Taqueria El Gallo #1 [LTHForum Taqueria Project]

As part of the LTHForum Taqueria Project (Lawrence/Montrose sub-project), a few of us visited Taqueria El Gallo #1 for lunch this past Saturday. TEG#1 has been mentioned previously in a couple threads, and counts annieb and Aaron Deacon among its fans.


TEG#1 shows off a large....rooster

The printed menu and handwritten signs show a strong concentration of seafood items, but our group focused mainly on standard antojitos. Our only seafood taste was a large cocktel de camarones.


Cocktel de Camarones

The cocktail was among the highlights of the meal, sweet and tomatoey without an overpowering note of ketchup (which usually pushes me away from this dish). The shrimp themselves were noticably fresh: sweet, tender, and literally bursting with flavor.

My least favorite items were the hand-patted masa choices: the sope al pastor and the annieb-approved gordita con papas y nopales. For my tastes, the masa had a bit of a bland, muddy taste, without the fragrant corn flavor that I look for. The gordita itself was kindof a mushy mess and didn't really give much in the way of flavor either. The pork for their pastor dishes does not currently come from a cone, but they claim it will be back in service on Monday.


Sope al Pastor


Gordita con Papas y Nopales

Luckily, all of the tacos were terrific. The tortillas are factory made, but fresh and well managed enough to make a couple of us think that they might have been house-made. We had a good array of tacos, the best of which were the taco de chile relleno and the taco de chorizo. The chile was good enough to make me want to get a plate of just the chiles, and the chorizo had a good, fresh level of spice that hung around with you after a bite or two.


Taco de Chile Relleno


Tacos de Chorizo: Just try and tell me that this picture doesn't make you want these tacos right now.

We also had a taco de cabeza and the house special taco de gallo which is made with carne asada, pimiento morron, and cheese. I enjoyed the carne asada much more than the pastor, particularly because of it's crispy edges and meaty flavor.

GWiv's attempt at securing a small bowl of escabeche somehow resulted in us receiving a small (read: large) bowl of menudo (no escabeche). I sampled a fair amount of this soup and I'll classify this as "not good", although I just don't get tripe. I've tried it just about every way it's served and I don't get it. I don't like the taste, smell, or texture. This is probably the 6th or 8th time I've sampled menudo, and I think I'm done.


Menudo with beef bone

I've been to TEG#1 a few times now and it has been among my favorites for tacos on this stretch of Montrose. This was my first time sampling a seafood dish and it will not be my last. If the shrimp is even remotely representative of the rest of the seafood menu, I'll be ordering mostly mariscos next time...and a chile relleno...and a chorizo taco....and if the pastor cone comes in on Monday.....

Taqueria El Gallo #1
3532 W Montrose
773-267-1834

Best,
Michael

eatchicago wrote:I've been to TEG#1 a few times now and it has been among my favorites for tacos on this stretch of Montrose. This was my first time sampling a seafood dish and it will not be my last.

Michael,

Great first outing on the Montrose Ave section of Taqueria Project and, yes, your picture of the chorizo tacos makes me want to run right over to El Gallo. Here's one I took, chorizo sure is photogenic.

El Gallo Chorizo Taco


The shrimp cocktail was a treat and, as you said, if that's indicative of the seafood at El Gallo it will be quite good. I enjoyed the sopes more than you, and, as did you, thought the taco de chile relleno was very good. Menudo was, to my taste, not off, but not the best example I've had, and I do like menudo.

All in all I enjoyed lunch at El Gallo, service was good, though we did not have a mutual language with the waitress, the physical space was bright and clean, prices are reasonable and the food good. Not to mention the company at lunch.

Enjoy,
Gary