Best Carne Asada Taco besides La Pasadita?

First of all, let me rant about how dissapointed I am in La Pas... Maybe it was the overwhelmingly positive reviews that had my expectations too high, but I went in on 3 separate occasions, (1st to the smallest on the east side which is known to have the best taco's, then to the other 2 on the west side of ashland) and I was underwhelmed each time. Although I can see why they do well, (good portions of steak, open very late, etc) I had a problem, specifically, with the meat itself. (Which is a huge problem considering the authentic mexican taco is simply the meat and onions with some cilantro...)

Most carne asada taco's use skirt steak I assume, which is a great cut of beef for it's thinness and beefy flavor. However the problem with skirt steak is in it's preparation, it's usually covered in a filmy membrane/ligaments that need to be cut off for optimal chewiness. On all 3 occasions at La Pas the meat tasted somewhat greasy and moreover, rubberish... I opened my taco's on several occasions to find that many of the cube sized bits of skirt steak were poorly cut, many were all if not mostly fat or ligament, which led to the "rubbery" taste when I began chewing. Not to mention there was no char on the meat or any burnt or crispy edges which would have been nice. The color of some of the carne asada looked almost undercooked in some instances, and every several pieces were, as I said, mostly fatty or engulfed in that stretchy liagment.

Maybe this rant will sound overly picky but if I want rubbery steak I can go to many 24 hour chinatown establishments and order some rubby pepper steak, the point is that how can this be the best steak taco in chicagoland viewing from the consensus here and elsewhere, if the meat isn't up to par in terms of the preparation?

Also, I understand that La Pas is a hole in the wall kind of place (esp the smallest on on the east side) which is fine, but on each occasion I saw flies all over the place and the decor, if you could even call it that, was somewhat disgusting to say the least, not to mention that it's so stuffy inside could they please get a fan or something to get some air ventilation? A fan, simple interior paint job and some basic, overall cleanliness would do wonders to wet my appetite.

Interestingly enough, I went to Las Asadas (which I hear is owned by the same family), and didn't experience this problem on the 2 occasions I went, (maybe their carne is just cut into smaller cubes) and they seemed to cook it better in terms of the meat having some crispy edges instead of at La Pas where it seemed almost broiled in some instances.

Anyhow, does anyone out there agree or can anyone offer any suggestions to any other carne asada taco's in the city that have non rubbery steak?

I'm not motivated to search for the other threads on this topic but I know there are a few. I personally like el Asadero. You can watch them pull huge steaks off the grill and hack into small pieces. Then right into a tortilla with some cilantro and onion. Just a warning, if you go at slower times, you may have steak that's been holding in tin foil on the grill for some time (which still is pretty good). Great hole in the wall taqueria in a becoming upscale neighborhood. Mexican coke to boot.

Taqueria el Asadero
2213 W. Montrose Ave.
Chicago

FoodSnob77 wrote:I opened my taco's on several occasions to find that many of the cube sized bits of skirt steak were poorly cut, many were all if not mostly fat or ligament, which led to the "rubbery" taste when I began chewing. The color of some of the carne asada looked almost undercooked in some instances, and every several pieces were, as I said, mostly fatty or engulfed in that stretchy liagment.

I've noticed this same problem so often that when I'm in that hood I now just get chile relleno tacos at La Pas or picadillo tacos at Tecalitlan on Chicago Ave. . Zacatacos on Harlem just south of Ogden in Berwyn is serving up some excellent char-cooked steak tacos right now. They are much better than the other Zac on Cermak.

Asadero is really great for carene asada tacos. Their al pastor, though not great, is also very serviceable. One suggestion as I've had their tacos a couple times in the last couple weeks. I normally order them w/ cilantro and onions (limes on the side). You may want to ask for light, or even no, onions. I really like onions, but for some reason their recent batch of onions was so overpowering that it about killed the taste of the steak. They would benefit from a tip I learned in a Bayless cookbook. Rinse the cut onions w/ water. It really leaves the nice oniony flavor but removes some of the bite.

Foodsnob- I couldn't agree with you more. I've tried it so many times, and have got hunks of gristle and fat. I live so close, and wanted it to be my place, in fact I've tried all the places on Ashland. I pretty much only go to or have delivered:
El Paisano Taco's
2429 W Division St
Chicago - (773) 292-1002
BYOB

I also like hole in the wall places, but the east side La Pasadita is really filthy. I just cant do it. I think the chili relleno tacos at El Paisano are even better. Even the chips and salsa at EP are better, fresher, and more flavorful.

fat and gristle make a great carne asada taco imo...

that said, maybe try Tio Luis or Paco's Tacos as well. Also, some great posts about taquerias if you search "Taqueria Project" by some of the best posters on the board.

