In Need of Ground Beef Tacos
In Need of Ground Beef Tacos
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Post #31 - May 4th, 2007, 5:34 pmIf I said it once, I'll say it again...You will find the taco you are looking for at Nuevo Leon in Pilsen.
Also, while roaming around the south side this past week, I found the perfect crispy taco shell again...this time at a little mom-n-pop called The Mexican Inn...it's right by Crawley's Boat Yard. Mighty fine stuff.
Good luck~mst
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Post #32 - May 4th, 2007, 5:48 pmMST wrote:If I said it once, I'll say it again...You will find the taco you are looking for at Nuevo Leon in Pilsen.
Also, while roaming around the south side this past week, I found the perfect crispy taco shell again...this time at a little mom-n-pop called The Mexican Inn...it's right by Crawley's Boat Yard. Mighty fine stuff.
Good luck~mst
What are they called on the Nuevo Leon menu? I've seen them as part of a combo platter (e.g. enchilada, crispy taco, tostada, tamale) but never as an actual item.
Or do you just say "crispy-shelled beef tacos"?
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Post #33 - May 4th, 2007, 5:50 pmExactly, that is what I'm sayin' peeps...these little gems aren't on the menu at all. Which makes them all the better.
Just tell 'em you want crispy hard shell tacos. They get it.
Let me know what you think.
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Post #34 - May 5th, 2007, 7:28 pmMST wrote:Also, while roaming around the south side this past week, I found the perfect crispy taco shell again...this time at a little mom-n-pop called The Mexican Inn.
In some ways Mexican Inn would be the perfect place to sample crispy-shell ground beef tacos. Mexican Inn is sort of a culinary museum, dishing up food exactly like they served in the '60s and '70s. Actually, the menu has expanded considerably; it used to be really basic.In a four year old Chowhound thread I wrote:Ah, Mexican Inn, I hadn’t thought about that place in quite some time. I used to go with a friend, an East Side native, and had some fun meals. I made one return visit almost exactly three years ago and was not surprised to find out it didn’t live up to my memories.
Mexican Inn is in a nice old triangular building at the intersection of Routes 12/20, Route 41 and 95th Street. It’s been in business, owned by the same family at the same location, since 1961 which I suppose makes it among the oldest Mexican restaurants in Chicago. The interior is modest but homey and clean, with booths along the walls and tables in the center. I remember service as always being friendly.
The menu holds few surprises: enchiladas, tamales, tostadas, tacos, burritos, quesadillas, sopes, and some combination plates. There is a single special each day: caldo de pollo (Tue), puerco en chile verde (Wed), pollo en mole (Thu), milanesa (Fri), and pozole (Sat & Sun). Everything I’ve had has been fresh and competently prepared but rather ‘dumbed down.’ For example, the tacos come garnished with iceberg lettuce and diced tomato. I distinctly remember they used to serve brain tacos (crispy shell only, never available in soft!) but those are no longer offered. They serve a homemade salsa that’s very thick and smooth, heavy on tomato but light on chile.
It’s not the sort of place I’d say to avoid at any cost but it’s not likely to be worth a trip across the city. There are probably hundreds of other Chicago restaurants that do the same dishes much better.
Speaking of the old East Side places, does anyone remember Sonny’s? Now THOSE were burgers…
Mexican Inn
9510 S Ewing Av (3600 E)
Chicago
773-734-8957
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Post #35 - May 5th, 2007, 10:24 pmKesey wrote:I've had a craving for some ground beef hard shell tacos, ... Where does everyone like to go for their ground beef tacos?
To be honest if you looking for largest selection of ground beef tacos that I've ever seen ...head to Denver, Colorado.
It seems to me that at least two-thirds of greasy taco joints in Denver serve either fish, chicken or ground beef tacos that look like the photo above...
NOTE - VERY IMPORTANT COLORADO FOODIE TIP.
If you're in one of these greasy taco joints and order a side of fries while neglecting to specify "NOT SMOTHERED", you will be handed something that looks like this...
Good luck on that ground beef taco.
~GSGreasy Spoon
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Post #36 - May 6th, 2007, 1:30 amWhen I was very young my parents used to stop off at Mexican Inn all the time after visiting my grandparents on the East Side. For years whenever I have been reminded of the place I have wondered what exactly the amazing if only faintly remembered milky cheese sauce/soft tortilla concoction they always ordered me was. Just yesterday I thought to ask my dad about it and it turns out that all this time I've been dreaming of cheese tacos.
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Post #37 - May 6th, 2007, 2:24 pmpaddleboard wrote:Just yesterday I thought to ask my dad about it and it turns out that all this time I've been dreaming of cheese tacos.
I can assure you the soft cheese tacos of your youth haven't changed a bit. It's up to you to decide if that's a good thing.
Looking Southwest on Ewing
Since 1961 Mexican Inn has stood at the intersection of 95th, Ewing and Avenue L.
Soft Cheese, Crispy Beefs
As for decades all meals at Mexican Inn are accompanied by a translucent squirt bottle of mild housemade salsa—tomato sauce with garlic and hints of chile and cumin.
Soft Cheese, In Progress
Even though the taco comes on a blisteringly hot plate, "our special cheese sauce" quickly forms a skin. Eat fast! The salad with its tart oil and vinegar dressing provides a nice counterpoint to the blandness of the taco.
Crispy Beef, Interior View
The shells are freshly fried, hot, crispy, greasy and good. Beef filling is minimally seasoned with only cumin noticeable. The grated cheese is surprisingly neutral.
I actually enjoyed my meal more than you might have guessed but I don't think I'll be hurrying back any time soon. One nostalgia-filled Mexican meal like that every decade or so is about right for me.
Mexican Inn
9510 S Ewing Av (3600 E)
Chicago
773-734-8957
Sun, Tue-Thu 11-8, Fri-Sat 11-9
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Post #38 - May 6th, 2007, 8:31 pmOh I can half taste that cheese skin now, I love the pictures!! Now that I know the place is still open I will definitely have to go back and try the tacos sometime although I worry it will be less like Proust's madeleine and more like the time I picked up one of the Tom-Tom tamales I ate every day in elementary school from Jewel and was immediately overcome by the urge to shave my tongue.