Tacos And Salsa Restaurant Review

[Vato]

East 13th street? Do you mean East 14th street (and High Street at that Mexican supermarket?) which is now called MLK or International Blvd? I cannot remember which. My brain must be slowly dissolving...

Yeah, East 14th--it's International Avenue now. MLK used to be...erm...well, my brain already has dissolved.

The taco truck I loved so much was in the parking lot of the thrift store--Salvation Army perhaps?

The pictures of the taco served at the place in SF look good to me. For the poster who said I should try Tacos and Salsa before knocking it...........I don't want to try it because I did not like what I saw in the pictures you posted. Looks like the same old stuff. Maybe not........I have been wrong many times before.

id stop in for the beans and salsa and possibly a tostada...everything else is the same old stuff...the problem with mexican food in thailand is people do it for profit and not the love of eating...most arent cooks by nature and try to brush off the cooking to thai staff as soon as possible...a true cook will never do this...atleast without being the last link in the chain to verify quality assurance.

[farangene]

East 13th street? Do you mean East 14th street (and High Street at that Mexican supermarket?) which is now called MLK or International Blvd? I cannot remember which. My brain must be slowly dissolving...

Yeah, East 14th--it's International Avenue now. MLK used to be...erm...well, my brain already has dissolved.

The taco truck I loved so much was in the parking lot of the thrift store--Salvation Army perhaps?

Grove Street?

[featography]

Here are a couple pictures from my favorite taco truck in San Francisco--

Ahhhh, the roach coach. I love those trucks. The last time I dined at one was years ago in Oakland, Calif in front of DMV near The Coliseum. There I was, walking down the street and gnawing on a burrito, sweet delicious memories.

TheWalkingMan

Amen Brother. Those roach coaches aka Mexi-quilted garbage trucks can be found all over Oregon and Washington state too. I lived off those wagons the last 5 yrs I lived in Oregon, before moving to Thailand. From California to Washington state, I have never found a bad food wagon. All were top notch flavor, big on helpings, and priced right....now Im drooling.

[sabaijai]

I like Tex-Mex and all the variations but no one in the USA makes as good a taco as an average taqueria in Mexico IMHO.

That's wrong. You just haven't been to the right places in the USA. Places to go: Mexican area, Mexican owners. Mexican cooks, Mexican customers. Its the same!

For example in Atlanta: http://eatbufordhighway.wordpress.com/2008...l-rey-del-taco/

They have Mexico City style salsas as well.

It's not 'wrong'. It's my opinion, as stated. Yours may differ as always.

[Jingthing]

no one in the USA makes as good a taco as an average taqueria in Mexico

It's not 'wrong'. It's my opinion. Yours may differ wink.gif as always.

There must be tens of thousands of Mexican taquerias in the US. Have you tried them all? No. Sorry, you are wrong, objectively wrong, as you have not tried all the places in the US and your standard was absurd. Only one place in the US has to be as good as the average place in Mexico. If you had said the average place in Mexico is way better than the average place in the US, yes, of course. Or even the average place is better than MOST of the better places in the US, yes, also. But you said the word ONE. Wrong.

Edited February 8, 2009 by Jingthing

[bonobo]

Sounds like we need to be forming a California alumnus chapter of Thai Visa here...

Speaking as an Oakland-born and Hayward raised boy...

Oakland-born myself, but raised sort of everywhere!

[sabaijai]

no one in the USA makes as good a taco as an average taqueria in Mexico

It's not 'wrong'. It's my opinion. Yours may differ wink.gif as always.

There must be tens of thousands of Mexican taquerias in the US. Have you tried them all? No. Sorry, you are wrong, objectively wrong, as you have not tried all the places in the US and your standard was absurd. Only one place in the US has to be as good as the average place in Mexico. If you had said the average place in Mexico is way better than the average place in the US, yes, of course. Or even the average place is better than MOST of the better places in the US, yes, also. But you said the word ONE. Wrong.

Point taken. What I meant to say was that no place that I've tried in the USA matches the average taqueria in Mexico, in my opinion.

[Jimmyd]

The pictures of the taco served at the place in SF look good to me. For the poster who said I should try Tacos and Salsa before knocking it...........

You got the wrong man, I never said you should try it before knocking it--I only said that I the tacos at Tacos and Salsa are indeed authentic because I have had similar ones in Mexico.

