Old Town Mexican Cafe

Old Town Mexican Cafe
2489 San Diego Ave
San Diego
619-297-4330

The third and final stop of my, Veterans Day tour of San Diego. Broken Yolk, and Kansas City Barbeque were the first two restaurants that I revisited. Ok, Old Town Mexican Cafe, is a tourist trap. All of Old Town is a tourist trap. But, a good friend, who has lived in San Diego for over 30 years, took me to Old Town Mexican Cafe about five years ago and I enjoyed it.

Old Town Mexican Cafe is known for their handmade tortillas! I made sure to take a picture of the ladies hard at work in the window making the tortillas.

I got a carnitas taco-$3.95 and fish taco-$4.95.

The carnitas taco was huge. The tortilla is thicker than other tortillas but, you can tell they are freshly made. The tortilla was firm and chewy, which I like and held up to all the meat and veggies. They are also made with lard, which just improves the taste, texture and flavor. Ok, so it isn't healthy. The carnitas were dry and kind of bland. I kept thinking they need to add some seasoning to this. It was a good sized portion, making the fairly high price tag, easier to swallow. But, the lack of flavor, quickly makes this an overpriced taco.

The fish taco is made with pollock. The fish was fried perfectly, a light crispy outside, a good amount of fish and not that thick of batter. The white sauce was very cool and refreshing. The cabbage and tomatoes were fresh. Not the best fish taco I've had, and among the highest I've ever paid for a fish taco, but a fairly decent value, considering the size of the fish and freshness of the toppings.

Service was very good. The server is well trained, he knew exactly what kind of fish is used, was friendly, and came to the table about 20 times, making sure everything was ok.

I know San Diego has to have some better Mexican restaurants, than Old Town Mexican Cafe, but if you're caught in the tourist trap, Old Town, it's not a bad place to try. Since I've already been there twice, I don't need to go back. But, I am looking forward to finding the best fish tacos in San Diego!!

Senor Baja-Closed

Senor Baja
3908 Grand Ave
Unit A
Chino
909-902-5110

A few years ago, I reviewed a restaurant, Senor Baja/El Taco Nazo, that had undergone a name change. To show how quickly things can change, the building that held the Senor Baja/El Taco Nazo I reviewed, has been demolished and is currently a parking lot for a Fresh & Easy Market.

I found out that the owners El Taco Nazo/Senor Fish had a dispute. So, to settle this dispute, one side kept the El Taco Nazo name and the other side opened up Senor Baja.

So I decided to try both and see who had the best fish tacos!! I first went to El Taco Nazo, then tried the Senor Baja in Chino!!

Unlike the El Taco Nazo, Senor Baja does have fish tacos for 99 cents on Wednesday. The fish tacos are regularly $1.59. I asked the cashier what type of fish they use and he told me mahi mahi. But, the fish here was just too greasy. It was clear the oil they used to fry the fish, wasn't hot enough and just soaked up all the oil. The fish wasn't mahi mahi, I figure the fish they use is either pollock or basa. It may have been good, but the oil soaked through the batter and into the fish.

The cabbage and tomatoes were fresh and the white sauce good.

Service here was good. While the guy did give me wrong information, he was nice and friendly.

So, who was better? El Taco Nazo or Senor Baja; I'll call it a mediocre tie!! Neither was great or even good. Honestly, I would only go to Tacos Baja in East LA, for fish tacos.

El Taco Nazo

El Taco Nazo
1267 N Grand Ave
Walnut
909-595-0555

A few years ago, I reviewed a restaurant, Senor Baja/El Taco Nazo, that had undergone a name change. To show how quickly things can change, the building that held the El Taco Nazo/Senor Baja I reviewed, has been demolished and is currently a parking lot for a Fresh & Easy Market.

I found out that the owners, who are cousins, of El Taco Nazo/Senor Baja had a dispute. Over what, I don't know. Anyways, to settle this dispute, one side kept the El Taco Nazo name and the other side opened up Senor Baja.

So I decided to try both and see who had the best fish tacos!!

I went to El Taco Nazo across the street from Mt. Sac and then drove to the Senor Baja in Chino.