Tio Luis
3856 S. Archer Ave.
Chicago, IL 60632
773-843-0098

Paco's Tacos
4311 S. Archer Ave.
Chicago, IL 60608
773-247-1613

I second the El Asadero recommendation in the first reply; I am a fan of la 'dita but I might have to give the nod to El Asadero. They have fresh tortilla chips right out of the fryer that are delicious and also have 'mexican' coke in the tall glass bottles.

Another place I've found for great tacos is inside the Guanajuato mexican grocery store, they have a full taco/burrito place inside.

Carniceria Guanajuato
3140 N California Ave
(on Cali, just south of Belmont)

Carniceria Leon
1402 N Ashland Ave at Blackhawk St
773-772-9804

My suggestions:

1. Try the lengua at Pasadita, which is better than the carne asada, IMO.

2. Go up the street to C. Leon, so well documented here.

3. Consider whether you really like this style of taco, as it is what it is. The revelation that some don't like the nasty bits is a theme here from time to time. Carbon, fat and collagen aren't everyone's cup of tea, whether we're talking links and tips, tacos or Thai.

Seconding Tio Luis.

The Tacos al Carbon at La Placita in Addison (Lake Street, just west of Addison Ave) are excellent. The steak is charred on the outside, with nice meaty tenderness. And I believe its about $5 for 3 tacos.

I have a friend who's been going there about 3 times a week for the past 4 years.

btw - Is there a differnece between a "taco el carbon" and a "carne asada" taco?

Im a big fan of pasadita so most of these spots are like them, but you may find them to be superior to pasadita's.

La Palapita
4263 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago 60641
Btwn W Cullom Ave & W Hutchinson St

Las Asada's
2072 N Western Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 235-5538

Supermercado chapala
I cant find the address to the location on Armitage. but inside this market is a great taco stand with really good steak taco's

FoodSnob77 wrote: Anyhow, does anyone out there agree or can anyone offer any suggestions to any other carne asada taco's in the city that have non rubbery steak?

My vote is for:

Las Asadas Restaurant‎
2072 N Western Ave, Chicago, IL - (773) 235-5538‎

I go to La Pasadita now because it's closer to my new hood but I found it inferior to Las Asadas at first taste. One word of warning: don't go to Las Asadas when it's slow or you'll get some greasy reheated carne.

JeffB wrote:Consider whether you really like this style of taco, as it is what it is. The revelation that some don't like the nasty bits is a theme here from time to time. Carbon, fat and collagen aren't everyone's cup of tea, whether we're talking links and tips, tacos or Thai.

There are folks who swear by dumpster dining too.

one mans garbage is another mans treasure

I second Asadero and Tio Luis....both exceptionally good, with the nod to Asadero. The meats literally griddled and carved fresh every few minutes. There's no greyish lifeless steaming pile of cow tidbits in the corner of that flat-top.

I'm another El Asadero fan.

I will toss a third nod for Carniceria Leon. IMO, there is nothing better than a little lunch counter in the back corner of a small grocery store. I actually love their tacos al pastor better than their carne asada, but both are very good. They also provide ample, free roasted jalapenos upon request. I also appreciate that, when addressed in Spanish, they answer me in Spanish (I'm very obviously not Latino). There is an authenticity about this place that makes it a small slice of Mexico (maybe without the stray dog or two hanging around the entrance).

Btw, Carniceria Leon tacos are discussed heartily on more than one thread on this forum.

Good eating,

Jeff

Tio Luis.

Da Beef wrote:Im a big fan of pasadita so most of these spots are like them, but you may find them to be superior to pasadita's.

La Palapita
4263 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago 60641
Btwn W Cullom Ave & W Hutchinson St

Las Asada's
2072 N Western Ave
Chicago, IL 60647
(773) 235-5538

Supermercado chapala
I cant find the address to the location on Armitage. but inside this market is a great taco stand with really good steak taco's

I'm a huge fan of Las Asadas - I pimp it to almost anyone who asks about a great char grilled skirt steak taco.
Also a big fan of Asadero up there on Montrose.