[Jimmyd]

Salvation Army or the Goodwill? Was that near Montgomery Wards on East 14th Street and 29th Avenue? That was a whole lotta years and about 22 kilos ago

Did you ever visit 1/4 Pounder Burger? Man, that place was great! Heck, I miss the corn dogs at Quick Ways too. 100% beef, throw on some mustard, an order of those greasy, limp french fries with a chocolate shake. But I need to stop as I am getting misty at these memories.

TheWalkingMan

Yeah, I think you're right, it was Goodwill. I never had the 1/4 pound burger. I wonder if it's still there. If so I'll grab one next trip.

[Jimmyd]

Yeah, East 14th--it's International Avenue now. MLK used to be...erm...well, my brain already has dissolved.

The taco truck I loved so much was in the parking lot of the thrift store--Salvation Army perhaps?

Grove Street?

Bingo!

[JimmyTheMook]

Tried this place over the weekend and it is by far the best Mexican food I have had in Thailand.

What is served is authentic style Mexican cuisine , fresh and delicious.

[kaotang]

We tried Tacos & Salsa last night and it was awesome! Tacos al Pastor is our favourite and I can assure you that it tastes very much like the one sold in Mexico D.F. itself It is truly authentic - no doubt about that.

I'm not a big fan of Tex-Mex probably because the so-called Tex-Mex here in Thailand is usually very greasy and has the same taste for all dishes .. but I fell in love with the food in Mexico City and T&S is the only place we found for authentic Mexican food.

One thing about T&S is that the menu is quite small .. I wish Jorge included mole in his menu We will for sure visit T&S again!

p.s. I saw a lot of comments about which is real Mexican food .. what is difficult about that? Shouldn't real Mexican food is the kind that is cooked and eaten in Mexico???

[JR Texas]

We tried Tacos & Salsa last night and it was awesome! Tacos al Pastor is our favourite and I can assure you that it tastes very much like the one sold in Mexico D.F. itself It is truly authentic - no doubt about that.

I'm not a big fan of Tex-Mex probably because the so-called Tex-Mex here in Thailand is usually very greasy and has the same taste for all dishes .. but I fell in love with the food in Mexico City and T&S is the only place we found for authentic Mexican food.

One thing about T&S is that the menu is quite small .. I wish Jorge included mole in his menu We will for sure visit T&S again!

p.s. I saw a lot of comments about which is real Mexican food .. what is difficult about that? Shouldn't real Mexican food is the kind that is cooked and eaten in Mexico???

I have never seen/eaten Tex-Mex in Thailand. I think your position is a bit biased. I also want to caution those who want to start another "Mexican" restaurant in Thailand to not mimic what is here now..........what most of us want (yes, there are exceptions) is the food we grew up on back in the USA..........especially Tex-Mex and Calif-Mex.

A major problem standing in the way is the horrible beef in Thailand (import good beef and prices go up), the lack of authentic ingredients (readily available), lack of understanding about how to make the food, and problem with staff (having to hire Thais to make Mexican food). There are othe problems, but for now I would rather eat at Taco Bell than any other place that I have tried.

No, I have not tried T&S and have no desire to do so given what I saw in the pictures.........but maybe the frijoles are good. No I have not tried Miguels in Chiang Mai but will the next time I am there.

I am saying this about Taco Bell not because I am so stupid as to not know that it is not the best..........I am saying it to put perspective on what is in Thailand now.

Some say I don't know what I am talking about because I want Tex-Mex and only know that. NO.......I have been all over...even lived in California and traveled all over Mexico. That is like saying he is bias because he likes Texas beef.

Have you eaten Texas beef........well, biased or not, it is great. And so is the Tex-Mex at many locations, including Joe T. Garcias and El Fenix.......fantastic food. Replicate that if you can.

[MaxLee]

I was at that place yesterday, and I must say that I was really disappointed. The Mexican Rice was very dry and the Beef inside my Burritos was very dry as well. There is hardly any seasoning at all. I expected to have ground beef in it, but it didn't turn out that way....

I will never visit that place again...

[jfchandler]

I stopped by Sunday night as well with Dotcom for dinner.... and Jorge the owner is a very congenial host.

I found things both to like and not like about my first visit, which only scratched the surface of their menu, so these are just very initial impressions.

For me, I thought the standard side dish beans very very tasty and not quite like anything I've eaten before. Had a very nice spice to them. When questioned, Jorge indicated bacon is the added ingredient that gives some extra texture to the beans. Though he also indicated they have a vegetarian (no meat) version available as well.