I thought El Taco Nazo had fish tacos for 99 cents on Wednesday, but they do not. So I paid $1.89 for two fish tacos. The fish they use is pollock and from the pictures, these tacos look huge. But pictures are deceiving. The fish has so much batter covering it, it wasn't even funny. The batter was crunchy and crispy, which is nice. But, there wasn't enough fish between the batter. The small amount of fish was tender and flaky.

The cabbage was fresh and the white sauce was mild and light.

These were cooked to order and came out hot. Not worth the $1.89 price because there isn't a lot of fish.

What wasn't hot was the service. I walked up to the cashier and wasn't greeted. Why is it so hard for people in customer service, to provide customer service. Customer service includes greeting people!!! A simple hi, can go a long way. Anyways, she wasn't the most friendly person, answering questions in a matter of fact way.

I wouldn't go back to El Taco Nazo again. The fish taco, while nicely fried, doesn't have enough fish, and the service isn't good at all.

Tijuana's Tacos

Tijuana's Tacos
485 W Holt Ave
Ste A
Pomona
(909) 469-4730

I knew there had to be some good tacos places in Pomona. A quick search online, led me to Tijuana's Tacos on Holt Blvd. It's a bit tough to find, because a huge tree blocks the building. But, it's well worth your time to find it, because Tijuana's Tacos has some great tacos.




All tacos are $1.35, I got asada, carnitas, and el pastor. The tacos come with cilantro, onions, and guacamole, which I asked for it on the side. When my tacos arrived, I was very pleased with the huge amount of meats on the tacos. They are well worth the price!!

In the first picture: asada taco is on the left and the el pastor taco is on the right.

Second picture: carnitas taco on the left and asada taco on the right.

The asada was my least favorite, because it had too much fat and gristle. The little lean meat was ok, decent flavor, but I've had better.

The carnitas was a bit dry, but overall I liked it. Well seasoned and nice flavor. I think this could be a very good example of carnitas, so I'll come back again soon and give it another try.

The el pastor was awesome!!! The el pastor is broiled in a vertical broiler and cooked to perfection. Tender, flavorful, well seasoned, and just awesome.

Service was very good. The lady who took my order was very nice and helpful. When I asked what meat was cooking in the vertical broiler, she said the el pastor and then gave me a sample to try. I didn't ask for it, but she was nice enough to let me try it.

I'm glad I don't have to go very far to get good tacos. I'll come back to Tijuana's Tacos, anytime.

Taco Treat

Taco Treat
74 E Live Oak Ave
Arcadia
626-445-9240

I dropped in at Taco Lita for the first time in over six months. While I was eating, another group of people talked about Taco Treat, and they mentioned it wasn't that far away. A quick check of my GPS and it was about a mile or so away.

So I decided to give Taco Treat a try. Taco Treat has more items than Taco Lita; tostadas and fried burritos, but I wanted to see how their tacos stacked up to Taco Lita.





Beef taco, $2.00. The taco had lettuce, cheddar and jack cheese, and onions. The first thing I noticed about these tacos, was the shell just crumbled after my first bite. Then I noticed the dry, bland meat. At Taco Lita, you can taste the cheese, because they put a lot of cheese. At Taco Treat, you barely notice the cheese.

Not only is Taco Lita 25 cents cheaper, but it is a better taco.





When I was ordering, the guy asked me if this was my first time at Taco Treat. I told him yes. He said would I like to try their fried bean and cheese burrito, for free to first time customers. I said sure why not. I didn't take pictures until after ordering food, so there is no way he could have thought I was doing a review. So, I assume they offer a free fried burrito to all first time customers. The fried burrito is $3.50 on the menu.

A fried burrito is a chimichanga, but I guess calling it a fried burrito gives it character? Anyways I did like the light flakey outside, but there wasn't a lot of bean and cheese inside. It was mostly the tortilla. The small amount of bean and chese was pretty bland. The fried burrito was great, being that it was free, but I wouldn't order this again.

Service is very good. The guy who took my order was nice and friendly. But, I noticed the lady who made my tacos, never put the cell phone down, talking the entire time I was there, and while she was making the tacos.

Of the two Americanized taco stands in Arcadia, Taco Lita and Taco Treat. It's clear to me that Taco Lita is so much better than Taco Treat.