Da Beef - funny you say they (Asadas, Palapita, and La Pasadita) are alike - they are all owned by the same family.
One of the La Pasadita sons branched off with Las Asadas, and I think he is the owner of La Palapita up there on Milwaukee too. Las Palapitas on Milwaukee is on the Las Asadas business cards with the list of locations. As for my relationship with La Pasadita, I only go when it's late, and none of the OTHER great spots are open.

MJN wrote:I second Asadero and Tio Luis....both exceptionally good, with the nod to Asadero. The meats literally griddled and carved fresh every few minutes. There's no greyish lifeless steaming pile of cow tidbits in the corner of that flat-top.

Greyish lifeless cow tidbits? Yummy! Far too descriptive.

I happen to be a big fan of the Pasadita on the West Side of Ashland, next to the Tire Rim store. I usually go twice a week and find that they're best just before the lunch rush, around 11:15 am. Occasionally they have problems with consistency and running out of Pico de gallo is a cardinal sin to me. The tacos served in the evening never seem as good as the ones served in the morning. That being said I have to agree with Tio Luis. If it were closer to me though, I'd definitely go to Luis. Best Carne Asada ever!

I like El Asadero and its closer to me, but I'd go to Pasadita first.

Asadero tambien. Hands down (manos abajos?)

BigT wrote:Another place I've found for great tacos is inside the Guanajuato mexican grocery store, they have a full taco/burrito place inside.

Carniceria Guanajuato
3140 N California Ave
(on Cali, just south of Belmont)

I second the recommendation of this very-difficult-to-pronounce, supermarket taqueria.

The tacos are great, and they make a mean, big-ol' carne asada burrito for around $4. This place is a bargain and quite tasty, but if you hate the carne at La Pasadita, you might just hate this too.
(Isn't carne asada supposed to be just a little gristly? )

RAB wrote:I second the recommendation of this very-difficult-to-pronounce, supermarket taqueria.

(Isn't carne asada supposed to be just a little gristly? )

"GWAN - uh - HWA - toe" should do it justice

Anyway, a few comments in this thread, like:
"fat and gristle make a great carne asada taco imo..."
"btw - Is there a differnece between a "taco el carbon" and a "carne asada" taco?"
Got me thinking about this past thread, and then this other one about Paco's Tacos.

While there can be gristle in the places I go for carne asada, it is not the norm, I won't hold issue with it if I find it. Sometimes, a cut of steak has gristle in it. For the $ you are paying, don't expect a Primehouse inspection of the meat, BUT, a piece or two of gristle every so often between visits would NOT be any kind of deal breaker for me in the places I go to - usually, the norm is for juicy char grilled skirt steak with no gristle.

Fat, on the other hand, adds flavor to steak, and I happen to LOVE fat on a steak. Skirt happens to be very well marbled, so if you do not like fat, then skirt is not for you. (No real question on why skirt is such a flavorful cut of beef.)

As for the meaning of carne asada (char grilled or not,) for ME, carne asada means char grilled skirt steak. To many -actually most of the taco joints around town, carne asada means griddle sauteed chuck steak. Plenty of these griddle fried steak places do well, but you will never catch me eating carne asada in one of them. I will always prefer char grilled skirt steak over pan fried steak, and since we have a choice in this city, I will always choose the former, and never the latter. Since so may of the griddle fried steak places exist, I find that a lot of folks just have no idea that a taqueria can serve great steak - they think gut bombs filled with garbage griddle fried steak is what a "steak burrito" is, or, they think that a steak taco is supposed to be filled with chewy sinewy bits. Not so. Not so in the least. I'm not saying that these griddle steak places don't do other things well, they just do not do steak well in the slightest IMO. One example I can think of is a place called Ino's. In all of Chicagoland, Ino's has the best chicken (mixture of dark, and breast, not boiled in salty sauce) if you ask me. Their steak, however, is absolutely disgusting.

MBK wrote:one mans garbage is another mans treasure

MBK,

I think it breaks down to whether you enjoy chewy gnarly pocketed with fat rib tips or a lean slice of pork tenderloin. Me, I like em both, but if had to choose would opt for the tips every time.

My current favorite Taqueria is Carniceria Leon/Tierra Caliente, though I am a fan of both La Pasadita (East side only) and Carnicerias Guanajuato, I prefer the California/Belmont location.

