New Taco Stand in Central Pattaya

[Jingthing]

What's in the guacamole? I can't even find avocados recently in Pattaya. To make real guacamole from good cados would cost more than those tacos. So is it just green mayonnaise?

[Dannyboy666]

Whatever happened to that Mexican place in Soi Buakhao where I thought the food was pretty reasonable?

I understood he closed so that he could open a bigger place somewhere else. Did it happen?

Do you mean the place with the tacos that tasted very similar to Sunrise chain style?

Assuming so, no, I don't think they are anywhere else.

I can't comment regarding their tacos because every time I went there I couldn't resist having their California burritos

. With Fries San Diego Style or. San Fran style

[Jimmyd]

I eventually tried this taco stand. They said they had been closed the day I went because they went tieow. Fair enough. I had some tacos.

The last time I was there I sat at the bar part of the stand so I could see how they were being made. For my tacos a fresch cut of seasoned beef was cooked in a pan while this was happening she was also cooking a tortillia that she rolled in front of me and then hand chopped the beef for the steak tacos. I was surprised to see this as most resturants make batches a head of time for the day and then re-heat them to save time so I appreciate the freshness that comes with making food from scratch. I wish them luck but as I said before they will seem unfamiliar to most people as they will expect an American/tex-mex taco and not a taco as one would get in Mexico.

I have eaten tacos in Mexico and I have eaten 'tex-mex' tacos. This was neither. The tortillas were cooked from scratch--I agree. But they were 'cooked' badly. The fillings were ok, but I couldn't get over the fact that I was eating them on a badly cooked tortilla (neither grilled nor fried, simply electrified). It's like having a sandwich with gourmet ingredients (parma ham with aged cheddar, you decide) on Wonderbread. Ain't never gonna work. I hope they learn--there is potential there.

[Jingthing]

So when you order the taco plate there what exactly is presented?

The tortillas and meat, yes.
But what's else on the tacos, if anything?

For example "con todo" onions and cilantro?

What else?

What is offered on the side to season, if anything?

It's 3 for 99?

[Jingthing]

Also a question about what the tortillas are made of.

Are they corn or flour?

Tasting like soft wonder bread ... sounds like poor flour tortillas.

Yellow like corn as reported here but not tasting like corn?

So what's going on with the tortillas?

[marinediscoking]

Here are 3 steak taco's that I had for 99 baht. @JimmyD I'm not sure about fried or grilled taco shells. Places I have been where they make their own are cooked over a fire with a flat piece of medal of top of the pit. Guess you could call that grilling. Seems she is using an 2 sided home electric tortilla cooker that cooks both sides quickly. @jingthing they are corn and lettuce, cilantro, onion salsa is on them. She may put some cheese on them I prefer them without.

[Jingthing]

Tacos shouldn't have cheese. Encouraging that the owner seems to know that but will indulge those who need it.

I was afraid they were served with mayo on them, that would be disgusting.

They look worth trying. The meat looks like it might be OK. The tortillas do look odd.

Even the radish (and of course the lime) is a nice (authentic) touch.

What the heck, Katie bar the door, time to spring the 99.

Edited May 22, 2015 by Jingthing

[jwdub]

Look out Happy Taco, Here comes JT the 99 baht big spender LOL!

[OMGImInPattaya]

Here are 3 steak taco's that I had for 99 baht. @JimmyD I'm not sure about fried or grilled taco shells. Places I have been where they make their own are cooked over a fire with a flat piece of medal of top of the pit. Guess you could call that grilling. Seems she is using an 2 sided home electric tortilla cooker that cooks both sides quickly. @jingthing they are corn and lettuce, cilantro, onion salsa is on them. She may put some cheese on them I prefer them without.

Looks decent...just needs a sprinkling of cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream.

[Awohalitsiktoli]

Here are 3 steak taco's that I had for 99 baht. @JimmyD I'm not sure about fried or grilled taco shells. Places I have been where they make their own are cooked over a fire with a flat piece of medal of top of the pit. Guess you could call that grilling. Seems she is using an 2 sided home electric tortilla cooker that cooks both sides quickly. @jingthing they are corn and lettuce, cilantro, onion salsa is on them. She may put some cheese on them I prefer them without.

Thanks for that post. It is hard to believe that you get three large tacos for 99 bhat. The image that you posted makes me want to at least try them. But the tortilla looks very strange like some twisted version of Taco Bell (I hope not).

Given what is inside the tacos, it would not be that hard to make "soft tacos" like this (pic is from one of the best taquerias in the USA):

[Tolley]

I don't know what people expect for 99 baht but if they were eatable then I guess they are a bargain at that price!

