Tacos: soft or hard shell?

[ucla695]

Mexican food is one of my favorite food groups. Ok I know it's not a food group, but it might as well be because I eat a LOT of it. I love everything about it.....refried beans, carnitas, carne asada, rice, salsa, etc...I'm making myself hungry just thinking about it. :dr One of my favorite Mexican food treats is the taco. I enjoy them in all forms (soft, hard shell, make your own, deconstructed, on pizza :D), but I definitely eat more soft tacos than I do hard. One of my favorite places in L.A. has some killer salsa roja, the type that will make you sweat a little and raise your pulse a bit, and they only sell soft tacos. To me, tacos are only as good as the meat, shell/tortilla AND salsa. If any of the aforementioned ingredients are lacking, the taco's a bust. Anyway, just wondering where everyone stands on this important issue. :D

BTW, I prefer corn tortillas

[Mr.Maduro]

No option for both? :confused: I like double-deckers....hard shell wrapped with a soft tortilla stuck on with refried beans!! Yummy!!

[ByrneBrew]

Soft. Gotta be Soft

[mrreindeer]

Damn you Mike! I'm supposed to be watching what I eat because I've been eating like cr@p ever since Vegas and now you mention Mexican...

I guess you and I will have to herf it up soon, go for Mex, then to somewhere us SoCal folk can actually smoke, hoping that the hot spice which I LOVE won't numb our taste buds for cigars.

Mmm...double-decker, what a great invention.

I'm really torn by your question though Mike. I like fish tacos (only the beer-battered & fried kind) in soft tortillas (flour or corn), but I'm a traditionalist...if hard tacos are really what came first (the chicken or the egg). I'd take a hard beef taco over soft any day.

So what's that favorite restaurant of yours?

Over on the west side, our haunt (we practically lived there) used to be Don Antonio's on Pico between Barrington & Bundy...sounds Italian but it ain't!

[md4958]

I cant vote in this poll... I like all of the above. However, for strictly tacos, I would probabaly vote hard shell, but let it sit for a few minutes so it gets soft on the bottom and you have the cruncy/soft combo

[borndead1]

LOVE corn tortillas. Heated up on the grill or even on the burner of the stove.



Hard shell is a distant second. I will eat them but don't buy them.


Flour tortillas are for burritos!

[Smokin Gator]

I agree with borndead about one thing... flour tortillas are for burritos!!! Give me my tacos with hard shells. (Although I do love the double decker)

[ucla695]

No option for both? :confused: I like double-deckers....hard shell wrapped with a soft tortilla stuck on with refried beans!! Yummy!!

That sounds absolutely delicious! I'm trying it the next time I go to a place that serves soft and hard shell tacos.

Damn you Mike! I'm supposed to be watching what I eat because I've been eating like cr@p ever since Vegas and now you mention Mexican...

I guess you and I will have to herf it up soon, go for Mex, then to somewhere us SoCal folk can actually smoke, hoping that the hot spice which I LOVE won't numb our taste buds for cigars.

Mmm...double-decker, what a great invention.

I'm really torn by your question though Mike. I like fish tacos (only the beer-battered & fried kind) in soft tortillas (flour or corn), but I'm a traditionalist...if hard tacos are really what came first (the chicken or the egg). I'd take a hard beef taco over soft any day.

So what's that favorite restaurant of yours?

Over on the west side, our haunt (we practically lived there) used to be Don Antonio's on Pico between Barrington & Bundy...sounds Italian but it ain't!

It's a dive chain called King Taco and it's great for picking up lunch/dinner. More of a order from the counter type place. The salsa roja will numb the tongue for hours. I love it! Definitely not advised before smoking a cigar as I've found out on several occassions. :bh

I've been to DA's. Great place for hanging out and sipping/throwing back margs. They have a patio in back and I've seen one of the owners smoking cigars there before, but I'm not sure if that was a one off thing. Hmmmmmm……tacos.

[rhdad42]

Hard shell all the way.

[mrreindeer]

That sounds absolutely delicious! I'm trying it the next time I go to a place that serves soft and hard shell tacos.

Not sure if Taco Bell still has 'em on the menu but if I'm not mistaken, they invented it!

