Tacos. They're one of my favorite finger foods. Growing up in a south San Diego neighborhood with a taco shop around every corner, there's no doubt I would love this amazing food. It really is simple to make - corn or flour tortilla, soft or hard shell, and then add whatever your heart desires... or whatever your taco shell can handle. Most days I go loaded with meat (mostly carnitas, carne asada, or even chicken), fresh veggies like cilantro, onion, and tomatoes, and homemade salsa, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, and beans. Other days I'll go vegetarian, or make fish tacos. I can go on for days about tacos, but the reason I'm blogging is to share my favorite taco joints in Southern California.
San Diego
Lolita's Taco Shop - known mostly for it's carne asada fries, the carne asada tacos and just as amazing and the meat isn't too chewy. This is one of the best taco shops in San Diego.
Rigoberto's Taco Shop - Carnita's tacos is the way to go. It's located near the Miramar Military Base. This place is open 24 hours so you can enjoy tacos any time you want.
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| TJ's Oyster Bar Fish Tacos |
TJ's Oyster Bar - The only thing you need to know is 99 cent fish tacos. All day, every day. I must say, for the price and quality of this hole in the wall, this is the BEST place for fish tacos.
El Cotixan - Get the rolled tacos. They're about $3 and they actually fill up the taco with meat. And the great thing is this place has several locations scattered around San Diego County
Tacos El Gordo - It's in National City, where I was born and raised. Everything is freshly made here, tortillas and all. The lines can get a bit long, but I'm telling you, it's worth the wait. And it's only abour $2 a taco!
Orange County
Baja Fish Tacos - Amazing fish tacos I tell you that. Order it Ensemada style. It's healthy and delicious. I would say the best fish tacos in Orange County.
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| Avanti Hot Tacos & Sauce |
Taco Asylum - Not your traditional tacos, but to me this place puts creativity and flavor in their creations. It's located at the Camp in Costa Mesa
Avanti Cafe - Don't be fooled or turn away that this is a vegetarian restaurant. Give it a chance. Their Avanti Hot Tacos are the BEST thing you've ever tasted. Not to mention they're gluten free, vegan, AND their homemade hot sauces really add a kick to your taste buds. They were also one of the best tacos in Orange County in 2011.
Kogi BBQ Truck - Mexican and Korean BBQ Tacos. Tell me that doesn't sound amazing. This food truck roams around OC and LA serving these savory bites. Many times I'd find the truck at night, but it makes for a great late night snack.
Los Angeles
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| Tacos El Korita |
Tacos El Korita - East LA may not be the 'Hollywood Glam' that Los Angeles is known for, but it's known for some great street grub. this Taco Truck is a must try. It's a purple truck. You really can't miss it. And you'll stay after trying their tacos!
Mexicali Tacos & Co. - Don't be fooled by the plastic chairs and the handmade signs. This is a definite hole in the wall, but even LA Weekly agrees it's one of the best TACO joints in LA.
Guisados Tacos - Almost Every Foodie in LA will tell you that Guisados has the best tacos in LA. Enough said. One look at the menu and even others eating their tacos and you wouldn't know which to try first. Good thing there's the taco sampler!
7th Street & Mateo - There's a taco stand here that operates from 5 or 6 PM until midnight or later sometimes. The al pastor tacos are amazing. Want to try authentic street tacos? Go here!
Now the big question is, which one of these taco shops will I eat at tonight?!
Long Pastas - ( e.g.: tagliatelle, spaghetti, linguini) - Long and thin pastas need plenty of lubrication, so oil based sauces (olive oil is the best) are able to coat the pastas without breaking or drowning them in liquid. Long pastas can easily be torn, so when cutting vegetables, cut in julienne or match stick style so they can easily blend with the pasta.
Thick Pastas - (e.g.: fettuccine, tagliatelle) - Since they are thicker long string pastas, they can withstand thicker sauces and ragus (bolognaise). Cubed vegetables and meats also blend well with thick pastas.
Shaped/Curly Pastas - (e.g.: fusille (twists), conchiglle (shells) - Because of the unique shapes, these pastas can go well with any kind of sauce, especially thick and lumpy/texturized sauces. The advantage of these pastas are the curves and twists, which can trap meats/vegetables and sauces, making it easier to enjoy every part of your dish in one bite!
Tube Pastas - (e.g.: macaroni, rigatoni, penne) - These pastas go well with smooth, thick or chunky sauces. The tubes will trap in a good amount of sauce for savory bites. Since tube pastas have a variety of small and large sizes, the size and shape you cut your vegetables and meats vary as well as the thickness of sauce. It's all about being creative and pairing based on sizes in this category.
