Taqueria El Cazador

Taqueria El Cazador is a taqueria tucked into an old bus. It is similar to the taco truck concept except one better. You can actually go into the bus and take a seat at the chairs and counter along the sides. The kitchen is tucked into the back third of the bus. You can also eat outside under the picnic table.

While I wouldn't yet claim to be a taco authority, I have worked my way through several very good taquerias on Atlanta's holy Buford Highway. Taqueria El Cazador ranks right up there with the best of them. These tacos are good and cheap.

Sticking to my usual theme of ordering the most unusual meats on the menu, I ordered three tacos: tripa (tripe which is cow stomach), lengua (cow tongue), and cabeza (beef cheek). Through experience I have learned that these unusual proteins are actually some of the most flavorful and tender parts of a cow. Also, the fact that these meats are on the menu is an excellent sign as they are very authentic Mexican. In addition to the three I ordered, they also serve al pastor and barbacoa tacos and possibly others I don't remember.

All three tacos were excellent. The tripe was crispy and a little chewy. The tongue was super tender and the best of the three. The beef cheek was also very tender but with more of a meaty flavor than the tongue and a standard, stringy meat consistency. I would recommend any and all of Taqueria El Cazador's tacos. They have a four tacos for five dollars deal which is pretty hard to beat.

We all had an orange Jarritos to wash down our food. If you have yet to try a Jarritos, don't delay. I never drink soft drinks, but I love a Jarritos every now and then. They are less sweet than American drinks. A cold Jarritos on a hot day with flavorful tacos is a great way to pass the time.

My wife ordered two chicken sopes. Sopes are a Mexican dish which originated in the Sinaloa region but has now spread to all of Mexico. Sopes consist of a fried masa (cornmeal paste used to make tortillas) bottom with meat, sauce, and toppings stacked over it. It is sort of like the tortilla at the bottom serves as the plate but you also eat your plate. They are very good. For more on sopes see my previous post on Rincon Latino. El Cazador's sope was good and worth ordering.

Finally, my mother-in-law had a quesadilla. The quesadilla was okay, but it was nothing special like the tacos and sopes. The carrots and peppers in the picture are a pickled vegetable side served with each dish.

Overall, Taqueria El Cazador is a bus worth visiting soon. The food is ridiculously cheap and very good.

Taqueria El Cazador
256-881-5400
10099 Memorial Pkwy S
Huntsville, AL 35803

Taqueria Del Sol

Taqueria Del Sol is another spot in our usual rotation. The Decatur location is directly across the street from Farm Burger, and Taqueria Del Sol is in our usual rotation for the same reason Farm Burger is: it is quick, cheap, easy, and tasty.

Taqueira Del Sol ("Taqueria") is a Mexican-American restaurant specializing in tacos but also serving enchiladas and other items. The food is not necessarily authentic Mexican but instead blends and features authentic Mexican fare combined with the California taco style, some Tex-Mex elements, a dash of Southern fusion, and plenty of style all its own.

My go-to taco is the fish taco.

The fish taco consists of egg washed, masa and bread crumbed breaded, and fried tilapia with pickled jalapenos and a poblano tartar sauce. The fish comes out perfectly with a light breading exterior despite being deep fried. While the fish tacos alone are good, they are amazing when jazzed up with some of the jalapeno coleslaw available as a side.

The fish tacos are light years better with the coleslaw. So much better that I can't believe the restaurant doesn't put them on the menu that way. Each taco costs approximately $3. That is a great deal for a taco this good.

The other regular tacos are the Memphis with "chopped smoked pork with a spicy jalapeno coleslaw and tequila BBQ sauce." The brisket consists of "shredded beef brisket with pico de gallo." I have ordered the brisket on several occasions. The amount of flavor packed into the meat is amazing. The first bite serves up a sucker punch to your taste buds. The fried chicken consists of "strips of fried chicken breast, lime jalapeno mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato." The carnita consists of "twice cooked tender pork with salsa frita, cilantro, and onions. The veggie contains "veggie jalapeno refried beans, queso blanco, and roasted tomatillo salsa." Don't be scared off by the regular mention of jalapenos. I have yet to try anything that made my mouth burn.

Taqueria also has at least one taco special every day as well as one or two other specials. On this trip there were two special tacos. The first consisted of fried shrimp with lettuce, jalapenos, and a sauce which I know was a mayonnaise based sauce and I believe was a spicy tartar sauce. While my memory is fuzzy, I do remember that it was delicious.

The second was a, I believe, slow-cooked pork taco with a salsa. I waited too long to write this review and cannot remember the exact contents. I do remember that it was messy, a little greasy, and super tasty. The meat was extremely tender and the grease and juices from its cooking combined with the tender meat and the cool salsa made an excellent combination.

Three tacos will suffice as a meal for an average person. If you are less hungry two may do. A growing boy (or girl) may want four, but that is pushing it. As mentioned above, Taqueria also serves enchiladas and other items. I have never actually made it past the tacos to order anything else off the menu, with one exception. However, dining companions and friends have assured me that the enchiladas are tasty. The one exception is when I ordered the chile poblanos. The chile poblanos are apparently only offered for a short period each year when the restaurant gets fresh chiles from out West. Of course this is just a rumor I heard. I actually have no idea why they make a brief appearance on the menu each year and then fade away. I do know that if they are on the menu you should scramle to order them. They are delicious.