The only way you are going to get anything good is to make them yourself and you will spend a fair bit more than 99baht to get good quality ingredients.

[cloghead]

@marinediscoking: "Seems she is using an 2 sided home electric tortilla cooker that cooks both sides quickly"

I think I've seen those kind of tortilla cookers before...like this?

If she's making the tortillas from scratch she may be putting a ball of dough and pressing it to shape with:

& cooking in a 'comal'--Spanish for skillet:

or...

A large grill:

[Jimmyd]

They are indeed using an electric tortilla press as in the first picture above. The problem is that such devices do not cook the tortillas, they *precook* them. The electric press's only purpose is to make pressing easier, especially for flour tortillas (which usually can't be done with a press). After they are pressed out, they should be cooked on a comal or some other very hot pan or griddle.

They apparently don't understand this and they are serving half-cooked corn tortillas, which have an unpleasant gritty texture, do not hold together well, and of course do not taste very good.

Having said this, it is easily correctable, and the fillings show promise. I haven't given up on the place yet, but the half-cooked tortillas really show that they are making and serving things that don't taste very good and aren't even aware of it. Scary.

Edited May 24, 2015 by Jimmyd

[marinediscoking]

They are indeed using an electric tortilla press as in the first picture above. The problem is that such devices do not cook the tortillas, they *precook* them. The electric press's only purpose is to make pressing easier, especially for flour tortillas (which usually can't be done with a press). After they are pressed out, they should be cooked on a comal or some other very hot pan or griddle.

They apparently don't understand this and they are serving half-cooked corn tortillas, which have an unpleasant gritty texture, do not hold together well, and of course do not taste very good.

Having said this, it is easily correctable, and the fillings show promise. I haven't given up on the place yet, but the half-cooked tortillas really show that they are making and serving things that don't taste very good and aren't even aware of it. Scary.

I just don't understand why such a big deal is being made about the tortillas. Of course they are not going to be exactly like they are in the states or in Mexico. When you have to use what is available locally like thai corn, probably the worst corn I have had, and the water is much different here. The owner of NY Pizza house told me it took 80 hours of two people trying to get a passable dough, and this was being done by a 3rd generation pizza maker before they would open. People in the USA complain about Chicago pizza not ever tasting right outside of chicago even when they go the expense of having the water shipped from there to make it. Honestly I have had much much worst tacos in the USA. In Mexico they were made differently in every region (state) I have been there. So I allow some forgiveness when a restaurant here makes foreign food here and do not expect it to be the same as there. As I posted before she learned how to make them from a mexican family in LA not a mexican/american and she is using the same method she was taught by them to make them here. Otherwise she would have to buy the bangkok donitas brand or imported and I don't think it would make much of difference anyway expect a higher price.

[Jingthing]

Why are tortillas for tacos a big deal?

Are you having a laugh?

Tortillas and meat are the two main ingredients of tacos.

So why can't she grill them ... she doesn't know ... there isn't a way to do this technically for her? I don't get it.

[Jimmyd]

So why can't she grill them ... she doesn't know ... there isn't a way to do this technically for her? I don't get it.

I tried to explain to her *after* she asked my opinion, but I didn't at that point know that the electric press was not intended to fully cook the tortillas--I had to google that afterwards. I told her she should go to Foodland and buy some tortillas to compare.

The stove she has is one of those small ones with the tiny gas canisters. It definitely doesn't generate enough heat to cook the tortillas properly (at least not quickly). In addition, the steak and such that she makes cooks quite slowly, but they marinate it (quite well actually) so that comes out ok. They would be better off if they had a proper propane stove, plus it would be a hell of a lot cheaper to operate.

[Jingthing]

Interesting.

Maybe she needs to pay an Indian restaurant to cook them for her in bulk

Tortillas are kind of like CHAPATI, yes?

Edited May 24, 2015 by Jingthing

[marinediscoking]

Apparently we have some "hands on" experienced tortilla makers living in Patttaya.

@JT were you serious about the chapati comment? Aren't they always made from wheat not corn and cooked a completely different way?

[Jingthing]

I'm serious about the GRILLING of them as are done for Tawa roti (chapati).

Not tandoori oven breads, that's different.

Indian chefs know about making breads.

This lady clearly doesn't.

An Indian chef could learn how to do it properly.

I wasn't saying use chapatis ... I'm saying use trained bread chefs to modify their chapatis to make tortillas.

Tortillas are sometimes flour (for burritos) and should be corn for tacos.

The raw ingredient is another matter. I reckon she can't or isn't sourcing the actual stuff needed for corn tacos.

If the tortillas are only half "cooked" as reported that is not a trivial flaw. That is a major flaw.

