Villalobos, Montclair, NJ

Let me start by saying that you know I don't like to go into these trendy, more expensive taco joints.  I remind you that I am usually upset by spending more then $2 on a taco.  Every once in a while, a place is different.  A place stands out.  A place is very worth going to, and enjoying.  Let me say that value, is a word I would use to describe this place, and most tacos are $5.  Villalobos, I want you to know, I will be back.  I want to say that the service was second to none, the atmosphere was spot on and the tacos, well, we can wait for the ratings, but they were delicious.

This is the badass decor that you can come to expect.  Seasonal, cool, edgy.  I really loved it.  It is right at the counter when you walk in.  Oh, the hostess stand, yeah, they are there to greet you.  Then don't stand behind some podium and point you in a direction, they are there to welcome you and guide you.  They have a plan on where you are going to sit and they are all over it.

Kitchen was fast and hard at it the whole time.  It is a completely opened kitchen and they have no problem letting you see them rock out some delicious food in a very efficient, timely manner.  Yeah, it was great to see.  Everyone in the kitchen made eye contact with the patrons, they were all smiling, communicating well and seemed to be having a great time being there, and I don't know how they couldn't enjoy being a part of such a well oiled machine.  The owners were there, involved and seemed to genuinely care about each team member that they had as much as each guest in the building.

The Chalkboard Revolution.  I'm such a fan.  Put a chalkboard up and let your guests know what is going on in the restaurant.  It is such a cool thing.  It really is.  I think that it is something that we are all use to from school, it is easy to read, easy to change.  This one is awesome.  Simple, well laid out and to the point!  I love the picture of the wolf howling in the background and on the chalkboard, I really think it makes the place look even cooler.

I'll begin to tell the story.  I got to the restaurant and parked in the parking structure.  A very sweet lady, yes she was cute, was getting into the elevator at the same time.  She had her hands full with a diaper bag and a nine month old who I later found out is named Jack.  She asked me to press the button to get us to the bottom floor.  Being the extra nice guy that I am, I did.  We got off the elevator and she got her heal stuck.  I was there, helped her prior to her hitting the ground and we then found out that we were both headed to the same restaurant to meet friends.   Not the same friends, she was meeting her friends, I was meeting a friend.

When we walked in, it was very difficult to explain to the hostess that this lady and I were not there together as we were both the first in their party.  She got sat, I stayed and waited for my friend.  When he walked in, he knew darn near everyone in there.   It was pretty cool.  We sat down and went through the menu above.  Great menu.  Well laid out, and that is everything that they serve aside from water.

They start you off with these two delicious salsas and chips.  The chips were great.  The presentation was so excellent.  The salsa rankings will be below.  These came out pretty quick.  They were traditionally different, which made this place pretty cool.