Tacos Baja-Closed

Tacos Baja
853 E Rte 66
Glendora
626-914-6160

If this address sounds familiar, it should; this used to be the location for Bam Bam BBQ, a terrible BBQ place that closed down. Lucky a very good fish tacos restaurant, Tacos Baja, has replaced it. I already reviewed the Tacos Baja in East LA, and loved their fish tacos. When I found out Tacos Baja opened a location Glendora and has a 99 cent fish taco night, on Wednesday, I couldn't wait to go.




Fish tacos, 99 cents on Wednesday, regular price; $1.59. The fish used is basa fish, sometimes called white roughy. It's a light, mild flavor fish. The batter is nice and light and crispy. The white sauce, pico de gallo, cabbage, and hot sauce was all fresh and worked well together. The corn tortilla was heated, I can't believe some places do not heat their tortillas, and held everything together.

Service is below average. The lady was just going through motions. No idea the meaning of customer service; no greeting the customers, not being polite or friendly.

I didn't notice any different between the tacos here in Glendora or East LA. The service is much better in East LA. But I would go back to Glendora, since it is closer to me. But, I hope I get much better service.

Tortas Mexico-Closed

Tortas Mexico 6231 Foothill Blvd Tujunga 818-249-5163 As with Sunland, Tujunga is not a "city" but a community that is part of the city of Los Angeles. I read some good things about Tortas Mexico and decided to give them a try. Huge mistake. This is the two mini taco combination, $5.80, with fish and carne asada tacos, with rice and beans. When I ordered the fish taco, I was expecting the Baja style fish taco, deep fried. But this was grilled talapia. It was ok but not was I was expecting. The carne asada taco was so salty, I couldn't get over the saltiness of the taco. The actual meat was pretty tender but the only flavor I got was the salt. There was a good amount of carne asada but the regular price is $1.45, which is higher than many other taco places that have better tacos. I normally don't eat the beans but I really liked the beans here. Full of flavor, tender, very moist, not dry at all. Service was good, but bad. The good, the lady who took my order was nice and friendly. But what wasn't good, was the their pricing. Taped to the counter is their lunch special which includes the two tacos for $5 but 60 cents extra for fish or shrimp. My total came to $5.80 before tax. So the actual break down is $5.50 for the two taco special and 30 cents for the fish. I really wish restaurants would honor their posted prices!! My food trip to Corsica in Sunland and Tujunga were a complete waste of time. I feel bad for the people who live in these two commmunities, who have to drive a good distance for good food.

El Taco Rico

El Taco Rico
12017 Firestone Blvd
Norwalk
562-863-0974

I must have passed the city of Norwalk, hundreds of times but I never eaten at any restaurant in Norwalk. So I did some searching and found El Taco Rico. I wanted some good tacos and they had some good reviews.



I got the carnitas taco and carne asada taco, $1.37 each.

The carnitas taco, which is on the top of the picture, was very good. I like the flavor and the seasoning of the carnitas. The carnitas was all meat, very little fat or gristle. The red sauce and onions were fresh and tortilla were toasted served hot.

The carne asada taco was also very good. Again very little fat or gristle. Full of flavor. They put a lot of meat on the tacos and is well worth the $1.37 price.

Service was very good. The guy taking the order was nice and helpful. He answered all my questions. I did think it took a bit long for my order to come out, but it wasn't too long and something I can overlook.

I would go back to El Taco Rico, if I was in the area. I really wanted to try their barbacoa, but they were out of it. Maybe next time.

Tacos La Bufadora

Tacos La Bufadora
16020 Arrow Hwy
Irwindale
626-962-0910

Going with my theme of trying restaurants in new cities, I went to Irwindale. The infamous Irwindale, that gave Jerk, Al Davis, $10 million, to listen to their proposal about building the LA Raiders a football stadium in their city. The jerk took the $10 million and never looked back.

I did a search and Tacos La Bufadora, sounded good, especially when I heard about ther 99 cent fish taco, Wednesday. While doing the search, I was reminded of Picasso's Cafe, also in Irwindale, and I may pay a visit, soon.