As for the salsas, stating first that I like my salsas and women spicy , I found the two pureed salsas on offer to be pretty bland and tasteless, one prepared with red tomatoes and the other with green tomatoes. Not because of the consistency, which sort of resembles baby food, but because of the lack of zip. The middle standard chopped salsa was much better.

When asked, Jorge revealed (unfortunately almost at the end of our meal) that he actually has spicier versions of the red and green salsas available as an alternative. We tried them and for me, they hit the spot... good and spicy, regardless of the texture. Dotcom took a taste, and they had him sweating...hehehehehe.... But Jorge indicated many of his customers prefer the blander variety, so he serves those as the default. I'll opt for the hotter variety.

As for the standard "Mexican" rice, it left kind of a bad taste in my mouth, not much in the way of flavor, a bit on the dry side, almost something I'd skip eating in its current form.

Some things others might not know:

1. Despite the shop's nominal handful of outdoor tables, they actually do have an agreement with the largely empty adjoining restaurant so that T&S customers can sit indoors in the adjoining restaurant if they choose... which probably will become more appealing as summer approaches.

2. Jorge is experimenting with a chili margarita... I tried a sample the other night, complete with a pair of red chilis stuck like devil's horns on opposite sides of the glass. The decoration didn't do much for me, but the margarita was quite good and interesting, with just a hint of chili spice blended into the standard margarita. Definitely worth a try.

3. Dotcom and I just mentioned we were Thai Visa members, and the waiter included the restaurant's promised 15% discount without any problem. That's a nice offer on the part of the owner.

Now it's back for another visit or two to sample the other food offerings on the menu....

[Vato]

We tried Tacos & Salsa last night and it was awesome! Tacos al Pastor is our favourite and I can assure you that it tastes very much like the one sold in Mexico D.F. itself It is truly authentic - no doubt about that.

I'm not a big fan of Tex-Mex probably because the so-called Tex-Mex here in Thailand is usually very greasy and has the same taste for all dishes .. but I fell in love with the food in Mexico City and T&S is the only place we found for authentic Mexican food.

One thing about T&S is that the menu is quite small .. I wish Jorge included mole in his menu We will for sure visit T&S again!

p.s. I saw a lot of comments about which is real Mexican food .. what is difficult about that? Shouldn't real Mexican food is the kind that is cooked and eaten in Mexico???

I have never seen/eaten Tex-Mex in Thailand. I think your position is a bit biased. I also want to caution those who want to start another "Mexican" restaurant in Thailand to not mimic what is here now..........what most of us want (yes, there are exceptions) is the food we grew up on back in the USA..........especially Tex-Mex and Calif-Mex.

A major problem standing in the way is the horrible beef in Thailand (import good beef and prices go up), the lack of authentic ingredients (readily available), lack of understanding about how to make the food, and problem with staff (having to hire Thais to make Mexican food). There are othe problems, but for now I would rather eat at Taco Bell than any other place that I have tried.

No, I have not tried T&S and have no desire to do so given what I saw in the pictures.........but maybe the frijoles are good. No I have not tried Miguels in Chiang Mai but will the next time I am there.

I am saying this about Taco Bell not because I am so stupid as to not know that it is not the best..........I am saying it to put perspective on what is in Thailand now.

Some say I don't know what I am talking about because I want Tex-Mex and only know that. NO.......I have been all over...even lived in California and traveled all over Mexico. That is like saying he is bias because he likes Texas beef.

Have you eaten Texas beef........well, biased or not, it is great. And so is the Tex-Mex at many locations, including Joe T. Garcias and El Fenix.......fantastic food. Replicate that if you can.

all because im from texas (houston) doesnt mean only texmex is available...heck the majority of places in houston are authentic mexican, usually only the bastardized commercial versions such as two pesos, taco cabbana and pappacita's are tex mex.

i dont know why for the life of me, people cant mexican cooking right here in thailand...as i sit and stare at the mexican spices i had delivered to me from a mexican spice supplier.

its like picking up a cookbook is too much to ask...

[bkkjames]

I stopped by Sunday night as well with Dotcom for dinner.... and Jorge the owner is a very congenial host.

I found things both to like and not like about my first visit, which only scratched the surface of their menu, so these are just very initial impressions.

For me, I thought the standard side dish beans very very tasty and not quite like anything I've eaten before. Had a very nice spice to them. When questioned, Jorge indicated bacon is the added ingredient that gives some extra texture to the beans. Though he also indicated they have a vegetarian (no meat) version available as well.