Enjoy,
Gary

Carniceria Y Taqueria Tierra Caliente (Was Caniceria Leon)
1400 N Ashland
Chicago, IL
773-772-9804

La Pasadita
1141 N Ashland Ave
Chicago, IL 60622
773-278-0384

Carnicerias Guanajuato
3140 N California
Chicago, IL

Carnicerias Guanajuato
1436 N Ashland
Chicago, IL
773-7725266

Im still a big fan fan of pasadita's skirt steak taco's but they may have been passed up by the unsuspecting Chapala Tianguis and their taqueria's taco's de asada. In the past month I have been here 10+ times to do my grocery shopping and devour a few steak taco's afterwards. I would suspect that this is another location of the Chapala markets around Chicago. Inside the market is a taqueria that is very popular during lunch.

I agree with the above complaints that sometimes the steak at pasadita isnt chopped down enough and can come off as chewy to some and heaven to others. The taqueria at chapala grills up the skirt steak and chops it pretty finely so there are no chewy parts and it is served standard topped with fresh onions and cilantro. Tianguis makes two top notch salsa's both a verde and roja that are better than most I have had elsewhere, pour some of their top notch salsa verde on top of your taco and you got pure bliss in my book. The salsa is also available to go in any amount for a ridiculously low price. Taco's are $1.59/each.

Note: I find the taco's to be at their best during the lunch hour when the steak is just being chopped.


Tianguis chapala w/ salsa verde


la pasadita

Chapala Tianguis
3552 w. Armitage
Chicago, IL 60647

Ghazi wrote:btw - Is there a differnece between a "taco el carbon" and a "carne asada" taco?

I have the same question, any experts care to chime in?

Also will give a vote for Zacatacos on Harlem.

"Taco el carbon" is nonsense. That would be "taco the charcoal." "Al carbon" just means charcoal grilled. Carne asada means, generically, roasted meat (with carne usually understood to mean beef if nothing more specific is included). Carne asada means different things in different places. In a Cuban cafe, carne asada can be something like pot roast. For this discussion, we are talking about carne asada as it is known in several parts of Mexico -- grrilled skirt steak or flank. In my experience, al carbon signifies a more specific prep that the taqueria is touting -- the use of charcoal as opposed to some other less exciting way of cooking it. Otherwise, it's pretty much the same stuff.

I whole heartily agree with FoodSnob77-
WTF?
Who , could possibly think that the poor quality of meat- the lack of cleanliness, and the surly attitude towards Gringo's there (until they Hablamos en Espanol!)-
would make for a destination dine, for ANYONE?

La Pasadita has been "known" to me, since the 1980's when a certain friend who craved the place(???)- created an animation of a car driving down Ashland Avenue,schreeching to a stop, and U-turning for Las Pasadita East! That early Mac animation creator went on to co-create MacroMind (later Macromedia)in 1984 .http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marc_Canter

Part of the confusion with Tacos de Carne Asada- lies with the fact, that there a 2 cuts of Skirt Steak- The Inner and The Outer.
One is chewie-er, the other is tender, not as gristly/membraney.
A difference in price leads many Taquerias to use the cheaper outer skirt, thereby providing a less than preferable product.
for more info on Inner versus Outer....
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skirt_steak
and
http://www.beeffoodservice.com/cuts/Info.aspx?Code=18

That said-
I always can rely on Carne Asada sold by a Supermarket/Meat Market- for example:

Supermercado Jimenez
3850 W. Fullerton
Chicago,IL

....and the "old" Jimenez on Western near Shakespeare- now called Danny's (just north of Asadero) consistently serves up a tasty,
Carne Asada taco y Tortillas de Harina, por favor.[quote][/quote]

From the wiki entry:

"Skirt steaks are usually marinated or braised over low heat. Skirt steak should be sliced across the grain for serving."

In Chicago, the skirt steak must be something different than what this wiki entry suggests. Skirt is NOT a braising cut. Also, at the grocers I go to for skirt steak (in Chicago, that is,) which generally tend to be the Certifieds, the OUTER skirt is priced higher than the inner. I prefer the outer skirt (as it is named where I shop) Tony's Finer Foods (multiple locations) would be an example of this.

I used to really dig on that Jimenez's carne asada by the lb. to go. It was definitely not braised on low heat. It was quick grilled over high heat, and chopped up. No attention is paid to slicing across the grain.

Some people label what Chicagoans ( or maybe Chicago butchers) call flank steak as skirt. Flank is a braising cut (but can be seared to a rarer doneness, and should be cut across the grain)