Yeah, I could not, not try this.  Villalobos Guacamole.  Sea Urchin Guacamole.  Pretty interesting stuff.  There was a lot of depth to this stuff.  An interesting complexity that was not fishy.  The smoked tomatillos were such a nice touch and really gave it the sweetness that it needed to push it over the edge.  What a different starter.  This may not be for everyone, but it is worth trying, for the record, it is for me.
RATINGS:
AL PASTOR de POLLO: 5, Yeah, this was crazy.  So good, but it made me a little sad.  I really wanted it with pork.  The pineapple was umm, yeah, the aciote was, umm, I can't talk about this without going crazy and wanting more.  Go and try it.
LENGUA: 3, this was really textbook.  It was not a standout in my mind in anyway whatsoever.  It was tender, it was good, it had a slight crisp, but I'm a lengua fanatic and this was good, but not amazing or above the average.
PULPO ASADO: 4, Octopus, yeah I'm going to order it.  It was tender, but could have been a little more tender to be a 5, but this was close.  It was sweet and great.  Nicely done here.
CARNITAS: 2, the only disappointment of the night.  Let me tell you that it was not horrible, but I did not find it very good.  I went back and read the description on the menu but after I took my first bite, I was sad because it tasted like Coke.  If you are into Coke, this is your stuff, but I'm not much of a big soda fan.
VERDURAS: 4, So this has poblano peppers, corn and mushrooms.  I did think it was a bit too much mushrooms, but they were so good that I had to give it a 4.  The flavors were well blended and you almost thought that you were eating meat.  Really good.
ASADA: 5, This asada is a one of a kind.  Oh, and it is HOT!  It was so delicious.  I've been talking to my self since I left asking me if this was my favorite.
CHORIZO y PAPAS: 3, this came highly recommended.  What I loved most is that they make their own chips, I think, and top the chorizo taco with them.  The chips are small, I mean small in diameter chips that are thinly shaved and they are fantastic.  A very nice crunch and texture with good flavors.  To be honest, the chorizo was good, but not as amazing as many of the other things that they create.
CAMARONES: 5, this was again a one of a kind for shrimp.  It was sauteed, for sure not overdone or tough.  Flavors were light and great.
SCALLOPS: 5, brussel sprouts?  I hate brussel sprouts, but I loved this taco and they were good, I'll admit, I liked these.  I've tried them with bacon, other vegetables, steamed, fried, stewed, always disliked them, until this dish.  The tortilla was hot and cheesy.  Really a nice special for them to run and recommend that you don't miss out if this bad boy is on the chalkboard.
PESCADO: 4, fried fish tacos that are really worth eating.  They were fried, but tasted like real fish, not fishy, but they had great texture and flavor.
RED SALSA: 4, sweet and spicy.  A great balance that was tasty and the more that I ate it, the more that I liked it.
TOMATILLO SALSA: 5, this was so complex and so layered with flavor.  It was sweet, but had some real depth to the flavor.  It was unlike a tomatillo sauce that I've tasted, clearly, very impressed.

What a spread!  Clearly this is some of the highest ratings across the board.  This place is great.  My friend and I cut every taco in half and we were very full and obviously very far from disappointed.  The music was cool, the vibe was great.  The demographics were all over the place.  Every age, everything, point being, this place has appeal for every age.  It looks almost more expensive than it is.  It was really affordable and worth every penny.  I expected our bill for 10 tacos, the guacamole to be much more than it was.  The people working there were really fantastic and it capped the meal right off.

Thank you to everyone for reading and for following.  Please continue to tell everyone and to tell your friends.  Today's goodbye, gratuitous photo is of the two geniuses behind this machine.  Adam and VJ.  There could not be two cooler guys that could come together and make such an amazing experience.  The food, the service, the ambiance, the whole thing was brought together nicely.

STAY EXCELLENT!!!

Taqueria los Altenos, Canoga Park, CA

Man have things been crazy for me.  I know that I needed to get back to blogging for things to start to get better.  I have passed this place a bunch of times.  Horrible Yelps, not too much of a looker from the outside.  I almost went in more than once.  I was driving from one restaurant to another and needed to eat.  I figured I'd give it a shot.  I drove right by it and turned around to check it out.  I don't really know how to describe it aside from Taco Destiny.  I was drawn right towards the place.  I was not in a pleasurable mood and this place turned it around.  As far as I'm concerned, it was just full of surprises.

Here was a surprise, chips and salsa?  Didn't see that coming.  You order at the counter, they give you this and then bring your food to you.  Two very different salsas, not too shabby.  I really did not expect this.  It was perfect.  I was super hungry and this was a great little distraction as they were making the tacos for me.  Pricing by the way, solid.

BOOM!  Another surprise, and one of the best surprises out there, a pastor cone!!!  Yes, this is the kind of stuff that really excites me.  It looked good, it tastes, well, we are not yet at the ratings, slow your roll...the folks working were busy and did not stop.  Everyone did their part and worked well as a team.

This was an unpleasant surprise.  It was a huge tease.  It is not a salsa bar as we all would assume.  It is a hands off, salad bar.  I was not impressed.  I wanted to try the cactus, but I really wanted the serrano peppers.  I really wanted them.  I wanted to eat them.  They looked fresh and they looked good.  I don't know for sure, I just was staring at them.

