Al Pastor--Just The Way I Like It

Two friends (one Mexican, the other Jewrican) and I lunched yesterday at Taqueria el Asadero which, I notice, has been mentioned before in a posting on Lincoln Square eateries. Nice, freshly fried chips with a decent salsa got things off to a promising start. While my companions enjoyed their carne asada burritos, the tacos al pastor I ordered were exceptional. Deeply browned, crunchy and rich with bits of caramelized pork fat, a pair were all I could handle. Good, if standard issue, rice and beans rounded things out. Washed down with a flouorescent Jarritos Pina, it was, well, Nirvan-ita!

Taqueria El Asadero
2213 W. Montrose
Chicago, IL 60618
773-583-5563

Picked up three tacos al pastor at this location Friday. They were satisfying but not memorable.

I guess memorable al pastor is a matter of taste, but I was as Asadero on Saturday and thought that their al pastor was excellent. Lots of flavor, and the meat was nicely crunchy. I think their homemade chips and green salsa really made the meal for me.

i suppose this reply could fit into this thread, the ongoing pizza brouhaha, or really any other thread on the site...but dont you think we've reached consensus that our tangible satisfactions we're after are by their very nature both ethereal and elusive?

my point in case: al pastor. i have had the perfect al pastor at the often not perfect Arturo's at western and armitage and i wasn't even looking for it.
but passing by caught through the window a beautifully spit roasted hunk of pork just being broken down for the dinner rush. arturo's, like many places, will pre-shave their pastor to meet demand and i think that's all i'd ever had there. but not this time. i had two taken right from the spit and then impulsively ordered two more. i raved to friends, and declared arturo's the best of the local spitroasters. and then it never happened again. no matter how i timed it i never met up again with a taco in it's prime at arturo's.

will i try again? i have to. in that one taco i found a potential greater than the sourness of a dozen dispointments.

Stopped at Taqueria El Asadero today and luckily I had my camera with me. The tacos al pastor were excellent as usual.

While this may not be the greatest Mexican place in the city, they sure know how to cook some meat.

Taqueria El Asadero
2213 W Montrose
773-583-5563

seems like this might be a good place to link previous threads onal pastor

I stopped by Asadero for breakfast today and had 2 excellent tacos al pastor (thanks for the rec). No spit but the meat was deeply flavored, nicely browned and crisp with just enough fat. I watched them fry up Del Rey tortillas to make chips (a little greasy but excellent--I have no aversion to a little grease). I thought the green chile salsa was just so-so. If there's a better breakfast than Tacos al Pastor and a Jarritos guayaba, I'm not sure what it is. Thanks for the rec. I'm still working my way through the al pastor places on the other thread.

I'm glad you enjoyed it, t.o. The absence of the spit is peculiar because somehow they cook it perfectly every time--I love those wondeful charred edges . Next time I'm in there I'm gonna ask what their secret is. I think it's owned by a husand/wife team.

Terrence wrote:my point in case: al pastor. i have had the perfect al pastor at the often not perfect Arturo's at western and armitage and i wasn't even looking for it.
but passing by caught through the window a beautifully spit roasted hunk of pork just being broken down for the dinner rush. arturo's, like many places, will pre-shave their pastor to meet demand and i think that's all i'd ever had there. but not this time. i had two taken right from the spit and then impulsively ordered two more. i raved to friends, and declared arturo's the best of the local spitroasters. and then it never happened again. no matter how i timed it i never met up again with a taco in it's prime at arturo's.

They still are not nailing al pastor at Arturo's, had a taco this morning, just ok but barely, no flavors popped at all, same meh flavor could be attributed to Arturo's chilaquiles. After the night I had last night it hit the spot but from a functional standpoint rather than taste.

Sweet Willie wrote:

Terrence wrote:my point in case: al pastor. i have had the perfect al pastor at the often not perfect Arturo's at western and armitage and i wasn't even looking for it.
but passing by caught through the window a beautifully spit roasted hunk of pork just being broken down for the dinner rush. arturo's, like many places, will pre-shave their pastor to meet demand and i think that's all i'd ever had there. but not this time. i had two taken right from the spit and then impulsively ordered two more. i raved to friends, and declared arturo's the best of the local spitroasters. and then it never happened again. no matter how i timed it i never met up again with a taco in it's prime at arturo's.

They still are not nailing al pastor at Arturo's, had a taco this morning, just ok but barely, no flavors popped at all, same meh flavor could be attributed to Arturo's chilaquiles. After the night I had last night it hit the spot but from a functional standpoint rather than taste.

Last night I finally got to experience the elusive and perfect al pastor at Arturo's. I was walking by on my way to catch a bus, and noticed a beautiful trompo calling my name. Dripping juicy red colored meat on the bottom half and a the most char I've seen on a trompo on the upper half. I ordered my tacos specifically requesting "el parte dorado, fresco" as I pointed at the trompo. The cashier quickly shouted my order and the taquero began to fill tortillas from the warmer tray, but luckily the cashier, somehow interpreting my broken Spanish correctly told him to shave it fresh. He then carefully gave me a few tacos with a beautiful mix of char and tender juicy bits. It was easily the best thing I've eaten lately, and as good, or better than the best al pastor I've ever had. I am drooling as I finish typing this.

Popped into Guanajuato on California for the usual carne asada today and noticed that they now have their pastor on a trompo. The pork was charred up nicely and assertively seasoned. This great little taco counter has gotten even better.

--Rich

Carniceria Guanajuato
3140 N. California
(Just south of Belmont)