¡AY CARAMBA!
Mexican Food in London Mostly Tastes Like Sewage.
This we know because we grabbed a Mexican who we found doing capoeira in a park with a bunch of Brazilians and dragged her around three of what purported to be London’s best Mexican takeaway joints. Turns out that if they were trying to peddle their burritos back home, they’d be hounded out quicker than the spring break kids being chased out of Tijuana by the warring Sinaloa and Gulf drug gangs. read on>
Posted by Cabeza De Taco |
Jul 9, 2008
· Filed under Album reviews, Music
You gotta appreciate Beck…always evolving- never making the same record twice, but still always sounding like BECK- that skinny, white, creative, versitile, funky, soulful, scuffed-up goodness. its a defining voice in my generation
He had an amazing run of creativity with Odelay > Mutations > Midnite Vultures > Sea Change…Alas, the next 2 records just couldn’t live up to his Golden Age - though they had their moments…Modern Guilt hits a similar bittersweet mark…and after 2 listens…I like it, but dont love it.
Chappy sent me the album over email- prefacing with a comment that “Beck had phoned-it-in on this one”…not sure i totally agree.
i can dig that 60’s psychedelic vibe…DangerMouse produced. not a huge fan of him. title track is cool. The best songs on here are the real band tracks/ Chemtrails, Soul of a Man (listen below)
I must say DM’s samples are lacking melody and life in their grooves - as opposed to earlier beck albums- Dust Bros. era- those managed to retain that raw, live-band feel even with shit loads of samples thrown in.
Listen to “Soul of a Man” from Modern Guilt
its got 3-4 good songs on it, but overall its lacking that spark that we know beck’s capable of Rating:
El Paso’s “rolled taco” stallwarts Chico’s Tacos is suing Austin’s own Chuco’s for swiping their name (close-anyway) and their signature dish- which is basically taquitos drowned in broth and smother’d in cheese. I admit i’ve never been to El Paso, but Chuco’s version was a soggy disaster- not impressed.
and the citizens-against-frivolous-lawsuits weigh in:
“If Chico’s wants to sue, then the German guy who came up with the hamburger and the Italian guy who came up with the pizza should also sue,”Read the article here >
BREAKING NEWS: They must’ve sent the goons in to intimidate these newcomers, cuz they alreayd changed their name- its now called “10th Street Tacos“…I like that better anyway.
Taco Taco Cafe
145 E. Hildebrand - San Antonio, Texas 78212 | (210) 822.9533
Perhaps by now you’ve heard of the taco phenomenon that is Taco Taco Café, a modest little taco shack out in San Antonio that has garnered nationwide attention and acclaim. Bon Appétit, in a Best American Restaurants series, crowned the Mexican mainstay as having the “Best Breakfast Taco in America”; Food Network concurred, awarding the Café “Best Tacos in America” (beating out Atlanta’s Taqueria Del Soland South Beach Bar & Grill in Ocean Beach, CA);
Even Details magazine has thrown in their two centavos, designating the morning fare “Best Breakfast in America.”
Now, clearly Mexican food in general is the best type of breakfast food. Look at the citywide incredulity and panic generated by the infamous freeze of 2006, when you couldn’t get a breakfast taco. In Austin, Hell had officially frozen. So, Details saying that Taco Taco has the “Best Breakfast in America” isn’t rocking the boat too much. However, two major epicurean experts declare that Taco Taco Café has the “Best Taco in America”?? (breakfast and otherwise?) That’s no laughing matter. I mean, fights have been fought over much, much less, especially in the Tex-Mex Capital of the World. Thus, I decided to see for myself if the proclamations rang true. Twice, just for good measure.
Posted by Cabeza De Taco |
May 12, 2008
· Filed under Austin, Reviews, South
The first casualties of low blood sugar- Decision making and creative thinking/ you ever wait too long to take that lunch break and you end up pacing south congress like a zombie in search of any meat-based meal that’ll quench the pangs? yeah, maybe we should bring snacks to work or somethin…tacosnax…
Well, said pangs led me reluctantly to that mediocre stripmallueria they called Garibaldi’s on South Congress (just south of Ben white). BUT I was overjoyed to see that Baldi’s had been replaced by a shiny new Taqueria Chapala- IMO the best of all ATX Jalisco-style restaurants.