The experience was great.  The people working there were so nice.  There was a little boy who was being a total brat.  He was yelling, the dad was ignoring.  The young lady working there walked over and asked him if he was going trick or treating and then gave him some candy.  It was so cool.  Great to see her help the situation.  She was so sweet and checked on everyone eating to see if they needed anything and asked if they enjoyed it.  Her name is Anna, say hello to her next time that you are in.  She was talking to me about their meats, styles of cooking, influences, everything.  No, I did not tell her that I was going to write about them, she was just a sweet friendly individual who seemed to really love her job.
RATINGS:
LENGUA: 4,  buttery goodness.  Tasty, fresh, well cooked, but soft.  This is something to go and try, something to get excited about.
TRIPA: 5, this is possibly standalone best that I've had.  It was cut a little bigger than I normally like, but this did not stop me or slow me down.  It is some good stuff.  With a good crunch, a soft inside, light touch of salt, yeah, you get my drift.  Go try it.  I loved the pride, watching this guy make this stuff, made it all that much better.
PASTOR: 5, yeah, yeah, it is that good.  There is some amazing pastor that I've eaten, this one ranks.  It is as good as RT in my mind.  I'm going to go and try it again to make sure, but initial bite was umm, yeah.  It is on a cone, it is slow cooked.  It has flavors of lime, clove, aciote, multiple chilies.  Very nicely done.  It is a bit crispy, but soft and great.
CABEZA: 3, solid.  Very, very solid.  Soft, buttery, good.  Nothing to shy away from.  Reality, I'll probably order this when I go back again, yes, if you haven't caught the drift, I'm going back.
ASADA: 4,
ROJO: 3, it was solid, bit of spice, nice cilantro flavor and a great starter to a great meal.
VERDE: 2, nothing to write home about.  It almost tasted like mayo, yucky.

Pretty sweet looking spread, right?  Why aren't you following me on Instagram?  You could see many beautiful taco photos.  There is some other things thrown in every so often, but there are for everyone's entertainment.

One of my favorite parts of the food was the pairings.  The meats were paired with different salsas.  They really knew how to maximize the flavors of each meat.  All of the salsas had the appropriate "kick" and meshed nicely with each bit of food.  Very cool to me when they pair them up.  They did ask if I was OK with it before doing it and I was so happy that they did this.

One of the best parts about this blog is that my BFF Nikki lives blocks away.  There is tacos in the future for her, Matt, Melissa and I!  Thanks for reading.  Please continue to tell everyone and read.  I really appreciate people being a part of this blog in anyway that you are.  Today's gratuitous photo is of the mural that they have on the wall.  It helps create some great ambiance.  It was like I was with the guy loading his donkey.  We were Tacoteering together as he got his burro ready to go.

Stay Excellent!

Rico's Tacos, El Tio, Inglewood, CA

What a week, what a day.  Somehow I got a flat tire today.  It just added to the immense joy that I have been overwhelmed with.  Here's the thing, guys, hipster guys, if you don't know how to change your tire, it is time to learn.  Watch a Youtube video or something, but you need to know how to do it without calling AAA or some service that you paid for.  Let them deal with the real stuff, not changing your tire, you should be able to do it yourself.  Lucky for me, a flat tire does not stop me from going Tacoteering.  I was at the office for some meetings and was heading to The Counter in El Segundo.  I stopped not too far from LAX in beautiful Inglewood, CA.

Rico's Tacos, El Tio in Inglewood was the recipient of some real live Tacoteering today.  Place was busy, really busy.  I was there watching people just line up and order.  The building is modest, for sure it has been painted recently.  The inside was pretty perfect.  I like the outside patio, ambiance is right on point for a place like this.  It also really fits the neighborhood.  It blends in and stands out all at the same time.

The menu is good.  What they need without too much fluff.  They know how to execute.  I will say that I found them a bit slow, but they were working hard.  This is the part of the menu that I was interested in.