So I get two fish tacos, regular price is $1.49 but on Wednesday and Sunday they are 99 cents. The fish tacos I got came quickly, but must have been fried quickly, because there were still crunchy and hot. The pieces of fish were big but had so much batter and not enough fish. I bet the ratio was 60/40, batter to fish. Not a good rato, even at 99 cents. I'm pretty sure the fish, what little there was, was pollock.

The corn tortillas were so hot, just off the grill. The fresh cabbage, cilantro, and white sauce were fine. I like the coolness of the sauce with the hot fish.

Service was good. But I said I would eat the fish tacos, there but they started packing up the tacos, to go. I can't believe how many restaurants screw that up. It is a waste of money and materials for that restaurant. I understand mistakes happen but when mistakes cost the restaurant more money, then it becomes an issue, because in the end the customers will pay for it.

The fish tacos were ok but not worth the drive to Irwindale. I wouldn't go back, even if I'm in the area.

Tlaquepaque Restaurant

Tlaquepaque Restaurant
101 W Santa Fe Ave
Placentia
714-528-0110
The last restaurant I ate at in Placentia, was atTaqueria De Anda. When I heard about Tlaquepaque Restaurant, have a 99 cents Taco Tuesday, I decided to see how Tlaquepaque compares to Taqueria De Anda.

I guess Tlaquepaque had been in Placentia for a long time but closed down about four years ago, but recently reopened.



I got the chicken and carnitas tacos. Tacos are filled with meat, cilantro, and onions.

Chicken taco: The chicken was a bit dry and you had to search for the chicken. There wasn't much flavor to the chicken either. They need to add some seasonings and spices!!

The carnitas was very good. Nice flavor, very tender, moist, exactly opposite of the chicken.



Carne asada and el pastor tacos. Again the tacos were topped with cilantro and onions.

Carne asada taco: Lots of carne asada, that was moist, tender, and flavorful. A good example of what carne asada should taste like.

El pastor taco: Not as impressed with the el pastor. Flavorful? Yes. Tender? Yes. But lots and lots of gristle and fat. If they used a better cut of pork, this could have been good.

Service was fast and friendly!! I was greeted as I walked into the restaurant. Then while waiting for the tacos, every server who walked by, asked if I was being helped!!! I have been to restaurants where the hostess didn't greet me, so it was so refreshing to be asked by 3-4 different servers if I had been helped.

So, which serves the better taco in Placentia? Taqueria De Anda or Tlaquepaque? I would have to say overall, the winner is Taqueria De Anda because I've never had a bad taco there. But the carne asada and carnitas tacos are about even at both places. Tlaquepaque comes up short because of the bland chicken and fatty el pastor tacos.

But for 99 cents, you can't really lose. So I would go back to Tlaquepaque anytime. I may give the el pastor another try but I would have to really think about the chicken.

Ricky's Fish Tacos

Ricky's Fish Tacos
4006 Santa Monica Blvd
Los Angeles
http://twitter.com/RickysFishTacos

There are taco stands all over LA, matter of fact, there used to be a blog that reviewed taco stands. Not sure if that blog is still around. But I found out about Ricky's fish tacos and decided to give them a try.

Ricky's usually sets up on weekends, any time from 1-5pm. Check their twitter account for the most up to date information. This address is a wireless phone store in the Silverlake area of LA.

This is an Ensenada Style fish taco stand. They serve only fish, $2.50, and shrimp, $3, tacos. The tacos are fried to order.

The first taco pictured is the fish taco, with fresh cabbage, salsa and that white sauce. The fish is covered in a light batter, pretty crispy. The cabbage and salsa are fresh. The tortilla is a store bought tortilla.

The shrimp taco was also covered with the same batter. Good sized pieces of shrimp. Again fresh toppings.

Service was good. If you're worried about the cleanliness of the tacos, Ricky is the only person who touches the food. He has two other guys who handle the money. Speaking of money, this is a cash only taco stand.

There was nothing great about either taco. They weren't bad. But they were the best I've ever had either. When I went there wasn't a long line but I've heard people have waited in line for 30 minutes or longer. I don't think these tacos are worth the 30 minute wait.

El Rey

El Rey
4547 Riverside Drive
Chino
909-590-0129

A friend told me that El Rey has the best tacos and burritos in Chino. She was bragging about how great and cheap everything is at El Rey. So I decided to see for myself. Now I compare all tacos places to Taqueria De Anda because they have great tacos at great prices.

