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Editor’s note: Today, we look back at Week 5 of 365 Days of Tacos, in which food writer and restaurant critic Mike Sutter reports on a different taquería, restaurant or truck every day on our subscriber site, ExpressNews.com/Tacos .
Taco of the Week
Beef fajita, Mendez Cafe. I get leery when a taquería waitress steers me toward güero-friendly beef fajitas. What I hear is Jack Nicholson in “A Few Good Men”: “You want guisado? You can’t handle guisado!” But hey, the beef fajita taco here is good stuff, cooked to order with skirt steak’s signature fat-and-lean bubblegum chew, even better with guacamole on a fluffy handmade flour tortilla.
The week in tacos, Jan. 29-Feb. 4
Taquería Tequila Jalisco: They hit all the Jalisco-style menu marks: tacos, tortas, gorditas, pork chops, breakfast plates, the works. But the conversation for me begins and ends with al pastor cut from a true vertical rotisserie trompo. Best taco: Al pastor. 5460 W. Military Drive, 210-371-3021, no web presence
Yorky’s Taco House: This building by Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland started life as a Dairy Queen, then became Brenda’s Burgers before she sold the place — drive-through and all — to Pedro and Griselda Guerra in 2006. Best taco: Three breakfast tacos for $2.99. 5418 W. Military Drive, 210-670-9061, no web presence
Mendez Cafe: No chips and sauce, no credit cards, no free anything. Mendez Cafe is good enough to be as autocratic as a Yakov Smirnov joke: “At Mendez, you don’t tell restaurant what you want — restaurant tells YOU!” Best taco: Beef fajita. 201 Bartholomew Ave., 210-923-6603, no web presence
Taquería Anahuac: Named for the city in Nuevo León, Anahuac’s a rainbow of classic tacos, tortas and great salsa, started six years ago by Martha Velasquez. Best taco: Carne deshebrada. 3735 S.W. Military Drive, 210-921-0774, Facebook: Taquería Anahuac
Zócalo: It opened downtown in November with the franchise-ready flair of a Chipotle, but Zócalo’s a locally owned, stand-alone shop with an assembly line of tacos, tortas, burritos, bowls and salads. Best taco: Mahi mahi. 175 E. Houston St., Suite 115, 210-314-8468, zocalomio.com
Taquería Potrillo: At this family-run place, it’s hard to beat a Jalisco-style grilled steak with nopales, fresh tortillas and beans with chicharrónes. Best taco: Carne asada. 7135 Somerset Road, 210-923-8823, Facebook: Tacqueria Potrillo
El Molcajete Mexican Restaurant: There’s a tortilla observatory in this sprawling strip-mall taquería. It’s nothing fancy, but at least you can see right up front what you’re getting into. Best taco: Charro beans and crispy chicharrónes in salsa ranchera. 4404 Walzem Road, 210-650-0600, Facebook: El Molcajete
Week 4 winner: Tacos Y Burritos Metro Basilica 2
Week 3 winner: El Buen Gusto Mexican Cafe
Week 2 winner: Taco Haven
Week 1 winner: Ray’s Drive Inn
msutter@express-news.net
Twitter: @fedmanwalking
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