As for the salsas, stating first that I like my salsas and women spicy , I found the two pureed salsas on offer to be pretty bland and tasteless, one prepared with red tomatoes and the other with green tomatoes. Not because of the consistency, which sort of resembles baby food, but because of the lack of zip. The middle standard chopped salsa was much better.

When asked, Jorge revealed (unfortunately almost at the end of our meal) that he actually has spicier versions of the red and green salsas available as an alternative. We tried them and for me, they hit the spot... good and spicy, regardless of the texture. Dotcom took a taste, and they had him sweating...hehehehehe.... But Jorge indicated many of his customers prefer the blander variety, so he serves those as the default. I'll opt for the hotter variety.

As for the standard "Mexican" rice, it left kind of a bad taste in my mouth, not much in the way of flavor, a bit on the dry side, almost something I'd skip eating in its current form.

Some things others might not know:

1. Despite the shop's nominal handful of outdoor tables, they actually do have an agreement with the largely empty adjoining restaurant so that T&S customers can sit indoors in the adjoining restaurant if they choose... which probably will become more appealing as summer approaches.

2. Jorge is experimenting with a chili margarita... I tried a sample the other night, complete with a pair of red chilis stuck like devil's horns on opposite sides of the glass. The decoration didn't do much for me, but the margarita was quite good and interesting, with just a hint of chili spice blended into the standard margarita. Definitely worth a try.

3. Dotcom and I just mentioned we were Thai Visa members, and the waiter included the restaurant's promised 15% discount without any problem. That's a nice offer on the part of the owner.

Now it's back for another visit or two to sample the other food offerings on the menu....

JFC, thanks for the review, I noticed no mention of flies so I guess its good. Also, go easy on the ThaiVisa reference mate for discounts, or somehow they may try to charge us a fee for being a member.

[sabaijai]

I am saying this about Taco Bell not because I am so stupid as to not know that it is not the best..........I am saying it to put perspective on what is in Thailand now.

So what you're saying is you think Taco Bell is better than a restaurant you've haven't eaten at yet, and which you have no intention of trying, based on amateur photos you've seen on a website?

And so is the Tex-Mex at many locations, including Joe T. Garcias and El Fenix.......fantastic food. Replicate that if you can.

I've enjoyed both of those restos, and have reviewed them for publication multiple times in Texas and elsewhere. Great Tex-Mex, almost as good as in San Antonio People say after El Fenix became a chain it wasn't as good as the original McKinney Ave location though, and I read that the Martinez family sold all 15 branches to a real estate company last year.

If you like those two, you will probably like Tacos & Salsa unless you're just being bullheaded for the heck of it. It's different but with many of the same flavours. Or to put it another way, Tacos & Salsa is way closer to Joe T's than it is to Taco Bell, except for portion size (which is traditional Mexican, not 'bigger-is-better', belt-busting platters).

Until they open a branch of El Fenix in Thailand, I don't think you'll find better Mexican food, even with Tex-Mex as your gold standard.

Tacos & Salsa ain't perfect, but I've yet to find anything better in Bangkok (though I've yet to try Mamacita's) for mexican or tex-mex.

[sabaijai]

I stopped by Sunday night as well with Dotcom for dinner.... and Jorge the owner is a very congenial host.

I found things both to like and not like about my first visit, which only scratched the surface of their menu, so these are just very initial impressions.

For me, I thought the standard side dish beans very very tasty and not quite like anything I've eaten before. Had a very nice spice to them. When questioned, Jorge indicated bacon is the added ingredient that gives some extra texture to the beans. Though he also indicated they have a vegetarian (no meat) version available as well.

As for the salsas, stating first that I like my salsas and women spicy , I found the two pureed salsas on offer to be pretty bland and tasteless, one prepared with red tomatoes and the other with green tomatoes. Not because of the consistency, which sort of resembles baby food, but because of the lack of zip. The middle standard chopped salsa was much better.

When asked, Jorge revealed (unfortunately almost at the end of our meal) that he actually has spicier versions of the red and green salsas available as an alternative. We tried them and for me, they hit the spot... good and spicy, regardless of the texture. Dotcom took a taste, and they had him sweating...hehehehehe.... But Jorge indicated many of his customers prefer the blander variety, so he serves those as the default. I'll opt for the hotter variety.

As for the standard "Mexican" rice, it left kind of a bad taste in my mouth, not much in the way of flavor, a bit on the dry side, almost something I'd skip eating in its current form.