Here is the rest of the menu and their waters.  They make their waters in house, pretty cool, pretty common though.  I didn't have any, but they looked good and people were ordering them, so I'm sure they couldn't be bad.  Everyone working there was speaking perfect English and perfect Spanish.  Great having such great diversity in such a small place.  I have to say that their hiring seems great.
RATINGS:
ASADA: 4, really tasty.  Nice balance, subtle flavors, for sure something that I really liked.
LENGUA: 3, this was so close to a 4.  Flavors were good, buttery.  I think that they need to cook it for just a few minutes longer.
CARNITAS: 3, this was very good.  Nothing with overwhelming flavors, but had nice texture and some good flavor that made it a solid 3 that I would say is worth stopping by for.
PASTOR: 1, I was so sad.  This was dry, not well marinated and I'm just angry about it.  The reason I'm not saying much more is that I'll just get negative on a place that is pretty solid.
BUCHE: 2, too mushy.  This really had not been cooked long enough and was lacking in flavor.  Very fatty buche, wouldn't recommend it.
CABEZA: 3, solid.  Just some pretty textbook cabeza. Good flavor, nice texture, not over or under cooked, but they didn't do anything to set it apart.

Not a bad looking spread.  The jalapenos are a nice touch and were great.  Firm but soft, spicy but not fire.  They carrots were so well  marinated.  I really enjoyed the extras that came with this meal.  I'll sum this place up, I'm glad I went, but I'm not going back.  The people were great, the ambiance was nice, but the food was just OK.  Nothing truly blew me away today.  It was good, don't get me wrong, but I'm not pining to get some more of their tacos, I need to continue the search for better ones and go back to places that have blown this place away.

As always, thank you for reading.  Thanks for telling people and following along on these taco journeys.  Today's gratuitous photo is of the donut wheel on the Impala.  The donut that too, me on this taco journey.

Stay Excellent!

El Taco Man, El Monte, CA

What a crazy last few weeks.  Our beloved Red Dragon (Toyota Sienna) was slayed in a car wreck.  After a wonderful vacation to Disneyworld, we knew we had to get a new one.  We ended up at Longo Toyota and now have a newer Toyota Sienna, we have yet to give it a nickname...

You know that if I am going out, I'm looking for great tacos.  This place came recommended and is crushing it on Yelp.  Had to try it.  Just a few miles from Longo Toyota, I mean, why not?  Melissa and I were worn out from running around with the kids and of course were not thrilled about incurring another car payment, but with Alexander and the other kids, we need a van to make things that much easier.  Anyways, unassuming building here.  Not too much craziness, simple, sweet, complete.

Simple menu, cash only, two things that magnify how legit this place is.  $1.25 a taco, I'm in.  We had to try most of what they had.  The guy working there was great.  Very nice, funny, really was engaging each customer that came to the window.  He was great with some young children that ordered after us as their mom stood back.  The nachos and burritos looked pretty attractive, but I had to stick with the tacos.

So they do some catering.  Figured we should give them a quick plug here.  Anyone who is pushing every facet of their business excites me.  I love the name too. Perfect.  Again, simple, to the point.  I asked what kind of events they do, how they do it, they will cook on site or bring it cooked in trays.  I appreciate the diversity in their options, keep them in mind if you are around the area and need some good tacos.

Nice back patio area to eat your meal in.  They do have seating right in front of the counter, but this was pretty nice.  Enclosed, nice large umbrellas.  Really  made for a nice lunch.   I appreciate that they took the time to utilize the space around them.  Again, they are keeping it simple.  Lets get to it, I know this is what you care about.