If she could deliver better tasting tacos and it cost more to source from an Indian restaurant, I reckon there is room in the market for a price higher than 99 for 3.

Having great tacos with decent tasting tortillas would be a big deal here and she could get some pricing power by having that.

Do you think Indian food customers in town would be satisfied with half "cooked" breads?

Well, they wouldn't. Why should Mexican food customers pretend things are OK when they aren't?

BTW, there is an Indian food and you can get it in town that involves a delicious griddle cooked flat CORN bread served with green vegetables. No, it's nothing like a tortilla because it's very thick, but my idea really isn't as strange as it sounds. Indian and Mexican food have a good bit in common. I'm sure there are Indian chefs in town who could pull this off.

You can get this dish at Saras restaurant, Royal Garden Mall and I think a few other places.

Edited May 24, 2015 by Jingthing

[marinediscoking]

Jingthing how many times have you eaten there?

[Awohalitsiktoli]

Apparently we have some "hands on" experienced tortilla makers living in Patttaya.

@JT were you serious about the chapati comment? Aren't they always made from wheat not corn and cooked a completely different way?

For the record, we do have a ThaiVisa member (Kikoman) who has made fresh corn tortillas using local ingredients, and he has posted how to do it here:

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/663304-you-can-make-your-own-corn-tortillas-at-home-in-thailand/

It can be done. Here are some of his pictures:

Step 1:

Step 2:

Step 3:

[Jingthing]

Jingthing how many times have you eaten there?

None obviously.

I'm going on the reports that there is an issue with the tortillas. Also I can tell by the pictures there is something odd about those tortillas compared to normal expectations.

I'm not rushing to go there either based on those reports.

I will probably try it of course, but I hope there can be improvement.

I don't believe in accepting that decent Mexican food can't be done in Thailand.

That was the old excuse before some places in Bangkok proved that wrong.

Food is unusually important to me.

I don't like to waste stomach space on meals that don't satisfy.

If I can't get Mexican food in town that meets my standards, I'd rather eat other types of food here that does, like Indian, Italian, and Thai.

Don't even bother posting an insulting reply to this, that I shouldn't comment on food that I haven't tasted myself. That might be valid if I was claiming that I have but I have never made such a claim.

To add, I did taste the corn tortilla tacos at Sunrise Jomtien when they were still open many many times and the tortillas were never really close to my expectations but I liked the salsa bar and I usually ordered burritos (large flour tortilla, easier here) there anyway.

So I know doing the corn tortillas commercially is hard to do in Thailand but sometimes hard things are worth doing and there is a potential financial reward in Pattaya for the first business that does that here.

Edited May 24, 2015 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

Funny story. True story. I stopped by about 10 minutes ago and they were shut. So apparently not a late night place.

Sent from my Lenovo S820_ROW using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[I loveTravel]

I have to say some thing , two days ago I went thereearly and I saw them have a big pot steaming and I asked them what was it inside ? They said it is Tamales""""" I asked if I buy sk. E but they said that they made them for a family who is having a special party,,,, but the lady asked me if I liked shredded beef and chicken ? I told her yes I do '' she gave me a plate with two tamales wrapped in fresh corn husk ' she said I rather use fresh husk than dry which she couldn't find them ' I tasted the hot steaming beef it was like the best tamales I have ever had and to make it more exciting she put in front of me a bottle of Mr , Talaton hot sauce , I told her where did do you buy it? She said I didn't buy it , it was a gift from one of my American customer who bought it in the USA , I asked her to make it for the public as well, she smiled and said it takes time but since you like it that means a lot to us ' she told me here tortillas is going to be soft because she forgot to add baking powder to the flour so that is why it came out flat, to her defence she just opened it a month ago and she will ask her friends in America to ship her what she used before but I am looking forward to my tamales aand Thanks for Mr Tapas is it made my day , she refused to take money so instead I left them a big tip

[Jingthing]

OMG. Tamales!

Why not just specialize in that?

Nobody is doing that.

Too much work. Hire some grunts with the profits.

You know good tamales are a kind of food that I think the vast majority of people anywhere in the world would love from the first bite.

I think most people living or visiting Pattaya have never tasted a good tamale (or perhaps no tamale).

A business specializing in that could offer free bite samples to create the future addicts.

In the U.S. I have seen tamale stands outside large markets ... that's all they sell, tamales, why not here?

(Answer -- maybe the ingredients to make it not sold here?)

So many businesses in Pattaya are COPYCATS ... I really wish more entrepreneurs would take a chance with something NEW to the market.

Edited May 25, 2015 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

OK, I did make it to the new Taco stand to check it out and this time found them open at about 8 P.M.

I was the only customer.

The young lady working there didn't speak any English at all or if she did, she denied it when asked.

