Estilo San Diego
25 February 2010 - Zach MannThis story is third in a series. Zach will be posting a new story on Mexican food in San Diego every Thursday until he leaves Southern California for the San Francisco Bay, where he will continue to write and edit for The Eaten Path.
In regards to the question of which California city has the best Mexican food, style must be a factor. Every taqueria has its own estilo, whether it’s up on the sign or not. Most taco shops in San Diego can be defaulted to estilo Baja or even estilo Tijuana, because essentially, that’s what San Diego Mexican food is: Baja border-style. Tortillas are grilled instead of steamed, there are always fish tacos on the menu, and everything is served with extra guacamole. Whether or not LA’s or SF’s style of Mexican food is better or worse falls into preference. I’ve met a person from the bay area who thought the idea of a burrito sans rice was disgusting. So be it.
I think the idea of a burrito con rice is akin to a Big Mac, or a club sandwich. I accept the existence of the extra carbohydrate in the middle, but I don’t see the point. That said, I think rice makes a whole lot more sense than San Diego’s potato anti-famine. Items like the California burrito (carne asada and potatoes), Texas burrito (chicken and potatoes), potato taquitos, and carne asada fries make little sense to me. It’s like you wanted to eat some delicious Mexican food, but right before you took a bite, some asshole shoved a bland baked potato in your mouth.
When I leave San Diego, I will miss the Mexican food, but I don’t think I will miss some of the taco shop menus. Read the specials above and tell me you don’t question the tastiness of Shrimp French Fries.
It’s said that border cities bring out the worst in each country. I’m not sure if that extends to food, but it would go a long way in explaining why my favorite places to eat Mexican food in San Diego are not simply San Diego-style taco shops, and likewise, my favorite of the many ‘Berto’s restaurants separates itself from the fast food pack by serving food estilo Veracruz. At most ‘Bertos, ordering seafood is the opening line of a cautionary tale, but at El Tio Alberto, not ordering fish and rice is a pity. The menu offers all the usual taco shop staples, as if it were a requirement of using the -berto name, but not in the stead of great seafood served with salsa verde, whole limes and no unwanted side effects.
I think one of the most telling signs of a taqueria is the age of the chefs in the kitchen, and El Tio Alberto’s kitchen is only operated by women over the age of fifty. That one of these senoras is dependably rude to me also emblazons my opinion, and sure enough, the food is damn good. Even Tio Alberto’s non-Veracruz items are above average, which is why it has replaced Ray’s as my go-to neighborhood taco joint, and why I’ve recently made a habit of watching muted telenovelas in the colorfully decorated shop, a hole in the wall tucked invisibly into an unattractive corner between a liquor store and Roberto’s #10.
Of course, it’s the estilo Veracruz that keeps me coming back. The classic pescado a la Veracruzana, a grilled fish in spicy tomato sauce, is meaty and stew-like with a broth that I would gladly drink. The fish and shrimp burritos are perfect examples of how to use rice in a burrito correctly. And if you’re even a casual fan of McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish, Tio Alberto’s pescado torta will blow you away in that where-did-my-sandwich-go kind of way.
Regarding the question of which California city has the best Mexican food, I think El Tio Alberto should be offered as evidence in San Diego’s case. It isn’t the greatest food in the world, or in SD, nor is it a known name like Las Cuatro Milpas, Tacos El Gordo or Mariscos German. It’s just a run-of-the-mill, family-owned and operated taco shop that takes its cues from Roberto’s, throws in some Veracruz flare and never gets very busy, but always serves, without exception, good, fast and cheap Mexican food.
That this grungy little place can serve pedestrians at consistently high quality is the best proof that San Diego is a great place for food estilo Mexico. If the question were, “Which California city has the best Mexican food on average?,” my money would be on San Diego, and it’s because so-called average places like El Tio Alberto are so damn above average.
El Tio Alberto Taco Shop
2810 El Cajon Blvd
San Diego, CA 92104
619.528.0697
Zach’s San Diego Countdown
Week 1 – Super Cocina
Week 2 – Los ‘Bertos
Week 3 – El Tio Alberto
Week 4 – Ranas Mexico City Cuisine
Week 5 – La Fachada
Week 6 – Aqui es Texcoco
Week 7 – La Playa Taco Shop
Week 8 – Las Cuatros Milpas
Week 9 – Tacos El Paisa
Week 10 – Tacos Yaqui
Week 11 – Tacos El Gordo
Week 12 – Mariscos El Pescador
Week 13 – Rudy’s Taco Shop
February 25th, 2010 at 2:58 pm
Great Post! I’m happy to see that someone is talking about the difference between LA and SD burritos. As having resided in LA for 15 years and SD for 9 years, I can relate.
I def agree that rice in burritos is lame – i’m not into it either, but I have to say I enjoy California Burritos, because it’s potatoes for goodness sakes – they are delicious hehe. (ok a pretty lame argument – but sometimes you just like eating what tastes good for whatever reason.)
Now living in new york city, almost all the burritos I encounter are of the LA variety. If anyone finds a SD style burrito out here – I’d love to hear about it!
But either way thanks for this write up!
February 25th, 2010 at 7:47 pm
Shirley,
I hope to talk a bit more about the differences in another post soon, especially regarding burritos. I, however, am still unclear of what makes an LA burrito an LA burrito, and I’m from LA!
Regarding California burritos, I do appreciate the potatoes sometimes for the simple reason that it lets me load even more hot sauce into each bite. For the most part, however, I am anti-potato in all foods. Hard to believe, eh?