Saturday, April 17, 2010

Hi, My Name Is Gillian, And I'm Addicted To La Taqueria.

Call me a slut, but at the intersection of  Hastings and Hamilton is an establishment that I have no shame in admitting I frequent several times a week. This little hole-in-the-wall is the Pinche Taco Shop, La Taqueria, undoubtedly one of my favorite places in the city. I arrange my week based on when I can get my next fix, and spend the rest of my time dreaming about it.

One step up from a taco stand, it's the real deal.  Using authentic recipes, authentic ingredients, and authentic staff ; it makes you feel guilty for being white
. Don't worry, every second of awkwardness while ordering (in my case, shamefully trying to pronounce the menu items with what I'm guessing is my terrible French accent), is worth it because the result is sinfully delicious. The service is quick and helpful and they adorably call me "Juliana" when they bring out the goods. I don't even know how many times I've forgotten to take pictures because as soon as I get that plate within reach my hands start to move and my mouth just can't say no.  

  
You can get four veggie tacos for $7.00 or four meat ones for $9.50. I usually get the same three veggie tacos: the Raja Con Crema (roasted peppers with creamed corn and cheese), the Frijoles Charros Con Queso (re-fried beans and cheese), the Picadillo (sauteed ground tofu in a secret recipe), and trade up my #4 option, usually vying for the Al Pastor (pork marinated in pineapple) or the special (lamb, chorizo, chicken in peanut sauce, etc.). The kicker is the double layer of homemade corn soft taco tortillas, this enables you to mush half of the guts into the second taco shell, optimizing the time spent eating. 
 
With about 15 seats of the stool/counter kind, the venue is cozy, colorful and decorated with the requisite Lady Guadalupe paraphernalia. If it's too busy and/or sunny outside, I recommend getting your tacos to go and eating them on the grass in Victory Square Park next door. With it's reputation, I know that if I can't convince you to check out La Taqueria, then someone else will. 
 
La Taqueria Taco Shop on Urbanspoon

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Petit Lapin!

On Easter Monday I ate Thumper/Peter Cottontail/ The Easter Bunny. All of these near and dear to my heart, tasted as good as they looked. 

Ps. Do I really have to tell you where?
La Brasserie on Urbanspoon

Thursday, April 1, 2010

BUCK-A-SHUCK!

What? I'm talking about The Brass again? I know, it's not all that hard to believe, considering I have a huge boner for this place. In my quest to eat at all the places on Davie and Denman I can admit that I've gotten a little distracted by the shiny turquiose chairs at Corner Suite Bistro, the tacos from La Taqueria, and the cute boys at the Brasserie. But fuck it, this is MY Choose Your Own Adventure book.  And I'm not just going to mindlessly plough through all the food out there because that would be boring, I'm looking for the whole package. An intimate venue, servers who remember your name, deserts worth fantasizing about, and a menu that I have a hard time picking from because I WANT IT ALL. I'm looking for a place that makes my small-town ass feel welcome and serves food that tastes like heaven. That's not too much to ask right? 
So headed out on a Wednesday night with some girls from work to share the experience of buck-a-shuck. A little wine and poutine later, and as usual, I was not dissipointed.  


La Brasserie on Urbanspoon