Is it physically possible for us to eat another taco? Well, apparently so. And in fact, this morning, my wife suggested that I forgo a healthy breakfast of blueberry Activia and a banana, and join her at a hole-in-the-wall taco place called El Tropiko on Guilbeau at Tezel.
Of course, I had already consumed the aforementioned Activa and banana, so it was purely in the spirit of journalism that I indulged in a second, equally healthy breakfast, just closer to lunch time.
The place is small. In fact, my wife thought it was just a drive through taco shack until one of her friends told her they could eat lunch inside. There, she found that you could have a seat and enjoy the food without having to drive with your knee.
Did I mention the place was small? Oh sure, we have dined in tighter spots, so don't let it stop you from giving El Tropiko a try.
My wife ordered up a barbacoa taco on corn with some guacamole, and a bean and chorizo with cheese. She would have preferred home made corn tortilla's, but really, in such a small place, don't count on it. The flour tortillas are made on site, and they are good.
I took one for the team and ordered my standard array of tacos in order to gauge things for you, the reader. Country and egg, chorizo and egg, and of course, the ol' stand by, carne guisada with cheese, all on flour.
I must report that the country and egg was as good as I have ever had. I have thrown down some C&E in my time, and I was extremely happy with this one.
The chorizo was not as good. I submit that every restaurant makes a choice as to who will come through with the big chorizo, and in this case, El Tropiko went with a lesser provider. It was not nasty or anything, but I have had much better.
The carne guisada with cheese was very acceptable. The tortillas are cooked the way my wife likes them - sort of crisp, but I'd be happier with a softer, bigger, Tink-a-Taco like version. The meat, gravy and cheese were all good. I'd be happy to order another any day.
Best of all, the price was great. The nearest competitor to El Tropiko is just across Tezel in the form of the new Tink-a-Taco. I'm a fan. But you should know that El Tropiko is cheaper by quite a bit. That probably explained why the drive-thru was jam packed during our entire visit.
By the way, special kudos go out to the owners for great service and friendliness. Aside from me (having never been to the place), they seemed to know every person in the dining room and went out of their way to chat and such. Oh, and you gotta love a place that finds a tortilla with a cross on it, and instead of putting it up for sale on E-Bay, simply frames it and counts their blessings. I would have so called the local news and sold it for fifty bucks.
You won't find that in the bigger taco places. Need some vittles? Give El Tropiko a try the next time you are nearby.
We were on our way to World Market out at The Rim yesterday when we happened upon this guy/gal (I really think it was a gal) at the intersection of Tezel and Guilbeau.
What do you think? Hard core UT fan or just someone trying to make a fashion statement?
Oh, while we were out at World Market, we were looking around and I decided to pick up a sampler pack of different beers.
This is what they had to choose from - not very much of a selection for the place being "World" market, in fact, I think you can get a wider choice at some of the HEB's around town. My son inquired about Yuengling, but unfortunately, we have none here in Texas. Whenever I go on a trip to the east coast, that is my brand of choice. What is it, some sort of conspiracy for that whole Coors thing back when you couldn't buy it east of the Mississippi or something?
Anyway, these are the beers I picked up. I was looking for something in a Milwaukee's Best Light, but I settled for these. Perhaps I'll sample them on New Years Eve.
Any suggested brands that I need to test out? Oh, but won't make me gassy? That's pretty much a requirement made up by my wife.
If you are one of the local readers of this blog and have occasion to travel up or down along Tezel Road between Timber Path and Guilbeau, you know exactly what I'm talking about. For those not in the know, we have had over two years of a main artery to neighborhoods in our area undergoing some sort of revitalization apparently performed by The Three Stooges Construction Company and supervised by Beevis and Butthead.
My neighbors Gus & Ruby told me about a sign they saw posted at the flower shop/Post Office in the Ridge Gate shopping center on Tezel. So, I had to take my camera and go see what all the hoopla was about.
Sure enough, the construction continues, although there seem to be stretches of serious inactivity. I talked to the nice lady at the Post Office and she told me that it was just too much. The only way to get the people at TxDOT to get on the stick is to e-mail them, call them, write them and complain.
I don't want to get all black helicopter conspiracy theory on you, but I just wonder if the lack of effort, and more importantly, the incompetence in doing this project has been a way to convince residents to be for toll roads? Maybe not, but forgive me if I appear to have a distrust of TxDOT.
All I know is that several weeks back when one side of the road was seemingly finished, I happened to be driving up Tezel and it started to rain. Nothing monumental, just a shower. Water was pooling on a brand new stretch of road, right in front of a sewer drain. WTF? The lady at the Post Office said that was probably simple incometences by SAWS or CPS.
Either way, this mess has dragged on far too long. Please follow the postal lady's advice and complain here.
Of course, I had already consumed the aforementioned Activa and banana, so it was purely in the spirit of journalism that I indulged in a second, equally healthy breakfast, just closer to lunch time.
The place is small. In fact, my wife thought it was just a drive through taco shack until one of her friends told her they could eat lunch inside. There, she found that you could have a seat and enjoy the food without having to drive with your knee.
My wife ordered up a barbacoa taco on corn with some guacamole, and a bean and chorizo with cheese. She would have preferred home made corn tortilla's, but really, in such a small place, don't count on it. The flour tortillas are made on site, and they are good.
I took one for the team and ordered my standard array of tacos in order to gauge things for you, the reader. Country and egg, chorizo and egg, and of course, the ol' stand by, carne guisada with cheese, all on flour.
I must report that the country and egg was as good as I have ever had. I have thrown down some C&E in my time, and I was extremely happy with this one.
The chorizo was not as good. I submit that every restaurant makes a choice as to who will come through with the big chorizo, and in this case, El Tropiko went with a lesser provider. It was not nasty or anything, but I have had much better.
The carne guisada with cheese was very acceptable. The tortillas are cooked the way my wife likes them - sort of crisp, but I'd be happier with a softer, bigger, Tink-a-Taco like version. The meat, gravy and cheese were all good. I'd be happy to order another any day.
By the way, special kudos go out to the owners for great service and friendliness. Aside from me (having never been to the place), they seemed to know every person in the dining room and went out of their way to chat and such. Oh, and you gotta love a place that finds a tortilla with a cross on it, and instead of putting it up for sale on E-Bay, simply frames it and counts their blessings. I would have so called the local news and sold it for fifty bucks.
