@print/online: The Taco Stand, Restaurant and Bar Guide
Fall 2015
@date: September 30, 2015
@section: Arts and Lifestyle
@words: 541
@byline1: Christine Whitman
@byline2: Senior Staff Writer
For some reason, there seems to be a highly rated restaurant
offering authentic Mexican cuisine on every street corner in
San Diego, except in La Jolla. But as it turns out, San
Diegans can find a family owned taquería less than two miles
from the shoreline after a long day of beach activities.
Located on Pearl St., The Taco Stand originally opened its
doors to the public in 2013, and is currently scheduled to
open another location in Encinitas later this year.
The Taco Stand opens at 11 a.m. everyday and closes at 9
p.m. on weekdays and 10 p.m. on weekends, giving local La
Jolla residents plenty of time to enjoy what the
establishment has to offer. The restaurant’s menu includes a
variety of options for breakfast, lunch and dinner. But the
Taco Stand sees its largest crowds during the evening hours,
especially on Taco Tuesday where the price per taco
decreases.
The shop has a assortment of tacos, one of the most popular,
the Al Pastor ($3), consisting of rotisserie marinate pork on a
corn tortilla topped with cilantro, onion, cilantro sauce,
salsa, and interestingly—pineapple.
Although The Taco Stand offers several sauces to accompany
its dishes, including mild chipotle, medium heat cilantro and
salsa verde; its recommended to try the taco individually
without adding the additional sauces to absorb the spiciness
of the cilantro and the sweetness of the pineapple in a single
bite.
While a California burrito ($7.09) can certainty be enjoyed at
almost every establishment offering Mexican cuisine, it never
hurts to try another. The Taco Stand’s take on the classic
entre features Angus steak, cheese, fries, guacamole, tomato,
and sour crème wrapped in a flour tortilla.
As a general warning, don’t be surprised if the first bite
contains solely tomatoes because every bite following is a
mixture of the listed ingredients. The freshness of each
ingredient pairs nicely with the plethora of sauces mentioned
earlier, in the simplest terms—go crazy.
Surf and turf burritos are commonly held on high pedestals
as a crowd favorite, although the Mar y Tierra ($8.29)
featuring, grilled shrimp, Angus steak, melted cheese,
cabbage, avocado, tomato and chipotle sauce wrapped in a
flour tortilla held up to the establishment’s high standards of
taste, it may loose in a taste test against other restaurants
offering almost identical dishes in San Diego.
The Angus steak is seasoned to perfection, but the seasoning
on the grilled shrimp seems to be lacking, simply thrown in
for the added texture.
The establishment offers both indoor table and outdoor
bench seating, allowing small groups to inhale the mouthwatering aroma of marinated pork, and large groups to soak
up the sun and enjoy the occasional sea breeze.
Besides the array of tacos and burritos on the menu, The
Taco Stand also serves imported bottled beer to clientele of
legal drinking age, as well as Mexican Coca-Cola, Jamaica
and Horchata for all ages. For customers craving something
sweet, fruit popsicles in a variety of flavors, as well as
Rosarito-style churros, three per order, are also available.
The two burritos and taco combination totaled $18.38 plus
tax, which is more than affordable for such advanced
combinations of flavors.
Don’t forget, The Taco Stand going up, on a Tuesday.
@Copy:
The Taco Stand Website
http://letstaco.com