RATINGS:
PASTOR: 2, this was dry and lacked the flavor depth that pastor should have.  I don't think that it was marinated long enough and it was overcooked for sure.
ASADA: 3,  pretty textbook here.  Nothing to write home about, but nothing that was really disappointing.  It was not bad, but it wasn't anything special.  Pretty tender, seasoning was pretty normal.
LENGUA: 4, oh this is just what the doctor ordered.  A buttery, delicious goodness that was brought together by great cooking and tender meat.
CABEZA: 3, good stuff.  Not too shabby, but nothing special.  I would say go for it, especially over the pastor.
CARNITAS: 4, yeah, not a fan of really going over a 3 on carnitas, but some places just do it.  The texture on this was phenomenal.  The flavor was rich but not overpowering.  Very nicely done, don't miss out if you are in the area.
BUCHE: 3, solid.  Nothing over the top.  If it was cooked just a tiny bit more, it would have been a 4.  Just slightly chewy.
BARBACOA: 4, arguably the best thing that we ate here today my friends.  Hints of cinnamon and clove that really were nice.  This was a slow stewed meat.  You need to go by and check this out if you are around, it was close to being 5 worthy.
SALSA ROJO: 4, great red salsa with some serious heat.  Flavor was good and it was great to eat overall.  Went well with all the fattier meats.
SALSA VERDE: 4, this was so tasty.  Though it was really spicy it was rich in flavor and did not leave a lingering burn.  Melissa was even eating it, though she did say that it was very hot.

Not a bad looking spread.  We crushed that $11 worth of deliciousness.  Not too much cilantro, not too many onions, but a whole lot of delicious flavor.  I would say that you should go and check this place out.  Biggest complaint about this place is the plates.  Super flimsy.  If that is the complaint, I'd say go if I was you.  What blog would can go so long without a selfie?

That's my wife Melissa.  She is the one without the beard.  She was being extra nice since she just got the new van.  I was so glad that we found the one that we did and that we got tacos.  That is my new UofL hat.  Darn comfortable.  If you notice, though we went out ugly, still representing the boys in Blue here in LA!  GO DODGERS!

Thank you everyone for reading.  I really appreciate the re-tweets, re-posts and the folks that share with their friends and family members.  Please keep spreading the word.  Remember, I'm eating tacos all around you.  Today's goodbye photo is a photo of the new van, though we will miss the Red Dragon and all of the great memories that we had with her we look forward to the new memories that the kids will make with us in this vehicle.

STAY EXCELLENT!

Taco Sinaloa, Torrance, CA

Where have I been?  It's been the longest Tacoteering dry spell since I started this bad boy.  I've been busy, I've been working, running around, thinking about tacos, eating some, but hitting up spots I've written about.  I didn't need or want a break, just didn't write.  Well, Tacoteering is back.  Back to getting the information out to everyone.  I got up about 4am and went to San Diego to work this morning.  Knocked out all I needed to do and was driving back up to LA.  I stopped on my way back and did a conference call and then met up with my dad.  It seemed like a great day to get some tacos.  Wanted to try something new, somewhere different.  We hit a joint in Torrance.  Big following, not sure why.

Place was really disorganized.  It was one of the longest ordering processes I've ever been a part of.  It really was crazy.  I ended up having to help some other patrons as the gentleman on the register did not speak much English.  That part was fine, but he would start taking an order and just walk away to do other things and then would come back totally confused.  The place had the look, the place had the smell, the place had the feel, but that is where it stopped for me.  Menu is good.  It looks bigger than it is.  They stick to what they think they know.

Kitchen is pretty small, just right.  The guy that was working the register was working, but the other guy that was there was all over the place.  Dude was grilling, cooking, chopping, stocking, everything.  He was a horse!  Really was a machine getting everything done, making orders and was smiling the entire time.  He seemed as though he really did enjoy his job.  They serve some beer, I stuck with the delicious, LA's finest tap water.

The artwork in, on and around the building was awesome.  I really liked it.  The artist that did this is super talented.  Everything had great detail and was great to see.  Ambiance was the best part this place has to offer.  Even the artwork by the restrooms was cool.  Perfectly drawn mermaid and sea animals.  It was neat.

Salsa bar was kept pretty dirty.  Radishes were not really fresh, the jalapenos were just OK.  Limes were great, salsas were fine.  Nothing impressive about this bar, nothing that set it apart.  With that being said, lets get to it.

