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.


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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!