Tacos

The most recent issue of The Snail has a great article about taco trucks in California. Before I'd even finished reading it, I knew I'd be seeking some out in the next day or two. So, for a late breakfast this morning, John and I went to Bianca's on 301 in Sarasota. Although it wasn't a truck, per se, there were tacos. The cumbia was bumping through the store and the small eating area, just a couple of tables pushed together with some wooden chairs, was crammed with guys in lawn crew uniforms, quietly working away at platters or tacos or huge bowls of menudo. Bianca's had a decent list of fillings, including buche, which I learned is pork stomach. I just went for my usual standby of carnitas and al pastor. The al pastor wasn't as spicy as others I'd had, but both were still pretty good. The only shortcoming, I think, was that the tortillas were not as fresh as they should have been. Next to where I ordered and picked up my tacos was a small bar of condiments, such as radishes, cilantro, onions, salsa, salsa verde, pickled carrots, cucumbers, and probably a few other bits and pieces. With a bottle of BOING! mango juice, it wasn't a bad breakfast.

After that, we stopped at Vung Tao for a few grocery items--rice noodles and lemongrass for dinner later, maybe. Finally, not knowing when to quit, we went to Tortilleria Dona Chela. This time the tortillas were excellent, pulled right off the metal conveyor belt, before being filled with shredded beef, cilantro, and onions. The beef, unfortunately, was way too greasy. Still, the tortillas made up for it. The lesson is, go to a taco place for tacos and not a tortilla shop. Next time I make huevos motulenos, though, I know where to get the tortillas.