Well first thing I noticed was El Rey's tacos were $2.09. A bit pricey I thought. Ok I haven't been to Taqueria De Anda in over three years and I understand prices have gone up everywhere. But tacos for $2.09? And these tacos weren't that good. The tacos just come with meat, there is a large table of salsa and a few other veggies to top your tacos.

I got the chicken and carnitas tacos. The chicken was very interesting because the were onions and peppers in the chicken, like a fajita. But the chicken was dry, lacked flavor and just not good.

The carnitas tacos was the same; bland and flavorless.

I got a carne asada burrito, $5.99, with beans, rice, clinatro, and a good amount of tough, chewy, carne asada. The carne asada was so tough and chewy, it might as well have been beef jerky. It may have been good when it first came off the grill but it had been sitting on the steam tray for way too long. This burrito was just OK, nothing great and pricey!!

Service was OK. The girl was pretty nice when I got there and looked a the menu. But when I took my order she was a bit standoffish and really a bitch. But then when I was waiting for my food, I asked the cook what meats were on the steam table and he called that young woman over. When I asked what meats were what, she was nice and friendly.

I would not go back to El Rey again. The food is below average and a bit pricey. Give me Taqueria De Anda anytime!!

Molcasalsa

Molcasalsa
115 Imperial Hwy
Fullerton
714-870-8936

After having dinner at Mad Wolf Mongolian BBQ a few years back, I passed by this Molcasalsa and always meant to stop in. But until last night's, late night hunger got to me, I still hadn't tried it. I naturally assumed this Molcasalsa was part of a chain like the Molcasalsa in La Habra. But the person working there told me they have nothing to do with the Molcasalsa in La Habra. Oh well who cares anyways, let's talk about the food here.

I ordered the flying saucer tostada, $3.60 and Carne Asada taco, $2.50.

The flying saucer tostada is basically a huge tostada willed with beans and every vegetable known to man. I mean there was lettuce, tons of onions, bell peppers, tomatoes and cheese. It should have shredded beef too. But there was no meat and because there is no meat, I think the $3.60 price is too high. Well at least I didn't see or taste any meat. Maybe they forgot it? The tostada shell was light and crispy but it needs to be eaten right away, it doesn't hold up well and gets real soggy.

The carne asada taco was very good, though they could cut down on the gucamole. The carne asada was tender and very well seasoned. A soft corn tortilla wrapped around a very generous portion of carne asada. The gucamole was mild, didn't have an overpowering flavor, that I find in most gucamole. I would order this again.

They are opened 24 hours and I used the drive through since the dining area was closed. The service was nice, friendly and quick.

Dispite the flying saucer tostada, I would go back to Molcasalsa, I just wouldn't order the flying saucer tostada.

Don Chow Taco Truck-Closed

Don Chow Taco Truck

Much like Kogi Taco Truck, Don Chow Taco Truco is an Asian-Mexican fusion that is sweeping the tastebuds of LA. While Kogi is Korean and Mexican, Don Chow is Chinese and Mexican fusion. Don Chow seems to serve mostly the pretentious Westside but I found them in Chinatown.

I ordered the Chinese BBQ pork taco and Kung Pao Chicken taco, $2 both with a mild sauce. The first thing I noticed about the Chinese BBQ pork, was the large amount of meat in the taco. Much more than Kogi. The BBQ pork was pretty tender and flavorful. A bit different than the Chinese BBQ pork you get from Chinese restaurants with the red coloring. But still good.

The Kung Pao chicken taco, even with a mild sauce, was spicy. Again a huge amount of meat in these tacos. Flavorful though very spicy chicken and fresh onions combined with a mild sauce. The one thing about these tacos, they are HOT, right off the grill.

Since Don Chow and Kogi are two different Asian foods, comparing them to each other is like comparing apples and oranges. But Don Chow has much more meat in the tacos and I think the overall quality, price and taste is better. When I say taste, Don Chow makes a very good kung pao chicken taco. While the Korean short rib taco from Kogi is just OK.

Service is good. Plus the guy taking the money can add and isn't a clueless idiot like at Kogi. The last time I went to Kogi, the line was moving so slow because the guy taking the money couldn't add $2 + $2. What an idiot. You don't face that problem with Don Chow.

