A heaping helping of news & reviews from DFW’s dining scene.
When did you last eat lunch for $5 - and have to get a to-go box because there was so much food?
That's what happened at lunch a couple days ago at La Tortilleria Original Zacatecas, a tiny joint way out at 7931 Camp Bowie West. Originally we were headed for a midday nosh at one of my favorites, San Antonio Taqueria, 7905 Highway 80 West (also called Camp Bowie West), only to find it closed for remodeling. Then we spotted Zacatecas, a taqueria and tortilla factory in what was long, long ago a location for the sandwich shop called Mr. Beef.
Believe me, Zacatecas is nothing fancy, like the neighborhood around it. But most of the taqueria's eight tables were full of folks tucking into fragrant, exceptionally casual food from Mexico's interior. We ordered at the counter, choosing between burritos, tacos, gorditas and plate lunches, most priced between $2 and $6 per plate.
Chips and salsa were dropped off at our table; we oohed and aahhed over the smoky, dark-red salsa and the thick, handmade chips cut from corn tortillas made on site.
Less than 10 minutes later, the counter server brought my torta. The homestyle Mexican sandwich arrived and was the size of a kid's football. Stuffed with grilled, marinated pork pieces, the filling was topped with chopped lettuce, grilled onions, sliced jalapenos and avocado wedges, all within a gorgeous, supple browned bun. It was five bucks and half of it went home in a box simply because there was too much to eat in one sitting.
My pal put away two tacos, which are just under two bucks apiece. These are beef, pork, lengua (tongue) or chicken, wrapped inside two soft corn tortillas, with plenty of lime and tart green salsa alongside for you to add.
We'd like to return next Tuesday for the lunch special, red chicken mole with rice and refried beans, just under $6 for a large plate. My guess is, it's coming home in a to-go container, too.
You can buy plenty of tortillas, fresh grilled meats, a number of handmade salsas and Mexican sodas to take home for supper, as well. Trust me, you can feed a family of four for less than $15.
Sabor!
