The taco joint on Central vs. the new spot on Mountain - which one's actually better?

So I've been going to that old taco place on Central for years (you know the one with the red counter) and the guy there is super nice. But last week I tried that new place on Mountain - the one with the green awning. Got a couple of carne asada tacos for 3 bucks each. They were pretty good, not gonna lie. Different style though - more sauce, less meat. Now I'm stuck. Do I stay loyal to the old spot or switch? Anyone else tried both and have a take?

3 comments

3 Comments

sam_murphy392mo ago

That new place on Mountain uses more sauce to cover up cheaper cuts of meat, doesn't seem right. What did the old spot charge you for their carne asada tacos? Because if the price difference is small, I'd stick with the guy who gives you more meat.

emma_clark2mo ago

Exactly this. It's like when a restaurant drowns everything in crema or salsa verde, you know something's up. Same thing with coffee shops that smother their pastries in glaze or powdered sugar - they're hiding that the muffin is from Sysco. I've noticed it with store-bought salsa too, the ones that list "tomato puree" first and then a bunch of stabilizers. It's always a trade-off: you pay for the sauce or the marinade instead of the actual main ingredient. Might seem small, but it's the same trick they pull with cheaper burger patties and extra onions.

brown.gavin1mo ago

My buddy Dave got street tacos from a new food truck last week and paid 4 bucks each. They came slathered in this heavy crema and pickled onions, barely any meat under there. He counted maybe 2 small pieces of carne asada per taco, the rest was all sauce and filler. The truck's whole gimmick was "traditional style" but it felt like a hustle to me. He said it was the same price as the old spot that stacks the tortilla with meat, so why bother with the fancy stuff? You see this move everywhere now, dressing up cheap ingredients instead of just giving you a solid portion.