It's a dive chain called King Taco and it's great for picking up lunch/dinner. More of a order from the counter type place. The salsa roja will numb the tongue for hours. I love it! Definitely not advised before smoking a cigar as I've found out on several occassions. :bh

I've driven by numerous King Taco's but never tried 'em. I imagine they're like Tito's Tacos...mmm....

I've been to DA's. Great place for hanging out and sipping/throwing back margs. They have a patio in back and I've seen one of the owners smoking cigars there before, but I'm not sure if that was a one off thing. Hmmmmmm……tacos.

Definitely great margs & Taco Tuesday (or is it Wednesday...)! You're absolutely right about that patio...I wonder......I'm calling...

[Steve]

X2

No option for both? :confused: I like double-deckers....hard shell wrapped with a soft tortilla stuck on with refried beans!! Yummy!!

[ucla695]

Not sure if Taco Bell still has 'em on the menu but if I'm not mistaken, they invented it!

That’s right!

I've driven by numerous King Taco's but never tried 'em. I imagine they're like Tito's Tacos...mmm....

They’re kinda different…a little more authentic. Hmmmm….given the choice, I think I’d take KT over Tito’s.

Definitely great margs & Taco Tuesday (or is it Wednesday...)!

I believe it’s Wednesday…turns into a madhouse!

[Hardcz]

soft corn is the only way to go. Everything else is bastardized.

[Prozac_Puros]

Coin flip if I had to choose..

Heads Soft - corn tortillas
Tails Soft - flour tortillas

Heads!

[Mugen910]

The hard shell tacos hurt!

[VirtualSmitty]

I like them both. Hard, soft, doesn't matter.

[icehog3]

Corn tortillas 95% of the time.

[Flatsix]

Medium is what I like. Juanitas is a local place with (4) round bar tables and about 16 seats. They deep fry the corn tortillas just to the point where they are crispy in spots and soft in others. The shredded beef tacos rock! Killer chile' comes in little plastic containers.

The burritos are pork/rice and beans, good stuff!!!

[mrreindeer]

Hey Gregg, is Juanita's on Foothill?

[macms]

Old school is best (hard shell), but at my age it's easier to chew the soft shells. :r :r :r

[Flatsix]

Hey Gregg, is Juanita's on Foothill?

Yes, Foothill and San Antonio. Been there?

There's another one on 4th and Grove in Ontario and another on Indian Hill at San Bernardino Road.

[spincycle]

The hard shell tacos hurt!

Chew before swallowing. Works for me everytime. :D

[Darrell]

Mmm...double-decker, what a great invention.


I seldom go to Taco Bell (maybe once every 3 months) but when I do, I always get the Double Decker Taco Supreme. It's been my favorite there for over a decade.

As far as the poll goes, I voted hard shell. I prefer to make my own shells at home and fry them up, the only time I'll eat tacos out is at a LEGIT Mexican restaurant and in CA, given our Hispanic population - those restaurants are rare IMO.

[Dukeuni]

I am a soft shell man myself. Nothing better then a Mexican restaurant that makes them fresh on site. I aslo enjoy brands that make "Mucho Grande" soft taco flour shells. Macho Burrito please!

[althekillr]

king taco has the best tacos al pastor. mmmmm. dont care for the rest of their stuff. senor fish for ensenada style fish tacos.

soft tacos only, hard tacos once in a long while for a change of pace.

[Jbailey]

Love soft corn shells especially when I make fish tacos!

[punch54]

for tacos soft corn

[ucla695]

king taco has the best tacos al pastor. mmmmm.

Yes, KT's al pastor is the best! :dr I haven't found other places that make it as good.

[Rockestone]

I could eat hard shell tacos all day long. The best tacos I ever had were in Okinawa Japan of all places. It was long time ago, but there was a joint outside of Camp Kinser that fried the tortilla shells after you order. Those were the Bomb!!

Dang. Now I'm hungry.

[Lumpold]

We don't even have Taco Bell in the UK :(

[Jbailey]

We don't even have Taco Bell in the UK :(

That can be a good thing! ;)

[Lumpold]

Kinda, but if even Taco Bell won't try a foothold (again, I believe) we don't even get small ma'n'pa mexican outfits... we get Old El Paso Dinner Kits and that's it!

[ucla695]

We don't even have Taco Bell in the UK :(

I know. I lived there several years ago and almost died. I managed to find a Mexican restaurant at a mall near Bayswater. The food was bland and sucked, but I still went back for more. Taco Bell would have been great!! I ate Mexican food for weeks when I moved back to the States.

