Taco Crawl Counsel

Greetings Gourmands and Lovers of All Things Gastronomic,

I'm planning a taco crawl for my friends and family, an event in which we'll please our palates and declare a champion taqueria. I'm lookning for 3 taquerias. My criteria are: time--- able to hand over our food fast (counter service preferable); location--- all within easy driving distance of each other; authenticity; affordability; and of course, deliciousness.

I've put together the itinerary below but I'd really appreciate feedback from you experts. Does this itinerary achieve my goals?

1. Taqueria la Oaxaquena
3382 N. Milwaukee Ave. (at Roscoe)
773-545-8585
[DIREX TO NEXT: shoot south down Pulaski, cut east a few blocks to North]

2. Taqueria Puebla
3625 W. North Avenue (between Kedzie and Pulaski)
Chicago, IL
773-772-8435
[DIREX TO NEXT: go east along North Avenue, south a few blocks down Ashland]

3. La Pasadita Restaurant
1132 N. Ashland Ave. (just south of Milwaukee & Division)
773-384-6537

THANK YOU SO MUCH!

I think it's a good selection, although I might choose the east-side La Pasadita (1141 N), and note that Taqueria Puebla has since moved and changed its named to Cemitas Puebla. The new address is 3619 W North, so it's just a couple storefronts down from the old location.

Another choice to consider is Carniceria Leon at 1402 N Ashland.

You might find the posts on Germuska's North Clark-A-Thons of interest.

http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.ph ... sc&start=0

http://www.lthforum.com/bb/viewtopic.ph ... sc&start=0

Also, La Oaxaquena has dropped the name "Taqueria" and really isn't much of a taqueria at all. There's no counter service at the Milwaukee location, and I don't think that tacos are really their strength.

If you're really looking for serious taquerias, I think you need to concentrate more on commercial strips that have a stronger Mexican focus (Rogers Park, Pilsen/La Villita, Albany Park).

For Albany Park, this thread has a lot of interesting info.

Best,
Michael

eatchicago wrote:If you're really looking for serious taquerias, I think you need to concentrate more on commercial strips that have a stronger Mexican focus (Rogers Park, Pilsen/La Villita, Albany Park).

I should mention that the crawl is tentatively scheduled for the Cinco de Mayo Sunday. Do you think the areas mentioned above would be overrun?

Alternatively, can we expect street food among the festivities?

gastro gnome wrote:

eatchicago wrote:If you're really looking for serious taquerias, I think you need to concentrate more on commercial strips that have a stronger Mexican focus (Rogers Park, Pilsen/La Villita, Albany Park).

I should mention that the crawl is tentatively scheduled for the Cinco de Mayo Sunday. Do you think the areas mentioned above would be overrun?

I think the big celebration for Cinco de Mayo is usually in Douglas Park although I've never been. Neighborhoods themselves may be a little more vibrant and active, but that's a good thing.

gastro gnome wrote:Alternatively, can we expect street food among the festivities?

If it's street food you want (and trust me, you do), I'd delay your crawl by one day and start Sunday morning at Maxwell Street, continuing into Pilsen and La Villita, then heading north to Albany Park.

(Also, when it comes to La Pasadita, I think the only thing there that passes muster is their carne asada. There are far better taquerias around town that have a wider array of choices, in areas that are much more pedestrian-friendly. I'd skip it.)

Best,
Michael

Another great place to hit that very much in your selected area is:

Las Asadas
2072 N Western Ave

Jamie

Jamieson22 wrote:Another great place to hit that very much in your selected area is:

Las Asadas
2072 N Western Ave

Jamie

I totally agree with Las Asada's being a great spot, but it's essentially the same stuff you're going to get a La Pasadita. Same family. I think one of the brothers split off to do the Las Asada's chain. Aside from only having one salsa at Las Asada's, the only big difference I've found (and only sometimes) is that the Asada's do not chop up the steak as small as La P. And don't get me wrong, or let me deter you from adding Las Asada's. These two are easily my favorite in Chicagoland so far, but to me, they are essentially the same beast, although La P has a few diff salsa's, and the La P's will offer some mex fare favorites, and not just Taqueria standards.

Hi Laurel,

welcome to LTH, it sounds like you have a good plan in mind. Are you thinking of trying more or less the same thing at various places, or are you more interested in getting different kinds of food at your stops?

I think, for myself (if I were planning a tour for an out of town visitor for example), I'd want to get different things at each stop for people to try. But then it would be hard to say that one place is "the best" -- as discussed in a separate thread on Vietnamese places, you might conclude that one place is the best for X and another is the best for Y.

If I were going to hit three places, driving around on the west side, I'd go to Sol de Mexico for carne asada with handmade tortillas (I think this is under their "small plates" section of the menu) and their sopecitos appetizer (chicken with mole poblano); to Cemitas Puebla for a cemita and a taco arabe; and Xni-Pec in Cicero for a taco of cochinita pibil and maybe an order of papadzules.

If I wanted to go to Pilsen, park once and walk around, I'd say goat tacos at Birrieria Reyes de Ocotlan; tacos de Sabinas at Nuevo Leon (grilled ribeye, beans, cheese in handmade flour tortillas); carnitas at Carnitas Uruapan or another of the carnitas places. Pick up a mini tres leches cake at Bombon for dessert!

Wow, I'm getting myself so hungry I may pass out. Unfortunately I am nowhere near any of the above mentioned spots...

Great choices thus far. La Pasadita and Tacqueria Puebla are easily my two favorites in Chicago for Mexican in general (I usually get burritos and cemitas at each respectively). If you are doing a strict taco crawl I would definitely recommend Carnercia Leon which is only about 2 blocks north of La Pasadita. There is also a Mexican supermarket next door to Carnercia Leon that has a built-in taco shop. Both of these places have excellent tacos al pastor, carne asada and lengua tacos.

Carniceria Leon
1402 N Ashland Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
773-772-9804

Yes. Yes. By all means do Carneceria Leon...it's been a calling of mine to wean Wicker Park-ians off La Pasadita. I used to live cattycorner to CL(for 6 or so years) and am always pleased when they're mentioned as an alternative. I only wish I'd been able to stray from the delightful carne asada and al pastor.