Taco de Mexico
July 11th, 2009 / No Comments » / by Tom Lundin
7th & Sante Fe
I have been going to El Taco de Mexico for 20 years! But in reality, I have been going there even longer than that. I am originally from southern California, and I went to small, family-owned Taco de Mexicos in Ventura, Camarillo, Newbury Park and Thousand Oaks! I drove by the Denver Taco de Mexico for two years before trying it, assuming it could not be the same obscure hole-in-the-wall restaurant. But it was! Same exact menu too! I have never got an answer to how this place in Denver is related, but it is the same experience. The loud chop chop chopping of asada…
As well known as El Taco de Mexico is here in Denver, every time a local paper gives them an award they fill up with first timers. If you are visiting for the first time, let me help with some simple instructions. First, do not use your condescending high school Spanish on the staff. Just order in English. Stand at the counter politely, look at the waitstaff. When they are ready, they will take your order. Second, you pay after you are done eating. Don’t get angry waving your money around. Seen both these things happen too many times to count.
The original building that housed Taco de Mexico is pictured above in this great Realist-styled painting hanging on the wall inside the current place. I couldn’t find an artist signature, but it is truly beautiful piece of art. The older building was originally a Rockybilt, a famous local hamburger stand designed to look something like a railroad caboose. Taco de Mexico opened a second Colorado location on Sheridan in Edgewater, but it only lasted a short year.
I used to eat nothing but tacos here, served open face with onions, cilantro and salsa. Asada, carnitas, lengue, pastor, buche… if you do not know what these meats are, then just stick with asada (steak) or carnitas (pork). But if you only get tacos, then you are missing out on their great green chili, so try a burrito, smothered. I have migrated to just ordering the “special” burrito. That is what the sign out front says, right? “Specials”. You can ask for salsa, and they will give you a bowl that you can then spoon on, to add extra heat and flavor.
Special Burrito
The chile rellano burrito is just as great, the breakfast plates are delicious, and they carry horchata (rice cinnamon milk), which is my drink of choice when eating spicey Mexican food. If you are somehow still hungry order some flan for desert!