That can be a good thing! ;)

I'm not sure about that. After going without for an extended period of time, even TB hits the spot.

[Lumpold]

I know. I lived there several years ago and almost died. I managed to find a Mexican restaurant at a mall near Bayswater. The food was bland and sucked, but I still went back for more. Taco Bell would have been great!! I ate Mexican food for weeks when I moved back to the States.

I've never even found a mexican restaurant in the UK... we get burrito stands at festivals, which are a decent size but about £7, and not at all spicy. Lack of Mexican fastfood = travesty.

I'm not sure about that. After going without for an extended period of time, even TB hits the spot.
Yes, I'd happily settle for a Taco Bell. Anything better would be a blessing.

[longknocker]

I would say soft corn Tacos. Whenever I get home to SA, Texas, first thing I do is have "Authenic" Mexican Food! Yummmmm!:D

[Jbailey]

I'm not sure about that. After going without for an extended period of time, even TB hits the spot.

True, I try my best to avoid it but sometimes it does taste good. Like after a long night of drinking which sounds like a bad idea.

we don't even get small ma'n'pa mexican outfits

Now that's a shame, those are always the best ones if you find them.

[JE3146]

I like all 3. Then also the hard shell with a soft flour wrapped around it with refried beans .. mmmmm

[fxpose]

I don't want no American tacos! Give me z real stuff! (although I do crave hard shells whenever Taco Bell has them on special for 39 cents) ....:p

Speaking of which, I have yet to try the TACO ZONE roach coach (parked on Alvarado just north Sunset) which according to Chowhound has z best tacos in all of LA.

[ucla695]

Speaking of which, I have yet to try the TACO ZONE roach coach (parked on Alvarado just north Sunset) which according to Chowhound has z best tacos in all of LA.

Ooh. I'm going to have to hunt it down and try some.

[mrreindeer]

oooooh Alvarado & Sunset...I'm googlemapping now....

[Cigary]

You have never had any better tacos than Super Sergios or El Portal in San Diego,,,or if you like turkey tacos then the best is in Del Mar called Tonys. Best mexican food in the world is Quatro Milpas in San Diego,,,linky http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060831/news_lz1w31dining.html

[althekillr]

bit off topic is it seems to me every mexican restaurant here in LA specializes in one thing. very few have everything that is spectacular. I go to different places whether I want asada tacos, or fish tacos, pastor tacos, chicharron, birria, menudo, chile rellenos, queso fundido, breakfast burritos, siete mares, tamales, torta's. whatever it is, I got to go to a different place to get it. i guess thats part of the fun.

[SmokeyJoe]

Hard shell for me... I like the crunch. :ss

[ucla695]

bit off topic is it seems to me every mexican restaurant here in LA specializes in one thing. very few have everything that is spectacular. I go to different places whether I want asada tacos, or fish tacos, pastor tacos, chicharron, birria, menudo, chile rellenos, queso fundido, breakfast burritos, siete mares, tamales, torta's. whatever it is, I got to go to a different place to get it. i guess thats part of the fun.


Very true. I do the same and I've had more marginal Mexican food than good in the process. Kinda makes me really appreciate the place that do it right.

[ucla695]

You have never had any better tacos than Super Sergios or El Portal in San Diego,,,or if you like turkey tacos then the best is in Del Mar called Tonys. Best mexican food in the world is Quatro Milpas in San Diego,,,linky http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060831/news_lz1w31dining.html

I've always heard people from San Diego say that there's are some great Mexican restaurants in the area, but I haven't been down there long enough to find out. I'm usually passing thru on my way across the border. I'll keep this on my places of must tries the next time I'm down there. Thanks.

[acruce]

I voted soft, but I like them both.

[brigey57]

Hard shell for me... I like the crunch. :ss
__________________
"I intend to smoke a good cigar to the glory of God..."
~ Charles H. Spurgeon, British Baptist preacher


:tpd:

Dang! I can't believe it. To me it is not a genuine taco unless it is wrapped in a corn shell that crunches! I think 90 % of the flavor comes from the crunchy shell. :dance: :2 I also prefer going to a authentic Mexican restaurant, not a fast food sort of place.