Chapala is sure to challenge the Tapatia family’s stranglehold on Ben White- much more class and quality (though to be fair- Tapatia has bigger portions than anyone).
At Chapala the decor is bright and simple, the service is lightning fast, the prices are dirt cheap, and the food is outstanding.
I ordered the old faithful - Combination Plate with all Beef Fajita (which i recommend to all virgin jalisco diners). I also took a chance on the barbacoa Adobado Taco - a grilled taco stuffed with juicy, spiced up bbq beef cheek meat…the best barbacoa I’ve tried in some time. (pictured at right: the Barbacoa Adobado Dinner)
Not to be outdone- Chapala’s fresh red table salsa is SO GOOD…whips Arandas ass…
Chappy got the Torta Sandwich with Beef Fajita. no complaints.
We also tried the Beef Crispy Taco (pictured below) Very fresh, hot, crispy, and tasty- if a bit greezy.
ATTENTION/ 78704-ites: I strongly suggest you temper that “Torchy’s & highlife” fad-diet with some good ol’ jalisco-style at least once a week…its good for your helf.
Taqueria Chapala 4201 S Congress Ave # 106 • Austin, TX 78745 [map] • Order TO GO 512.326.9090
Score:
Atmosphere: 6 (small, but bright and clean)
Price: 8 (hard to beat for the price)
Salsa: 7.5 (simple and tasy- the Chips suck though)
Food: 9 (first rate jalisco)
Service: 8 (all spanish/ but Fast & with a smile)
total: 77% Rating:
Posted by chappy |
Apr 24, 2008
· Filed under Abroad, Reviews
I was lucky enough to discover this 24-hr drive thru taco shop directly across from the my motel in Tempe, AZ.. after a long night of playing and a hearty helping of booze, this place might as well have been the pearly gates of taco heaven.. we ordered a whole mess of regular beef tacos - these are deep fried tacos - similar to the kind you may have tried from jack in tha box, only these suckers are made with love and cooked to perfection.. the beef is shredded and savory.. the cheese is american, grated and generously applied to said tacos.. bottom line: these are the best tacos anyone could ever want at 3 in the morning.. toeing the line between heaven and hell..this food was sinful , greasy, delicious, perfection..
[more pics after the jump] Read the rest of this entry »
Posted by el capitan |
Apr 12, 2008
· Filed under Abroad, Reviews
editors note: say hi to El Capitan! TT’s newest contributor- fresh off the boat from the exotic beaches of Costa Rica. Revel in his far-away taco knowledge…apparently, when you get this close to the equator its necessary to add another “c”to tacco…enjoy!
Welcome to the wonderful world of Taccos! These lovely ladies hopped right out of the Pacific Ocean on to my plato where I was pleased to see an array of colors calling my name. At the top a special tartar sauce with a bit of a tang to it. A medium bodied Pico de Gallo accompanied by a rich, lightly chunky guacamole. First bite of the lightly toasted tacco was mostly tortilla, as the meat was secretly hidden away in the center-a few bites later and viola there it was! Scrumptious, delicious, yum are a few words that came to mind as the guacamole, pico and tartar garnishes enveloped all the warm delectable meat inside! With my eyebrows arise, I quickly ate it all up. You will notice by seeing the menu that this filling meal was listed as a snack…
Our first meal in Costa Rica was the best. I talked about this meal for the remaining 5 days. So much so, we returned to Nibana for dinner the last night. We heard of another local eatery called Taco Stop (with the A in Taco turned upside down). Much to our dismay, after walking the dusty roads of Tamarindo, the eatery was closed. It must be the Tico nature of ‘Pura Vida’ as we heard later that they were probably on holiday! Naturally, this entitles us to another trip to Costa Rica!!!