RATINGS:
ASADA: 3, not impressive, not bad, just alright.  Good char flavor, which I liked, but the quality of the meat itself was bad.  The seasoning was pretty non-existent.
CARNITAS: 2, it lacked flavor and excitement.  It was tender, but not great, like I said.
SESOS: 2, this was just weird. It was off in texture, had no flavor and did not even look tasty.
LENGUA: 2, the texture was on point, the flavor was not.  There was just no flavor to this thing.  Nothing exciting about it in anyway.
BUCHE: 2, again we were lacking flavor or excitement.  Really not very good at all.
PASTOR: 1, this was flat out horrid and a disgrace.  It was not good, so don't waste your time or your taste buds.
TACO DORADO: 2, this was a disappointment.  It had "guacamole" which was nasty.  Yeah, not bad, nasty.  You would think a crispy taco couldn't be that bad, but it was, very sad for my mouth.
SALSA ROJO: 3, pretty textbook.  It was nice and spicy, but lacked anything to make it any better than average.
SALSA VERDE: 3,  again, kind of what you expect for "average" salsa.

That is the picture of the spread.  Nothing too great, it looked good though.  The food overall lacked flavor.  It was nice that they didn't douse meat with salt, but needed some flavoring love.  I am so pissed about this "pastor."  I mean, come on people, this is a signature item.  It is one of the best things in the world and you have embarrassed yourselves with this lack of flavor and lack of seasoning.  I say don't go eat there only because they messed up pastor so bad and pastor is near and dear to my heart.  Damn I'm upset about this.

The artwork was cool, but the best part of the trip was getting a little bit of time with my dad.  We were able to just hang out, catch up about work, life and everything.  I use to love going to visit my dad at his work when I was younger and we would go get a burrito from Campos or somewhere around there in Santa Monica.  I love my dad and was really happy that we got some time together.  Today's gratutious photo is one of him and I on his birthday last March at Malibu Seafood.  It is sad, but my little brother Paul never took my dad out or did anything with him on his birthday this year.

Stay Excellent!

Taqueria El Rey Del Taco, Doraville, GA...100th BLOG

100th post!  Started this little bad boy last July.  We have gone on many adventures, this is our 100th post, so I want to start by thanking everyone for reading, I hope that y'all have enjoyed the adventures as much as I have!

Had a very adventurous trip so far, it now comes to an end as I head back to the City of Angels tomorrow early morning.  Can't think of a better way to wrap this trip up than a great adventure with a great friend and fellow Tacotter, Forrensy.  Fo and I have Tacoteered in a few states and have gone on some great adventures.  Today's did not disappoint.  Nino the KM recommended this spot, and he did well my friends, he did well.  It was a bit of a drive, traffic was horrendous, but it was perfect.  It gave us time to catch up, tell stories, talk about future restaurant openings and taco adventures.

This was our chariot.  Fo's Jeep.  There he is pumping his power!  It was a great ride to and from the Taqueria.  We really did enjoy our time catching up.  It was raining, pretty hard, which I enjoyed.  I have not seen rain in a while.  I live in Los Angeles, we are in a drought, there is not much rain, not much rain at all.

I really appreciate their hours of operation.  They are not afraid to be open and serve delicious food.  Fo said that he has been here in some of the later hours and that the food is just as good and the service is just as great.  Really love what they are doing.

The kitchen is simple and perfect.  They just happily crank the food out and the people working there were great.  All so nice, all so attentive.  It was a really cool experience.  It is amazing how much nicer the experience can be when the people working there are great and don't act like total punks.  I will say that my company was unbelievable.  Fo is a great friend and a great guy.  Fo and I met about a year ago and have done multiple restaurant openings.  We have become quite close and with our good friend Josh Razana lead a great core of trainers to open restaurants.  The Counter is as lucky to have us as we are to have The Counter.  We enjoy working long 12-15 hour days and then enjoy grabbing tacos wherever in the world we might be.  It really helps make the trips most excellent.

