Day 181: Chili's

Warning!!!!! The Daily Taco may be a major contributing factor in acts of involuntary arson. I received an e-mail from my Aunt a few evenings ago detailing a close call she had with the TDT. After putting some soup on the stove, she decided to pass the time while it heated up by perusing The Daily Taco. She became so engrossed in the tales of my taco mischief that only the smoke alarm in her house was able to break Senor Salty's spell. She rushed to the kitchen and found her soup burning away on the stove. How long had it been since she first logged on the the TDT that faitful evening? No one may ever know, but, suffice it to say, it may be wise to set some sort of alarm before reading the blog lest you fall victim to its siren-esque song as did my Aunt. Transitioning to todays tacosl: This evenings meal was "Chili's To Go." Now when I say go, I mean really to go. As I was wandering the aisles at Safeway, I spied this boxed taco kit, and figured I would give it a shot. Supplemented with some fresh veggies, beans, and corn tortillas, these packaged fajitas actually turned out to be not half bad. I can't say the same about my attempt to duplicate the sizzling platter that usually accompanies this particular type of meal. On my scale of most smoke produced while attempting to cook something, this definitely mad the top 5.

Day 180: T-Bell

Day 179: Rico's

Instead of taking our tacos to go as usual, the E.P. and I decided to dine at our trusty go to mexican restaurant Monday evening. We arrived to find Rico's fairly crowded (David Spade was featured at Cobb's next door that evening), but had no trouble finding a table. A server quickly provided us with chips and salsa, but refused to take our food order as he was not a certified Rico's waiter (AKA he couldn't speak English). After mowing through our first basket of chips, we flagged down another server to ask for some more, and do our taco ordering. Alas, he was also not a certified Rico's order taker (although we did talk him into bringing us dos cervezas). It was now obvious that the only person taking actual food orders was the owner who was at the register servicing walk in customers who were placing to go orders. As we waited patiently for her to find a moment to take our order, the line for take out just kept getting longer and longer. The E.P. finally decided that we had waited long enough, picked up his phone, and proceded to call Rico's from inside the restaurant. Figuring we would place our order to go, and have just enough time to finish our chips and beer before our food was ready, I happily asked him to get me my usual two chicken tacos with black beans guac. Ignoring the next customer in line, the owner answered the phone and took the E.P.'s to go order as we watched from our table. Then, to my great surprise and amusement, when she said the tacos would be done in 15 minutes, the E.P. raised his hand, signaled to her, and told her to send them to our table as soon as they were ready. The slightly stunned look on the owners face turned into a smile as she recognized two of her most loyal customers. P.S. I managed to grub my tacos before taking a picture AGAIN, so here is a picture of the aftermath.

Day 178: Rico's

Day 177: Gung Hey Fat Choy

Since Saturday was the Chinese New Year celebration in SF, I figured a Chinese food taco was in order. Wrapped in a corn tortilla, a cheese and Chow Mein base topped with Mongolian beef, orange chicken, sweet and sour sauce, and jalapenos was the perfect fusion of Chinese and Mexican cuisine. Happy year of the Rat, and happy year of the Taco!

Day 176: Home

Day 175: Ocean Taqueria

Hidden on Divisadero street between Bush and Pine, Ocean Taqueria is almost entirely completely no where near the ocean. This Taco shop may take the award for longest and narrowest Taqueria in the city. I seemed like I had walked for at least a mile before I managed to get through the didning room, past the kitchen, and arrive at the counter where you order your food. As I watched my tacos being assembled, I followed along with them back the way I had come. I had almost reached the cash register when the lunch rush began, and I was forced to leap behind the counter into the kitchen area to avoid being trampled in the narrow confines of the restaurant. After navigating the incoming rush of hungry patrons, I finally made my way back to the front of the dining area. A nice vase of flowers greeted me at my chosen table, and all it took was one bite of the delicious carnitas tacos I had ordered to make me forget all about the ordering oredeal I had just experienced.