I and I always say, the best food be made with one love and positive vibrations. Jah loves tacos. And now, 2 of his more enterprising children have created Rasta Taco. Them be a restaurant and taco cart movement in California mon, combining da rasta lifestyle with mexican food.
Chappy here be gearing up for a west coast exodus with Moving Matter this munt mon, and he be doin him some California taco research. After reading the review over at the DreadHead Times blog, him think this joint might posess the best tacos this side of Zion. Dem gots plenty of menu selections for which to lively up yourself, items such as the Pato Potato Taco and Eek-a-Mouse Quesadilla, this place be taking taco fusion to a new level mon. Hopefully dem food wont burn and loot your bowels either. and if dem belly not full, dem can even finish dem meal with a Jah-colate Chip Cookie! Respect. [Review from dreadheadtimes.com here]
Idgy Vaughn: Austin, TX
We caught her short set at Ruta Maya on Saturday and were drawn in by her delicate voice and tasty instrumentation (Austin mainstay Will Sexton accompanied her on a reverb’d out dreadnaught acoustic). Turns out her folky story-songs are autobiographical- in a nutshell: midwestern girl ends up working at a truckstop in Buda, TX; a customer finances her album after winning the lottery; instant success is marred by a bitter custody battle for her daughter that leaves her estranged from her family. Its the stuff country music is made of…KUT did a nice audio-story on her here>
Liam Finn : New Zealand We had already attempted to catch Liam, the eldest son of Neil Finn (lengendary leader of Crowded House and Split Enz) Thursday at The Ale House - but like I said 10 times this weekend, “if you’ve heard of them, the line’s too long.” Luckily, we had another chance Friday at the Paste/Stereogum Party. Armed with electric guitar, drumset, two Line-6 delay pedals, and one talented female sidekick, Finn proceeded to floor the 200 or so in attendance. Great hooky songs (instantly Finn-like) that build into layered sing-along anthems. The drumset was probably his most impressive talent - pulverizing finales over looped grooves / I suspect the album sounds very different- which makes his live act even more a MUST SEE.
From ViceLand (also check out the DOs & DON’Ts while you’re there)
You gotta appreciate Beck…always evolving- never making the same record twice, but still always sounding like BECK- that skinny, white, creative, versitile, funky, soulful, scuffed-up goodness. its a defining voice in my generation
The first casualties of low blood sugar- Decision making and creative thinking/ you ever wait too long to take that lunch break and you end up pacing south congress like a zombie in search of any meat-based meal that’ll quench the pangs? yeah, maybe we should bring snacks to work or somethin…tacosnax…
I ordered the old faithful - Combination Plate with all Beef Fajita (which i recommend to all virgin jalisco diners). I also took a chance on the barbacoa Adobado Taco - a grilled taco stuffed with juicy, spiced up bbq beef cheek meat…the best barbacoa I’ve tried in some time. (pictured at right: the Barbacoa Adobado Dinner)
I was lucky enough to discover this 24-hr drive thru taco shop directly across from the my motel in Tempe, AZ.. after a long night of playing and a hearty helping of booze, this place might as well have been the pearly gates of taco heaven.. we ordered a whole mess of regular beef tacos - these are deep fried tacos - similar to the kind you may have tried from jack in tha box, only these suckers are made with love and cooked to perfection.. the beef is shredded and savory.. the cheese is american, grated and generously applied to said tacos.. bottom line: these are the best tacos anyone could ever want at 3 in the morning.. toeing the line between heaven and hell..this food was sinful , greasy, delicious, perfection..
editors note: say hi to El Capitan! TT’s newest contributor- fresh off the boat from the exotic beaches of Costa Rica. Revel in his far-away taco knowledge…apparently, when you get this close to the equator its necessary to add another “c”to tacco…enjoy!
I and I always say, the best food be made with one love and positive vibrations. Jah loves tacos. And now, 2 of his more enterprising children have created Rasta Taco. Them be a restaurant and taco cart movement in California mon, combining da rasta lifestyle with mexican food.
