Osiris Hoil tells me that he’s from Yucatan, Mexico, near Merida, and I tell him that I just visited the peninsula this summer.  We instantly bond. Specifically, we bond over the famous longaniza from Valladolid, these long ropes of sour and smokey sausages sold from roadside stands throughout the central part of the Yucatan.

Then, as if he just remembers it, Hoil breaks the important news about the breakfast bite I just order at his District Taco stand in Rosslyn: Its sausage is very similar to those Valladolid links. Hoil says he buys the sausages from a Latin market at Loehmann’s Plaza in Falls Church.  I mentally record this information as if it were a state secret.

Then I dig into what has to be the best breakfast taco I’ve had since leaving Houston.

Read More “Rosslyn Is Your Place for Breakfast Tacos” »

In response to yesterday’s admittedly cheap-and-easy post on Pica Taco’s name (hey, I blame Loose Lips for any cultural slights caused by this!), Stefanie Gans at Endless Simmer wrote in to explain the true inspiration behind the shop’s moniker.

Writes Gans (mostly known as Gansie in local food circles):

Read More “This Just In: Definitive Evidence on Where Pica Taco Got Its Name” »

Tacos, I’m beginning to think, are the trendiest food in town, which, if nothing else, helps justify my reckless appetite for these hand-held babies.

The evidence: At Masa 14, I  devoured the brilliantly conceived and simply executed pork belly al pastor taco, in which a sweet, slightly deflated Chinese steamed bun stands in for corn tortillas. I circled ’round and ’round Dupont Circle, then stood in a cold miserable drizzle to sample the scorching, salsa-drenched offerings at the new Tomatillo Taqueria. And I’ve eaten my way through various animal parts at the humble Hyattsville operation, Taqueria La Placita.

Today, I stopped by Pica Taco, which prepares what is the best lengua taco I’ve had ’round these parts. Stuffed into a pair of commercial tortillas, which are warmed on a sandwich griddle, the tongue is cut into thick dices and slow cooked until the texture is closer to foie gras than the chewy slabs so often associated with the organ meat. The simple onion-and-cilantro garnishes, with a small squirt of jalapeno-based salsa, brings out the tongue’s subtle, slightly livery flavor. It’s a terrific taco, even if you don’t like tongue.

I had to admit to Loose Lips, however, that I didn’t have a clue about Pica’s name. That’s when he told me about the eating disorder known as “pica.” The definition is after the jump, but after reading it, I really think someone needs to suggest that Pica change its handle. I’m sure the owner has no clue…

Read More “Pica Taco: Much Better Than Eating Dirt” »

Part of what I love about ethnic eateries (you know, I’m beginning to hate the term “ethnic” in conjunction with restaurants, but I can’t come up with an umbrella term that works in its place) is the sense of being dropped into another world. To me, it’s part of the pleasure of eating at small, mom-and-pop Latino or Asian or Indian restaurants — that feeling like you have escaped your usual routine, your regular environment, for something different. It’s like overseas travel, without the add-on baggage fees.

My recent visit to Taqueria La Placita is the perfect example. The place feels untouched by American culture, which is part of the reason I adore it. Check out more photos after the jump, including one for some very tasty Mexican “chips.”

Read More “A Look Inside (and Outside) at Taqueria La Placita” »

The jukebox is thumping at Taqueria La Placita, this humble Hyattsville operation with the rusting-metal mariachi frogs perched on the roof.  The song is Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean,” whose bass line is almost rattling the wood tables, where Latino families have gathered on a Saturday afternoon to socialize and sample some of the best tacos in the metro area.  It feels like I’ve just crashed a party.

Somehow over the din, we manage to place our order at the counter: two al pastor tacos, two cecina, one lengua, one chorizo, and one barbacoa. Each taco comes wrapped in two griddled tortillas that are slightly puffy and altogether bursting with corn flavor. The price is right: Most of the tacos are $2 each. 

Read More “Dish of the Week: Tacos at La Placita in Hyattsville” »

Don’t worry,  Y&H didn’t know that the Fast Foodie had left, either. I just stumbled upon these videos this morning and fell for the character played by Hannes Phinney when he said, “I got to get back to basics. I got to get back to my reality. My reality is burgers and fries, tacos, extreme burritos and french fries and burritos and overstuffed nachos and occasional breakfast sandwiches.”

You can watch more Fast Foodie videos here.

The Calbi Korean BBQ truck

These eerie, elegant, silent videos on Los Angeles’ food trucks speak volumes about the richness of the city’s street snacks — and the dearth of decent offerings we still have in the District. Take a look at the vids after the jump and try not to drool with resentment.
Read More “Mobilecraving’s Vids on L.A. Food Trucks: Try Not to Drool with Resentment” »

Super Tacos’ super gordita

Super Tacos & Bakery sounds either like a joke — with its affected comic-book adjective — or an ESL owner’s attempt to appeal to gringos. Whatever the case, the name doesn’t give you any perspective on this tiny take-out on Columbia Road NW, which clings to the Hispanic traditions that once defined the Adams Morgan neighborhood.

The tacos are prepared Mexican-style, the fillings folded inside a double-layer of corn tortillas and sprinkled with cilantro and diced onions, those two towering aromatics of Latin American cuisine. Despite the authentic prep, all ST&B tacos are not alike; the carne asada leans toward the tough and chewy, while the fine-grind chorizo smacks of too much cumin. The best tacos, I’ve found, are the meaty lengua and the piquant, seasoned al pastor.

Read More “Spot Check: Super Tacos & Bakery” »

One by one, we’re running through the 50 restaurants that made the cut on this year’s Young & Hungry Dining Guide. If you have visited the day’s featured restaurant, let us know what you think. If you’re planning to visit for the first time, tell us about your meal when you return.

I absolutely refuse to feel ashamed that D.C.’s best taqueria is run by a Harvard-grad gringa with a James Beard Award to her credit. Hell, if that were the case, I’d also have to feel bad that one of the District’s best hamburgers is produced by a Frenchman (Michel Richard at Central). The truth is, Ann Cashion is a student of la cocina mexicana, and her tiny takeout behind Johnny’s Half Shell proves she has deep respect for a cuisine too often bastardized for an easy buck. (You listening, you Salvadoran-Mexican joints?) I’m still trying to figure out how her corn tortillas taste so fresh when they’re not even made in house.

Taqueria Nacional, 400 N. Capitol St. NW, (202) 737-7070

Photo by Darrow Montgomery

For some reason, whenever folks talk about local street food, they rarely, if ever, mention the taco and pupusa trucks in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties. Perhaps it’s a cultural thing? A geographical issue? A complete lack of interest in Salvadoran cuisine?

Whatever the reason, I’d like to seriously change the tenor of our street-food discussions. Let me say this straight up: Some of the most authentic and most delicious street food is prepared and served from those mobile taquerias and pupuserias in Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.

Take, for example, the Sabor Latino truck, which is tucked behind the Chevron station at 8550 Piney Branch Road in Silver Spring.

Read More “Best of D.C. Hunting: Head North for Quality Street Fare” »