Don Chow is starting to get more popular but there still aren't the long lines that make Kogi a pain. Plus the lines move faster since the cashier has a clue. Of course if you want Korean-Mexican fusion you go to Kogi. If you want Chinese-Mexican fusion, you go to Don Chow. If you just want to try any type of Asian-Mexican fusion, go to Don Chow.

Duke's- Huntington Beach

Duke's
317 Pacific Coast Highway
Huntington Beach
714-374-6446

I did a review of Duke's in Malibu, and now I will review the happy hour at Duke's in Huntington Beach. The Duke's in HB is right next to the pier and right on the water. It is a nice location but you gotta put up with the pretenious, asshole, jerk people of Huntington Beach.

But Duke's has a great Taco Tuesday special. Mahi Mahi tacos, either grilled or fried, for $2.50. These tacos are great. A huge piece of mahi mahi, I ordered both the grilled and fried, on top of fresh cabbage, tomato, and a white sauce. The grilled mahi mahi is very fresh, flakey, nice firm texture. The fried is firm and tasty ont he inside and has a nice thick crispy batter on the outside. All the veggies are fresh. What was missing was salsa, gucamole, and sour cream for the tacos. I saw other people get them. I got my tacos in a plastic basket with no salsa or sour cream.

Service is OK. The $2.50 tacos are only served in the bar area. But the server I had wasn't around alot and the bar area was not that crowded. So I'm not sure where she was.

I would go back to Duke's for their Taco Tuesday specials. Otherwise I wouldn't be anywhere close to Duke's.

Taco Lita

Taco Lita
120 E Duarte Rd
Arcadia
626-445-2889

If you're a pretentious, jerkoff, like those from the Westside and Orange County get the hell away from my blog. The following review will piss you off. Oh wait, on second thought stay and read my review of Taco Lita.

Taco Lita is about as Mexican as a Obama is the first black President of the US. Umm Obama was born to a black father and a white mother. That makes him biracial. He is also, the person we will vote out of office in four years. What does this have to do with Taco Lita? It's about perception. Taco Lita is not an authentic taco stand. It is an Americanized taco stand. Don't expect to go to Taco Lita and get a carnitas taco.


But for what it is, Taco Lita is damn good. What is Taco Lito? An Americanized taco stand. Taco Lita is the Tito's Tacos of the San Gabriel Valley. If you're expecting authentic tacos, go to Mexico. Taco Lita used to have 15 locations throughout the San Gabriel Valley but now the only location still in business is the Arcadia location.


I ordered two tacos, $1.55 each. The tacos come with a ton of cheese, ground beef, fresh lettuce and a tomato wedge, all on a hard shell taco. The tacos are great here. The shell is crunchy. The beef is well seasoned and the veggies are so fresh. Then they pile on that cheese. Unlike Tito Tacos where you pay for cheese and they don't give you much cheese, Taco Lita puts a ton of freshly grated cheddar cheese on the tacos. I also found the taco sauce to be flavorful and added to the taste and flavor of the taco. It is not a HOT sauce, it is a taco sauce.

Service is good. The guy who took my order was a bit standoffish but the other guy behind the counter was nice, when I asked about the burritos. But the wait can be long because Taco Lito is very popular. I must have waited 10-15 minutes for my food because there were so many people in front of me in line.

Friday nights they have 5 tacos for $6.95. Wednesday nights 5 tacos are $7.50.

I would come back here anytime. I love the tacos. Much better than any taco from Taco Bell and Del Taco. Yes, they are more expensive but you get more meat, cheese, and veggies. I will try their burrito next time I come. Then take home a five pack of tacos.

Update April 26, 2009





I went back to Taco Lita to try their jumbo burrito, $6.28. Their jumbo burrito is ground beef, beans, lettuce, cheese, and tomatoes.

I asked them to cut the burrito in half. The burrito was huge, worth the price, for quanity. But I think they need to put more beef in the burrito. I tasted the beans, lettuce, cheese and tomatoes but there wasn't enough ground beef. The burrito was good, everything was fresh and tasty. Again, this isn't real Mexican food but it is solid food.

Service was good.

I would stick to the tacos at Taco Lita.