Tag: asada

Tacos on a Tuesday with Tacos El Precioso

Tacos El Precioso @ Eli’s Mile High Club

I recently caught up with Devin Gonzalez – owner of Tacos El Precioso – at his regular Tuesday pop up at Eli’s Mile High Club, a bar / music venue on Martin Luther King Blvd in Oakland, CA. I know what you’re thinking…tacos on a Tuesday?! What can I say? I like to live on the edge. 😛

“How did all of this start?”

Having worked in restaurants, people close to him encouraged him to start his own thing.

“…they would tell me you can really do this, your food is good!”

And so, after some more urging, Devin decided to give it a go. Tacos El Precioso has been up and running for about a year. Gonzalez is working hard to fill out his schedule with pop ups at local bars, business, and private events. He has pop ups around Oakland throughout the month, including pop ups @ Temescal Brewing Company and a Vegan Pozole Pop Up @ Hasta Muerta Coffee.

The name Taco El Precioso comes from a nickname that his grandmother gave to him as her first grandchild. (Precioso meaning precious.)

“It’s tacos, you can’t take it too seriously, so why not?” Devin explains.

Vegan Pozole – Tacos El Precioso

It’s with that approach Gonzalez handles his business and his food: nothing too pretentious, just good food. But sometimes Gonzalez needs a little assist with the pop up and on this Tuesday, his friend Shelly helps whip up food while Andrea handles the orders.

“We’re all friends!” they tell me, and that comes shining through when you talk with them, as well as the way they work together.

But now, let’s talk food. On the menu the evening of my visit were carne asada, cauliflower pastor, chicken tinga, shrimp ceviche tostada, vegan pozole, and Mexican ice cream sandwiches. I did not indulge in the ice cream sandwiches this time around (sad, I know  )

Asada X Cauliflover Pastor X Chicken Tinga – Tacos El Precioso

I’ll start by saying these tacos were gorgeous. The colors, the smells: it was a thing of beauty. Everything I ate was high quality and super flavorful. If I had to choose, the standouts for me were the chicken tinga taco and the shrimp ceviche tostada. The chicken tinga almost melted in your mouth, with a rich, hearty flavor in the chicken and a hint of sweetness on the back end.

Shrimp Ceviche – Tacos El Precioso

The ceviche was super light and gave a nice burst of freshness to accompany my beer. The softness of the shrimp combined with the crunch of the tostada made for the perfect bite. Oh, and then there was the cauliflower pastor. You don’t say? Its good – trust me.

Devin Gonzalez (center) gets an assist from friends Shelly (left) and Andrea (right)

Had a great time during my visit. Next time I’ll have to try the ice cream sandwhiches.Overall I find that the crew that makes up Tacos El Precioso is just a good group of people making really good food – and having some fun while doing it.

You can catch Taco El Precioso at their weekly pop up @ Eli’s Mile High Club.

To schedule Tacos El Precioso for your next event, go to tacosperciso.com

Be sure to follow them on INSTAGRAM: @tacoselprecioso.

April 16, 2018
Taco Spot Review: Casa Latina Bakery Berkeley, CA

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Located on San Pablo Avenue in Berkeley, Casa Latina Bakery is a popular spot in the neighborhood. After driving by it so many times – en

route from Oakland to Berkeley – it was time to finally check out this sometimes bustling taqueria.

In the main dining hall, paintings of Frida Kahlo line the walls. The dining area has several tables along the wall and there are two larger tables in the middle of the dining room. There is also a small platform/stage in the back of the room. It was not immediately clear if they ever have live music. (I hope they do).

Casa Latina offers a variety of taco options. Their Tacos de Plaza are served with two small tortillas and with a choice of salsas: mild salsa fresca, medium green tomatillo salsa, and a spicy chile de Arbol salsa. Choices for taco fillings include Pollo Asado (grilled chicken), Carnitas (pork), Carne Asada (steak), Chorizo (Mexican pork sausage), Al Pastor (pork marinated in adobo seasoning), and Barbacoa (slow-cooked shredded beef). In addition to Tacos de Plaza, Casa Latina has options such as Tacos Dorados, Taquitos de Papa (rolled potato tacos), a veggie taco (includes black beans, mushrooms and spinach), shrimp, grilled fish, and beer battered fish tacos.

Outside of the tacos, Casa Latina offers expected taqueria options such as burritos, nachos, quesadillas, and pupusas. Being a bakery, there are also a number of baked goods available. As you walk into the restaurant, you’ll see display cases full of delicious looking baked goods. I am not well versed in Mexican pastries so on this visit I passed.

casa latina display case

One of the things I really liked when ordering was the cashier asking which level of heat I wanted for my tacos. Naturally, I requested the spicier salsa. I normally assume ‘spicy’ at a restaurant means they added a jalapeno to the salsa. The spicy salsa at Casa Latina was not the typical spicy. It was right kind of heat: just enough to feel your taste buds light up, but not enough to clear your sinuses.

Asada X Chorizo X Barbacoa

For this visit, I got 3 tacos: 1 Asada, 1 Chorizo, and 1 Barbacoa. These tacos were outstanding. On first look, I thought the steak was a little overdone but I think it was just the charring from the grill. The steak was tender and well-flavored. The Chorizo was pure spicy goodness. Paired with the spicy salsa it was heat heaven for a spice hound like myself. The barbacoa was a little disappointing. While the flavor was nice, I got mostly fat on my plate.

All in all, I really liked Casa Latina’s well-prepared, bright, vibrant food. It’s an awesome place to host a group or to meet a friend. The restaurant is busy but not too loud. There was great artwork on the walls, as well as some good people watching out of the windows that look onto San Pablo Ave. While some of their offerings are pricier than other taquerias in the area ($6.50 for a fish taco), Casa Latina executes their dishes with authenticity and skill. If you’re in the neighborhood and looking for a more refined taco experience you should check out Casa Latina.

