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La Taqueria

Tuesday, November 27, 2007

My old apartment was a stone's throw away from La Taqueria, and I would often use it as a landmark when giving people directions. However it was a couple of months before I finally ventured in, since it seemed pointless to eat out two doors down from my fridge full of free food. After my first time there I realized I had found a real gem, and it has become my friends' definitive meetup place on the Slope.

The business has two halves: a sit down restaurant and a take out burrito bar. While the take out food is the same you will get in the restaurant, I recommend you grab a table for the full effect. The interior has a distinctive design, featuring bright colors, multiple levels, and large murals. The place is by no means spacious, but it can a fair share of people and I've never had too much trouble getting a table.

La Taqueria serves authentic Mexican food, which is a world apart from the Tex-Mex fare of the nearby Santa Fe Grill. You'll find the standard array of tacos and fajitas along with whole chickens and baby back ribs. But for me it's all about the burritos, which I often exclaim are "as big as my head!" Size isn't all that matters though, and the wide range of fillings and flavors (including many vegetarian options) are sure to please.

Images courtesy of gothamist.com

Their signature dish (at least among my friends) is the Chicken Mole Enchilada Platter. I'm not crazy about chocolate, but my cocoa-loving friends insist that the mole sauce is out of this world. It's a flavor that you just won't find at Taco Bell, and La Taqueria does it like no ones else. (I don't see this item on their online menu, I hope it's still there!)

My final recommendation is the table side guacamole. A mix of fresh ingredients are combined right in front of you and ground smooth with a mortar and pestal. You can choose your own level of spiciness, and I recommend adding in at least a little kick. It is served with fresh tortillas, which are useful for scraping out every last drop from the bowl.

My only complaint about the restaurant is that the service is a little on the slow side. One time I had to aggressively flag down my server, who was spacing out in the back of the restaurant.

La Taqueria serves quality Mexican food, has a great atmosphere, and at prices easy to afford.

La Taqueria Website

Labels: restarant review

11/27/2007 08:24:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Comments

Terribly shitty service. First time there I was insulted by owners because of my lack of knowledge of authentic Mexican cuisine - I did not grow up near Mexicans and not even from the US. They have a severe attitude towards people who think TexMex is Mexican food - they even publish their "10 commandments" about what Mexican food IS NOT. I enjoyed the food and wanted to give the place a second chance. I visited with my wife and son. They made me wait in line to pay for food before we could sit (ok I guess that's their policy) but they complained when my 2 year old started to make a fuss and ended up letting us find a table and get comfortable before we ordered. This time owner seemed very stressed out (what the hell is she doing in the restaurant business) - they declined a polite request to provide hot water so that I could make some hot cereal I brought along for my little boy (he didn't want to eat the food we ordered). It was the first time ever that such a request was denied - she was RUDE and told me that that the microwave was being used for preparing food. THEY WILL NEVER SEE ANOTHER PENNY FROM ME EVER EVER AGAIN - ROTTEN PEOPLE WITH AN ATTITUDE IS WHAT THEY ARE.: From Katumba, September 28, 2008 9:05 PM