I wanted to send this picture of Fo's phone.  OK, not really, that just happens to be in the shot.  They come to your table with three delicious salsas, chips and a cup of limes.  I don't know if there is a better set-up for Tacoteers.  This was perfect.  The chips were good, they did not fry them there, but they did not taste cheap or stale, they were really damn good.  It was nice.  Lets get to it!
RATINGS:
BUCHE: 2, this was not very good.  It was not cooked very well.  The seasoning was pretty solid, but the cooking of it sucked.  It was boiled, not grilled or sauteed afterwards.  It did not get the time and attention needed.
BARBACOA: 3, not too bad.  It was solid.  Seasoned well, not overdone, shredded nicely.  Some small bones in it, but that really doesn't faze me, good barbacoa should still have some small bones.
SUADERO: 3, oh this is so close to a 4.  It is good, but I think back to Tacos el Gordo in Chula Vista and it makes this a 3.  I would order it again, it is good, tender and cut nicely.
LENGUA: 4, this was tender goodness.  I really like this.  I would recommend this to any lengua lover.  It is really good stuff.  Not too much seasoning, you really get to taste the meat and it is good.  Texture was on point.
ASADA: 4, on flippin point!  This was good.  Tender, tasty, seasoned nicely.  This was very well taken care of.  They got good meat, the did not over season it, but they did season it enough.  I was a big fan and if you like asada, are looking for a great starter taco if you are young in your Tacoteering, this might be the perfect taco for you.
PASTOR: 4, holy goodness, this was close to a 5.  Really close.  This is almost RT good.  Perfectly seasoned, crispy but not hard, sweet but not too sweet.  There was more than just a light hint of pineapple, but it was perfection on that point.  It really made me smile.
TABLE SALSA: 4, this was so good.  Might be a little, just slightly spicy for the average eater, but so damn good, I couldn't get enough!
JALEPENO SALSA: 4, this is not as good as mine, but really tasty.  Their texture was perfect, they need to boil it a little longer, not add so much milk and this could be a 5.  Really good.  I loved it mixed with the table salsa on my chips, try it, you'll be happy!!!
HABENERO SALSA: 4, this was good.  Not my cup of tea so to speak, but a balanced salsa with great flavors, I approve, and we all know that is important.

The grilled onions on top were stellar.  Not too much, not overdone, but so damn tasty.  The tortillas were made in the restaurant.  They would fall slightly apart, but they were so tasty.  They were some of the best tortillas that I have.  They were not as good as Chef Zadi's, but if I were to rate, his were a 5, theirs are a 4.  Very nicely done and it really made the tacos that much better.  The tacos were also huge.  You could get the store tortilla tacos for $1.10 or the handmade tacos which were huge for $2.  LOVE IT!  Totally worth it.

Very special thanks to Forrensy.  He is a great guy, great friend and one hell of a Tacoteer.  This was a stellar adventure, not just because of the tacos, but because I got to see a great friend.  We missed Josh, but still had fun.  I'm the lucky one, I get to see Josh often, I'll see him before the week is out!

Thank you to everyone for reading, re-posting and re-tweeting.  I'm shocked an humbled by how this thing has grown in the last year.  It really is awesome and makes it even better for me everyday.  Thank you so much.

Today's goodbye photo is of Fo and my bringing out the sillier side of Tacoteering.  If you follow me on Instagram, you've seen the photo, but here it is, us toasting the 100th blog and a great adventure with smiles!

STAY EXCELLENT!!!!!!

Taqueria Taquito Express, Roswell, GA

Yeah, this is a quickie, you know you all like them.  I was just picking up some bananas and apples from a gas station.  I'm on the road, don't judge.  I had dinner.  I was not hungry.  I saw this and could not say no.  My Taco Destiny brought me to this BP.  Anyways, it was what it was.  I am a fan of the car wash/gas station taco.  Anyways.  I had to get two.  They recommended pastor and asada.

This is the entire operation.  You are seeing it all.  Promising, right?  Here's the reality.  Salty.  They just cover up everything with sodium, no thanks.  They both get a 2.  The salsas are a three.  You are getting a quick short blog.  I do these often and don't write about it, but feel compelled to let you know that this happens if you don't know.

Here's the spread.  Yeah, that is it.  They put the right stuff on there.  I'm back in my hotel room, but wow.  I'm sad.  I couldn't finish that much salt.  The tortillas were not too good.  I'm excited.  Tomorrow I'm going out with the great Fo!  Fo and I are hitting a place that I'm told is fantastic and legendary.  Here's the thing, tacos are everywhere.  Search them out.  I do.  I'll let you know where to go.  Thanks for reading!

