When in San Diego, do as San Diegans do. It’s solid advice. So as I walked through the city’s Gaslamp Quarter, where the district’s sign reads: Historic Heart of San Diego, there are so many dining choices to explore. from Persian, to Indian to Thai, to good old American fare.
It was even recommended that I go to the Ghirardelli store, which sells…well, chocolate, of course, but more specifically, hot chocolate, but at 80-some-odd degrees, maybe not. That would be, hopefully for another time, where I could enjoy their offerings of ice cream as well. But what caught my eye was a small little corner shop with an atmosphere abuzz with the hustle and bustle of the staff and the patrons. The name of the establishment is Tacos El Gordo.
Since, I am a daily Duolingo user, one of my latest vocab words is “gordo,” which means “fat.” So, fat and taco in the same restaurant name sounds mighty good to me.
Even before I got to the door, I noticed the lines and one of the employees directing traffic. He instructed:
“If you want beef and carne asada, go on this line…pork is over here.”
So, immediately I’m drawn into the guys cutting the meat right off of the trompo as it rotates around and around. I love to watch that beautiful juice roll down the meat. I just know it’s going to be tasty. Tacos El Gordo is a Tijuana-style taco restaurant, and the meat is cooked in a Adobada style. This is a Mexican cooking process that marinates meat in an adobo sauce. It’s a blend of chiles, vinegar, and other spices.
So, at this point I’m sold. I dutifully waited in the pork line and ordered the Sopes Adobada.
So here’s a note to those of you learning Spanish like me. Ready? Just because it looks like sopa, doesn’t mean that it is. Is it just me? Yes, I admit at the risk of judgment, I ordered without asking what it was and making assumptions so what I thought was soup turned out to be…not soup.
Sopes Adobado is a handmade thick corn tortilla with your choice of meat & fresh toppings. Their version included a light and tasty sauce with cilantro and onions.
I also ordered a tostado. Funny enough, I could have had just one of either and it would have been enough. Both options were filling and fulfilling, and I loved the way the cilantro sauce pulls it all together.
Tacos El Gordo also has your choice of Agua Frescas and other Mexican drinks. I’m not sure what I had, all I know is it was amazing and I’m pretty sure Hibiscus was involved. It gave me strong sorrel vibes.
It’s good Mexican Street fare. And It’s also a pretty fun vibe to sit at the window facing the street and enjoy. You can also eat outside at the tables lining the building.
It’s a good mix of locals and tourists, and the prices won’t send you running for the hills. What else could you hope for?
Multi Cultural Cooking Network 