Some things others might not know:

1. Despite the shop's nominal handful of outdoor tables, they actually do have an agreement with the largely empty adjoining restaurant so that T&S customers can sit indoors in the adjoining restaurant if they choose... which probably will become more appealing as summer approaches.

2. Jorge is experimenting with a chili margarita... I tried a sample the other night, complete with a pair of red chilis stuck like devil's horns on opposite sides of the glass. The decoration didn't do much for me, but the margarita was quite good and interesting, with just a hint of chili spice blended into the standard margarita. Definitely worth a try.

3. Dotcom and I just mentioned we were Thai Visa members, and the waiter included the restaurant's promised 15% discount without any problem. That's a nice offer on the part of the owner.

Now it's back for another visit or two to sample the other food offerings on the menu....

Good review, jf. The only opinion I'd differ on is the rice - I love it. Those beans are just about the best I've eaten in Mexico, Texas, anywhere.

Did you try the al pastor or the choriquezo they cook only on Sunday evenings?

[dotcom]

Jorge told us he is making a pastor every day but it sells out fast. He's making it in a skillet.

[jfchandler]

Sabaijai, agree about the beans...I've eaten a ton of frijoles in my life, made in all varieties and consistencies... But I've never had anything that quite tasted like his...

On Sunday, I had the pork filling on the Sunday special taquitos (which really are mini soft shell corn tacos). Part of the four piece set that comes with rice, beans and a beer.

[Jimmyd]

..based on amateur photos you've seen on a website?

I'm sorry, this has nothing to do with this thread, but I was very proud of the pictures we took--as good as many I have seen on professional sites. I think it would be very difficult to more accurately depict what we ate, and if you did, the difference in depiction would be subtle.

[dave9988]

i really hope they are not reusing the salsa after people stick their spoons in it. i say this because those are very large bowls of salsa.

[sabaijai]

..based on amateur photos you've seen on a website?

I'm sorry, this has nothing to do with this thread, but I was very proud of the pictures we took--as good as many I have seen on professional sites. I think it would be very difficult to more accurately depict what we ate, and if you did, the difference in depiction would be subtle.

Didn't mean to slight your photos, mate, or to say they weren't accurate. Just that one's decision to declare Taco Bell - or any restaurant for that matter - superior in taste without a taste test, is rather unusual.

i really hope they are not reusing the salsa after people stick their spoons in it. i say this because those are very large bowls of salsa.

T&S provides serving spoons with the salsa, just like in Mexico (and unlike in the USA, where Americans dip their chips directly into the serving bowls, typically), as shown in jimmyd's excellent photography.

[bkkjames]

..based on amateur photos you've seen on a website?

I'm sorry, this has nothing to do with this thread, but I was very proud of the pictures we took--as good as many I have seen on professional sites. I think it would be very difficult to more accurately depict what we ate, and if you did, the difference in depiction would be subtle.

Didn't mean to slight your photos, mate, or to say they weren't accurate. Just that one's decision to declare Taco Bell - or any restaurant for that matter - superior in taste without a taste test, is rather unusual.

i really hope they are not reusing the salsa after people stick their spoons in it. i say this because those are very large bowls of salsa.

T&S provides serving spoons with the salsa, just like in Mexico (and unlike in the USA, where Americans dip their chips directly into the serving bowls, typically), as shown in jimmyd's excellent photography.

But in America, they don't use a knife and fork to eat pizza - must give this restaurant a try, maybe tonight, meet my mrs at Asoke Bts and up soi 18 you say?

[jfchandler]

Right around the corner on the right hand side of the street coming off the main road...first block... Don't look for a Mexican restaurant... Look for the row of tables on the outside of the Indian restaurant that's there... Then you'll see T & S...

[bkkjames]

Right around the corner on the right hand side of the street coming off the main road...first block... Don't look for a Mexican restaurant... Look for the row of tables on the outside of the Indian restaurant that's there... Then you'll see T & S...

cheers, i have been craving this for days!! great with my hangover today

[dotcom]

Pavillion.

[sabaijai]

For hangovers I recommend the chilaquiles or huevos rancheros.

[TheWalkingMan]

Part of me says that I should head back to East Oakland, work at a taqueria (wrong spelling - it's whiskey nite!) and a rib joint for a bit and open a shop in Bangkok. I do miss those steak and chicken burrito combos along with some bbq.

TheWalkingMan