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November 20, 2017
Taco Spot Review: The Burrito Truck Emeryville Califronia

The Burrito Truck Emeryville Logo

The bright red/orange caught the corner of my eye while driving down San Pablo Avenue in Emeryville. As I walked up, I realized that the name and the truck looked super familiar. It took a moment and I realized that it used to be stationed at a gas station on San Pablo Avenue in North Oakland. The Burrito Truck had been recommended to me, but like food trucks do sometimes, it had mysteriously disappeared from its previous location.

The Burito Truck – Emeryville

The Burrito Truck Emeryville Menu

Although the name is The Burrito Truck, as you could guess, I was there for the tacos. On this trip, I got 5 tacos in total: one asada, one chorizo, one chicken, one suadero, and one carnitas. Of the 5, I felt that the chicken and suadero were the best. The chicken was nice and juicy with a subtle sear, while the suadero was super tender and flavorful. I was not as impressed with the chorizo taco. I was expecting a little more heat. With that said, all of the tacos were well prepared and fresh off the griddle. They come served with jalapenos, radish, pickled carrots, and a lime wedge. The food did seem to come out at a pretty smooth pace.

I arrived there just before the lunch rush. There are several warehouses and office buildings within walking distance, so by the time I left there was a steady stream of customers. There are a few small colorful stools near the truck for people to sit outside and enjoy their food. Otherwise, there is no seating.

The Burrito Truck Emeryville

Overall this is a really solid truck. The fillings were super flavorful. The truck is parked right along the Emeryville greenway so you could ride your bike over if you’re in the neighborhood. The truck also accepts debit/credit, which is nice. This seems like a great spot to get your taco (or burrito) fix if you work in the area.

It looks like The Burrito Truck is primarily a Monday – Friday taco spot. They are parked across from 1255 67th Ave from 10 am – 4 pm Monday through Friday.

October 28, 2017
Corners Café – 8711 MacArthur Blvd Oakland California 94605

The space inside Corners Café is bright and welcoming. Walking in, you definitely get the vibe that this is a community café. Employees from Youth Uprising next door, as well students were there enjoying the atmosphere. Out the windows you could see kids working on their tricks at the skate park and kids playing tag in the grass in front of the building.

Corners Café shares a building with Youth Uprising

There are a lot of things to like about Corners Café. They source local and sustainable ingredients. Aside from tacos, the menu includes breakfast and lunch options such as burgers, salads, etc. Nestled in the corner are nice couches where customers can sit and relax. There are a few tables for seating that would be awesome to order a coffee and relax with a book.

But, let’s make no mistake; I was there for there for the Tacos. ((((HEAD’S UP at the time of this writing, tacos are only available as a special on Tuesdays.)))) As a part of their Taco Tuesdays, there are 4 options: Steak, Chicken, Veggie, and Shrimp. On this visit, I went with 2 steak and 2 chicken. Both the chicken and the steak are served on warmed – almost crispy – white corn tortillas that have melted cheese. They are then topped with a mild red salsa, red onion, and cilantro.

The tacos lean more to the milder side when it comes to heat. The steak is well cooked with a real melt-in-your-mouth tenderness. The chicken was moist with some deep, rich flavors that are highlighted by the mix of cilantro, onion, and salsa. Overall, the tacos were great. They are a great value for $1.25 each.

2 Steak, 2 Chicken Tacos

Corners Café is a branch of Youth Uprising’s social enterprises. Youth Uprising is an NGO whose mission is “to transform East Oakland into a healthy and economically robust community by developing the leadership of youth and young adults and improving the systems that impact them.”

You can find out more about their programs by visiting http://www.youthuprising.org/

August 21, 2017
3 Tacos To Eat #2 – Oakland California

#1 Cholita Linda Baja Fish Taco

4923 Telegraph Ave

Cholita Linda a relative newcomer to the established taco scene in Oakland. With that said, Cholita Linda has gained one of the more enthusiastic followings around town. This bustling taqueria is on our list this month for their for their Baja Fish tacos. Most evenings you can see a line that runs out of the door waiting for a taste of the flavorful fish tacos. After our first taste there was no wondering why Cholita Linda has become one of Temescal’s most popular food destinations.

#2 El Novillo – Asada Taco

1001 Fruitvale Avenue

Located in the parking lot of Guadalajara restaurant, Tacos El Novillo is one of those trucks that is well known around town for all the right reasons. Novillo makes our list at number 2 this month for their asada tacos. Well seasoned cuts of meat on two corn tortillas topped with onions, cilantro, and salsa roja. Nothing innovative here, just really good tacos made by experienced taquerios.

#3 El Torero -Carnitas Taco

5801 International Blvd

El Torero is an unassuming taqueria on the corner of 58th and International Blvd. This family-run taqueria is pumping out some great tacos! They make our list for their carnitas taco. Well-cooked, not too greasy carnitas topped with onions, cilantro, salsa roja, and queso. Flavorful fillings and a friendly staff make this taqueria stand out. All food is made to order, so grab a seat, snack on some chips and salsa, and enjoy this hidden gem.

3 Tacos to Eat is a regular blog series highlighting our favorite tacos for the month. Restaurants and tacos are selected by a combination of Editors at Comeeda as well as surveys and opinions from tacophiles from our community. Lists can be grouped by taco fillings, neighborhood, city, and more. New list every month. Check out our blog for past lists, other taco related articles, profiles, recipes, and more. Follow us on Instagram — @tacos.comeeda

January 3, 2017