***TACO*** NIRVANA*** !!! How do I give this place 6 stars!? 10 Stars?
YOU MUST EAT THE SHRIMP TACOS HERE. DO NOT MISS THIS PLACE. EXPERIENCE THE DTA (DREAMY TACO AFTERGLOW)
(How does this place, which has been in business for 33 years, only have 9 reviews on yelp?)
I have now been eating shrimp tacos here 3-5 times/week for a month. I have eaten 6 of them just in the last 2 nights alone. I am not getting bored. I am only falling more in love. Every Wednesday, they are closed, and I am sad.
The Taco Situation Overview:
The traditional Mexican meat tacos are $15p. I would say they are slightly on the larger than average size for street tacos. And definitely very very well endowed.
The chicken, shrimp and vegetarian tacos are $40p each and quite large.
Their HANDMADE CORN TORTILLAS are OUT OF THIS WORLD. Almost never do I prefer corn over flour, especially when grilled but in this case absolutely!
(my commentary on their tortillas, after eating them regularly for a month: "I have come to the conclusion that they must just put heroin in their homemade corn tortillas. I'm no stranger to the sensory joys of a freshly patted, pressed and grilled corn tortilla. But there's something about these... from the moment I wrap my mouth around the taco, all the way until the last chewed bits disappear down my throat, all of the qualities of Memo's tortillas - flavor, texture, thickness, pliability, bite-thru-ability- blend into a supreme experience of deep, dreamy peacefulness and wellbeing. I mean the fillings are necessary and definitely add to the overall phenomenal experience, but I think it's the tortillas that create the drugged out dreamy stupor I fall into upon the first bite.")
The Taco Situation Details:
No fish, so I went with shrimp (fish tacos are my favorite food) and they are HEAVEN (yes, still, even after eating 6-10 of them per week for a month. I just call them the Heaven Tacos now.)
Tortilla carefully patted, pressed, and grilled just right. Fat shrimp chopped into bite sized bits and grilled. Grilled onion. Melty cheese (optional, I have gotten into the habit of getting it without cheese). Fresh tomato and romaine. And a squeeze of mayo. Then hit it with their amazing salsas (I tried all of them. Each super flavorful) and some fresh radish slices and cucumber/carrot/jalapeño salad on the side and... taco nirvana.
I also tried the vegetarian taco- pinto beans and cheese, lettuce, tomato mayo... not nirvana but certainly filling. (Way better than a sit down joint 3 blocks away where I got a mushroom taco for $30p that was a tiny corn tortilla with a few slices of sautéed mushrooms piled on top. That's it.)
Al pastor, I tried this since the owner recommended it as his favorite. it was well endowed with lettuce, tomato, onion, cabbage, and pinto beans. The meat was flavorful and not gristly or dry or too greasy as is often the case. So. Best al pastor I have had. And, al pastor is stil not my favorite. Same with the chorizo.
I've had shrimp or fish tacos at at least 10 other places in PV now and I am hard pressed to taco anywhere else. Ever. (If I need afternoon tacos, the fish tacos at Tacos Mar y Tiera, on the northern end of town, are reeeally good, but they close at 4pm).
The Menu Situation:
They also have burgers, fries, a meat plate, burritos, etc., drinks, dessert. See photos for exact details.
The Dessert Situation:
the Sadam Hussein plantain dessert for $45p is stellar. They say topped w condensed milk and marmalade but it's not too sweet, tastes more like yogurt.
Everything is cooked to order and so fresh. The owners are super sweet. I am already sad for the day I will be missing this food!
3 shrimp tacos (the larger ones) and a Sadam Hussein dessert = VERY full, and about $8. Such a jem!!!!
The Why Are There Menu Items Named After 1990's Action Figures? Situation:
So there are 3 items on the menu named after famous leaders. No others. Tacos Bush, Burrito Bin Laden, and Postre Sadam Hussein.
At first I didn't ask because I was so charmed by the weird mystery of it.
But then I started going 3-5x per week and eventually I wanted to know. My Spanish for asking questions is much better than my Spanish for understanding answers, so, take this as an approximation.
What I did get for sure is that when they opened in 1987, these leaders were talked about a lot. A friend suggested naming some of the dishes after them.
Tacos Bush: because they have American cheese and he is a cheesy american (medium confidence level in accuracy of this translation)
Burritos Bin Laden: because they are made with shrimp, and both shrimp and Bin Laden are hard to find (high confidence in accuracy)
Postre (dessert) Sadam Hussein: I have no idea. Lots of Spanish Spanish Spanish and signaling cutting off one's head ???
Do yourself a favor and walk the few blocks inland away from overpriced touron hell by the beach and eat HERE. read more