Al Pastor, Por Favor

Previously we've claimed that Rancho Bravo al pastor tacos are delicious. Still true. They're not "real" al pastor tacos, though, meaning the pork isn't cooked on a vertical spit while basting in pineapple drippings and sliced directly from the spit to your soft, waiting tortilla. It's an approximation of that, but, come on, Rancho Bravo's a 10-sq.-ft. truck. (We can't wait to get to their new Capitol Hill location, but is the old KFC really an upgrade from a spot four feet away from a dumpster in a parking lot in Wallingford?)

We did find the real deal al pastor in Fremont this weekend, though. During 2009's sunbreak we walked over to the Fremont Sunday Market, and a vendor there had super sweet and delicious al pastor tacos. Vertical spit, pineapple, soft tortilla; all of it. A little too much of it, if we had to quibble. Sliced pineapple on the taco instead of radish? It drowns out the meat. Too sweet. Where is the restaurant that sponsors this booth, we wondered, and then read as far as "425" on their banner before realizing we'd never get there. El Agave Mexican Cuisine is apparently a caterer from Redmond somewhere. Very good al pastor tacos, though. Too sweet, still delicious.

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By Dan in Food on March 31, 2009 11:00 AM

Comments [rss]

Tom

My guess is that they will still keep the truck in Wallingford. I heard on a KUOW piece once that taco trucks actually have to be attached to an actual restaurant, or non-mobile location, which is legally considered the actual kitchen or mothership or somesuch.

Fnarf

They also do huaraches at the street fair, which is an oblong (shoe-sole-shaped, hence the name) sope, or super-thick tortilla with a lip on it, like a mini-pizza. Insanely delicious. I agree about the pineapple; it's supposed to drip down onto the spit, and the guy is also supposed to wipe his knife on it before cutting. But still, it's a big step forward. Remember Mexican food in Seattle ten years ago?