Stay Excellent!!!!!!!!!!!!

El Rinconcito Del Sabor, Sterling, VA

If you are in the mid-Atlantic and looking for a place that is playing loud Spanish love songs, I have found the place.  Wow, this place was interesting.  With cafeteria style seating.

Yeah, here is your spot.  They feature Newman's Own salad dressing?  No, they do, it just didn't really fit.  It was strange.  I will say that the glares, eye rolling and extreme hatred for folks who are not Hispanic was obvious.  The food, was not bad.  My company was great.  I got to go with Matt and Jeffrey.  Jeffrey and I worked all day, Matt was enjoying a day off and we decided to do some Tacoteering.

Blurry, right?  Yeah, I do apologize, I was trying to get a quick action shot, and I did.  Nailed it!  We each ordered the same thing, they got Coke's I stuck with nothing to drink.  I was not intrigued by the beverage selection and was so uncomfortable ordering with the weird look on her face when she found out that I could order in Spanish.  Even the bathroom mirror was strange.  It was so low.

How's that for a selfie?  It made me feel like a giant.  Our ride there was great.  Matt was making jokes that I'm too tall and that he would have to open the sunroof of his car for me to fit.  I got a great picture of his profile while driving.

We had a great time just the three of us catching up for a few minutes.  Matt's beard looks great in this photo.  I miss it already.  I was so excited to see one of the New Jersey Rubber Ducky's on Matt's dashboard.

They became a special part of our New Jersey opening team.  I still have a number of them and have one from my trip this last week to bring home.  They became our little friend's.  The hotel had a ton of them and they would just show up in our rooms.  When they didn't, we would go and get them.

The menu really wasn't bad.  Pretty neat stuff, not overdoing it, but decent options.  I was happy to see some nice stuff on there.  Everyone eating in there seemed pretty happy.  I can tell you, the food was not too shabby, the people, well, that was a different story.  The people working there were rough.  The people eating there were great.  The kitchen there was small and efficient.  I was happy to see them utilizing the space well and not trying to be too big, because that would cause them to lose identity.

You see the whole kitchen right there.  Pretty darn neat if you ask me.  Food came out quickly.  Lets get to it.
RANKINGS:
POLLO: 3, this was pretty basic.  Not bad, but nothing to write home about.  It was good, not amazing.  Seasoning was good and I was happy, many places overcook chicken, it makes it tough and that bothers me.
ASADA: 3, again, pretty textbook.  Nothing that made me excited, but nothing that was bed.  It was slightly on the tough side, but the seasoning was solid.
LENGUA: 3, this was probably the best that we ate there.  It was good, really interesting seasoning, but nothing that got me excited enough for a 4.  Paprika was prevalent on this bad boy.  I did like it and next time, if there happens to be one will order three lengua tacos.
PUPUSA: 3, again, nothing amazing, but good.  This almost tasted not handmade, but it was.  It was perfectly round, which I've never seen.  They were a good size.  Nice and big, cheese was good, I did like it.

Not a bad looking spread.  The tacos were pretty big, which they should be for $2.59 a piece!  Yeah, that is even on the "combo" plate that I ordered.

This place echos what I always say, it is not what or where you are eating, but who you are eating with.  I'm really fortunate that it was with two awesome, great guys that I get to work with.  I'm really glad that I got one hour to spend with these two guys.  I really enjoy getting to build the relationships that I do.  They are excellent operators and are helping us grow the business, if we get to eat some tacos along the way, we are even more lucky, so today, we were even more lucky!  Huge thanks to Jeffrey and Matt for joining me tonight here in VA.

Thank you to everyone for reading and telling your friends.  This has been a really great month so far for the blog and last month, our one year anniversary was pretty righteous in itself, so thank you!

Today's gratuitous, goodbye photo is of hot sauce.  They were so mean and saying so many mean things, it may have made it to the car to be enjoyed later on something.  Just so you know, as I'm sure you do, I love hot sauce, and this is one of the ones I really do love and enjoy.

Stay Excellent!