It didn't look that far on the map. A quick jaunt down Van Nees, a jink onto 16th Street and then down Mission for 10 or so blocks to what had been described as the best burrito de carne asada in San Francisco. The concierge looked at be rather blankly, there was a perfectly good taqueria across the street as far as he was concerned and the prospect of walking that far seemed slightly insane. However, in a mad dogs and Englishman manner I was dead set on getting those sweet sweet burritos.
I was at brunch with Cookiecrumb, Sam and Amy on Sunday with various husbands and partners when the idea formulated in my head. Amy had very kindly given me The San Francisco Food Lovers pocket guide as a welcome gift. We were at The Foreign Cinema in The Mission having about as typical a Californian food experience as it possible to have without cat burglarising Alice Waters house. I was tucking into my eggs, sweet slow cooked bacon and nicking one of cookiecrumb's fried oysters and then reaping the benefit of hanging out with some serious San Fran foodies, i.e free stuff from the kitchen (a great little starter of sardines and peppers and some stunning french toast after my eggs) that the conversation got on to where the best tacos and burritos were to be had in the area. Some time later I remembered the conversation, consulted the book and planned my route. The place was called La Taqueria and something in that very simple name spoke to me. I knew it was going to be good.
It took me about an hour and a quarter to get there. I could have stopped at any number of very good looking taquerias along the way, but I never doubted, I never wavered, I trudged on. I got lost, got put back on track by a couple of guys smoking a reefer and then, just as I was slightly fearful that the place might actually be closed when I got there, it hoved into view.
It was frankly a near religious experience. The burrito was divine, the green salsa just hot enough to add punch and the meat perfect. To say the Modelo Especial beer was welcome would be an understatement. I was happy. I just had to figure out if I was walking back or not.
I was at brunch with Cookiecrumb, Sam and Amy on Sunday with various husbands and partners when the idea formulated in my head. Amy had very kindly given me The San Francisco Food Lovers pocket guide as a welcome gift. We were at The Foreign Cinema in The Mission having about as typical a Californian food experience as it possible to have without cat burglarising Alice Waters house. I was tucking into my eggs, sweet slow cooked bacon and nicking one of cookiecrumb's fried oysters and then reaping the benefit of hanging out with some serious San Fran foodies, i.e free stuff from the kitchen (a great little starter of sardines and peppers and some stunning french toast after my eggs) that the conversation got on to where the best tacos and burritos were to be had in the area. Some time later I remembered the conversation, consulted the book and planned my route. The place was called La Taqueria and something in that very simple name spoke to me. I knew it was going to be good.
It took me about an hour and a quarter to get there. I could have stopped at any number of very good looking taquerias along the way, but I never doubted, I never wavered, I trudged on. I got lost, got put back on track by a couple of guys smoking a reefer and then, just as I was slightly fearful that the place might actually be closed when I got there, it hoved into view.
It was frankly a near religious experience. The burrito was divine, the green salsa just hot enough to add punch and the meat perfect. To say the Modelo Especial beer was welcome would be an understatement. I was happy. I just had to figure out if I was walking back or not.
8 comments:
awesome!
They definitely pointed you in the right direction. But what? No celeb sighting? Because that is possible at La Taqueria.
Sam and Amy did not lead you astray. La Taqueria makes the best tacos in town. Shame about the long trek, though. It's only a block from the 24th St. BART (but I'm sure you know that now). Have fun eating your way through our town.
if you thought the burritos are good, order the crispy carnitas tacos. i could never leave this town for those tacos alone. :)
god I miss burritos...
Dagny: Monkey Gland was the celebrity in our town!!
I got to kiss his cheeky cheek.
Cookiecrumb, thanks for the reminder. So somewhere out there is a blogger writing about picking up a burrito and seeing Monkey Gland.
personally, i love cancun taqueria (i think its on mission and 19th?). but thats likely just because i grew up practically round the corner from it.
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