one chicken taco, un taco de barbacoa (goat meat), and un taco de lengua (tongue) with cilantro and cebolla (onions). Sara was curious to taste tongue tacos.

Our order took about 20 minutes to get to the table, but I didn’t mind the wait, when they finally arrived to the table, I knew it was worth the wait. The tortillas were hand made! 

Finally, a place that makes their own tortillas, on the south side! Ugh, I could taste the grounded maize, and more importantly it tasted like it was cooked on a clean, non-greasy comal. The tortillas had golden brown char marks, and flaky crisp edges.

All the meats were equally delicious. My favorite was the tender, melting, marinated, mouth-watering, juicy, and thinly prepared barbacoa. The tacos were simple, and the ingredients were fresh and prepared perfectly.

La Quebrada is not just one of my local favorites for tacos, it is by far the best taco I have tasted. I recommend this spot for any occasion, anytime. 

Maybe I can try another Zacatacos?

Lazy Sundays are the best! It’s the perfect opportunity to lounge around the house, catch up on this fall’s TV series, which for me happens to be Boardwalk Empire, and order some take-out. This Sunday, la familia had an itching for tacos, rightfully so; they turned to their rooky taco blogger.

I suggested that we try Zacatacos on 59th and Pulaski, even though as noted in a previous posting, I am not ecstatic about their tacos. But, I was enthusiastic because not all taquerias in a chain serve the same quality or taste of food, which could challenge the concept of a chain. Unlike this weekend’s episode of Boardwalk Empire that served a saucy Brooklyn love affair between a 1920’s gangster and showgirl, my tacos from Zacatacos were stale, but tolerable.

We ordered enough tacos for seven that included tacos de lengua, al pastor, and carne asada with cilantro, salsa y cebolla on the side. When my brother arrived with what sounded like a stellar taco dinner, I quickly unwrapped the foil around my tacos del al pastor, skipped the cilantro and cebolla, when straight to pouring my salsa roja and took a big bite. Instead of adding a savory juicy tenderness, the marinade on the meat was encrusted after cooking. La salsa roja had a vinegar/citrus after taste that was memorable for all the wrong reasons.

If I had to highlight a positive reaction to these tacos, I would say that the lengua was tolerable. The lengua was well cooked, but it couldn’t distract from the taste of the tortillas. The tortillas seemed as if they were barely defrosted and then thrown on the grill. More attention to tortillas, please! 

Maybe, there is another Zacatacos in my future? Until then I hope people will continue to send in their suggestions. Actually, coming soon is another posting on El Rey, near Kelly High School on the south side, if this your favorite place, comment on your favorite taco.


<a href="http://www.hypersmash.com">HyperSmash.com</a>

BuscoTaco Lives!

I refuse to let a good thing end, suddenly. A month before my birthday, I expanded my taco search to all areas around Chicago. Since the expansion, I’ve written nothing! No way, am I going to stop writing or eating tacos! I’m also not going to kill the expansion, but I still want to find that great taco place on the south side.

 I’m convinced that there are great places on the south side of Chicago that always go without notice, overshadowed by the bougie taco shacks of the north. Not, that I don’t enjoy a good taco inspired by some cultural/tasteful infusion, but I want that simple taco that cannot hide behind garnishes or some citrus/berry/chile salsa. It’s about the meat and the tortilla. Simple!

By no means does this mean I don’t crave to try “exotic” or new taco creations. Most recentely, my friend, Travis, from the north side of Chicago, invited me to a kind of taco crawl. We went to “Antique Tacos,” and “Big Star,” two great and highly acclaimed restaurants that serve tasty tacos.

“Antique Tacos,” served this delicious pickled jalapeno, contrasting the sweetness of the glazed chicken. This taco was definitely about elevating the flavor profile of the ingredients, but I wish the tortillas had the same attention. However, “Big Star,” served a small rustic style tortilla, that won my heart; they served my favorite taco of the evening. Taco, plus, tender well-seasoned meat, will forever be my champion.

So… my taco quest still continues and I’m trying to follow this neat trend on the south side, before winter scares away the vendors. Recently, I’ve noticed an increasing number of pop-up street cart vendors, or grills outside a local restaurant serving awesome smelling tacos, since I have yet to actually taste any.

If there is a pop-up spot near where you live, please direct my eager taste buds towards the right direction.

BuscoTaco Lives! Thank you for reading!