In summary, the food at Taqueria Del Sol is finger-licking good. The only problem is that everyone in Atlanta, their relatives from out-of-town (including my mom who insists we go when she is in town), and the tourists from Japan all seem to know how good it is. There is always a line at Taqueria Del Sol. While the long line could at first scare you, don't let it. The line always moves fast. While the seeming lack of open tables could scare you, don't let it. By the time you have ordered a table will have opened up. I have no idea how the staff works their magic but the line, the kitchen, and the tables all work in near perfect harmony.

Wait in line and you will approach the register and place your order. If it is a hot day, order a Sol or a Corona to wash those tacos down. There is nothing better than fresh, delicious tacos and cold beer on a hot afternoon. Or, while I prefer the beer, the margaritas (on the rocks or frozen) are also excellent and refreshing.

Taqueria also has a nice bar area where you can sit and eat even if you don't order drinks.

The bar is sometimes a great way to skip the line if seats are open. Or if the bar is full there is usually a wait list for the bar that may still be faster than the line.

Usually we head out to the outdoor seating area. It is actually a covered area with plastic walls that are taken up in good weather and let down in cold or wet weather.

On those hot afternoons with the tacos and beer this is the place to sit.

Taqueria Del Sol serves up amazingly delicious food in a fun, relaxed atmosphere with good service and decent prices. I highly recommend it. Its only downside is the ever-present line. While I bemoan the long line and sometimes skip Taqueria for Farm Burger or another restaurant when the line is exceptionally long, I still find myself back at Taqueria on a regular basis. If you want delicous tacos you should too.

Taqueria Del Sol

359 West Ponce De Leon Ave.

Decatur, GA
404-377-7668

Taqueira Del Sol has three other locations: Cheshire Bridge, Westside, and Athens. For the address of other locations, the menu, and any other information you could desire check out http://www.taqueriadelsol.com/.

Don Pepe's Taqueria

Don Pepe's Taqueria is an excellent place for a dirt cheap and delicious meal. I had four different tacos: cabeza (beef head meat), lengua (beef tongue), barbacoa (barbecued beef with the meat usually from the head), and al pastor. Al pastor is made by taking marinated pork and putting it on a vertical spit with a pineapple at the top of the spit. As the spit slowly turns and cooks, the pineapple juices run down the pork. An enzyme in the pineapple helps to break down the protein and produces tender meat. Each taco consists of two tortillas, the meat, onion, and cilantro. I love warm corn tortillas. They have a delicious sweet, earthy taste. Fresh lime slices are provided and then squeezed over top of the tacos.

The al pastor is in the top left of the picture and the bottom right is the lengua.

All of the tacos were delicious. The al pastor was particularly delicious. We also had a lime Jarritos with our tacos. Jarritos are a popular Mexican soft drink. The lime Jarritos tastes like a slightly less carbonated and slightly less syrupy version of a Seven Up. The fact that it is less syrupy and sweet makes it much better in my opinion and makes it an excellent accompaniment to the spicy and salty tacos. You can see one of the lime Jarritos in the picture of the tacos below.

In the above picture you can also see the free side of pickled jalapenos, carrots, and onions that come with any order. The carrots and onions were delicious, but the jalapenos were fiery hot. I can handle hot foods. I eat hot sauce on practically everything except dessert, and I order the fresh sliced jalapenos on my banh mi. But Don Pepe's jalapenos were too hot for me to handle.

My wife ordered a taco combo which consisted of two tacos, beans, and rice. She said that the beans were not the best she ever had, but she thoroughly enjoyed her meal. A friend accompanying us who also ordered the combo enjoyed her meal as well. Three out of three approving indicates this is a great spot. The combo meal is pictured below. The taco on the left is the al pastor and the taco on the right is pollo (chicken).

Each taco costs $.99. That is my kind of price. The lengua tacos are a whooping $1.50. That extra $.51 really breaks the bank!

The staff at Don Pepe's speaks a sufficient level of English to make ordering easy or manageable. Once again we were the only non-Hispanics in the restaurant and the only people speaking English. That is a sure sign of good, authentic food.

While Don Pepe's food is excellent, the price is just right, and the food is super fast, this is no fine dining establishment. It is essentially the Mexican version of fast food. The place even has a drive-through window. Orders are placed at the counter and you have to pick up your own food and throw away your trash. The tables have small stools to sit at. The door to the restaurant is a sliding glass door which was a first for me. The restaurant is situated in the middle of a strip mall parking lot.

But you don't go to Don Pepe's for the fine dining experience. You go to Don Pepe's for dirt cheap tacos served fast. You should go to Don Pepe's Taqueria. It is worth the fortune you will spend on tacos.

Don Pepe's Taqueria
5215 Buford Highway
Atlanta, GA 30340