I didn't try Spanish.

There is a printed menu showing tacos, burritos, quesadillas, and kind of fried chicken thing, enough said about that.

No prices on the menu but the lady knew the word -- 99.

I ordered the steak tacos.

As said before you get 3.

The meat appeared to be precooked and just warmed up in a frying pan. Weirdly, when presented, the meat was cold. I can't explain that, I saw it being put in the pan.

It was Thai beef of course, but surprisingly not tough ... but there wasn't really any flavor.

The tortillas are traditional Mexican small and to someone seeking traditional Mexican tacos, they LOOK somewhat promising to the eye.

To people who are used to more "international" tacos ... they will find the tacos SMALL.

The texture of the tortillas was all wrong as well as the pretty much non-existent flavor. Mine weren't "soft" as others had reported ... instead they tasted like STALE versions of tortillas that may have been soft before, who knows, I only had what I had ... stale. In any case, they just aren't the real deal by any stretch of the imagination. Super politely -- not good.

Also on the tacos was some shredded green stuff and some chopped onions. OK with that.

The tomato "salsa" such as it was was both spooned on each taco and served in a side dish. Sliced radish as garnish. Lime not offered. The salsa had not only no kick of chili, but really no flavor of any kind.

I didn't see any bottled hot sauces offered. I didn't want tabasco sauce. I would have wanted some of the actual Mexican stuff mentioned here but I didn't want to ask for any special favors and I thought it was more real to just eat what any customer would get. After all if bottled sauces are hidden, that's not the normal offering. It really wouldn't have made this a "happy taco" experience for me anyway ... lipstick on a pig and all that.

Well that was my first and last try of their tacos unless there are reports of major improvement.

Oh well!

You know how sometimes food is described as a flavor bomb? Well these tacos were more like a flavor nada.

I enjoyed the radish slices. The bottled water was well presented ... in a bottle. There was undoubtedly nutritional value in the meal.

To add, it took over 10 minutes to prepare my tacos, so in a way not even "fast food" so the place is not scaled up for a lot of business.

Edited May 25, 2015 by Jingthing

[Jingthing]

Look out Happy Taco, Here comes JT the 99 baht big spender LOL!

Yes.

I came.

I saw.

I tasted.

I ate.

I went away.

I won't be back!

[Jingthing]

I know the owners because I go there so much.ghey actually know what I want now they make tostadas large or medium . I eat the shredded beef tostada with guacamole which they had to make it for me fresh and add it to my dish with rice and bean and all the salsa . It looked so big but I took my time enjoying it and took a shredded beef buri to with every thing to go . To my surprise they had the chapole hot I am glad they decided to open a mexican place .i

It sounds like you are getting special things that regular customers aren't getting.

Guacamole?

Really? Do you know how expensive avocados are these days?

[Jingthing]

I stopped by this place today to try their tacos out, and I have to say, it was the worst attempt at making a taco I've ever had. .

...

You said it amigo!

Look the place is in a high traffic area, near some bars. Assuming the operation can scale up the production efficiency (10 minutes is really too long to wait for a street stand taco when you're the only customer; imagine if a group of 10 drunks had shown up, not pretty) it probably has good commercial potential for one off tourists. I wish them good luck.

But for expats seeking actually satisfying Mexican food ... um, not so much.

I was just thinking about how shockingly BLAND the food was there. It was even bland by Russian food standards. For Mexican food to be super bland ... that's weird. It occurs to me just BASIC SEASONING the food might have helped a bit, like salt and pepper when cooking the meat.

Edited May 25, 2015 by Jingthing

[smokie36]

I stopped by this place today to try their tacos out, and I have to say, it was the worst attempt at making a taco I've ever had. .

...

You said it amigo!

Look the place is in a high traffic area, near some bars. Assuming the operation can scale up the production efficiency (10 minutes is really too long to wait for a street stand taco when you're the only customer; imagine if a group of 10 drunks had shown up, not pretty) it probably has good commercial potential for one off tourists. I wish them good luck.

But for expats seeking actually satisfying Mexican food ... um, not so much.

I was just thinking about how shockingly BLAND the food was there. It was even bland by Russian food standards. For Mexican food to be super bland ... that's weird. It occurs to me just BASIC SEASONING the food might have helped a bit, like salt and pepper when cooking the meat.

Its a real shame no one has yet got the Mexican food nailed in Pattaya.....maybe its just too expensive for the place?

The successful places in Bangkok tend to do great business at lunchtime with office workers.....and key I think is the number of Thais I see eating there.

If you can't get Thai customers you are losing a massive amount of potential.

Thais in Bangkok will pay 300 Baht for good Mexican food....will they in Pattaya?