FNG-1 = Breadline (although we kept calling him "Redline", sounds cooler – maybe we should let him change it since he's still kinda new, not registered yet)…
This week’s Uptown Taco Tuesday returned to Que Onda Tacos + Tequila… a second visit for several pax, but a first-time entry for YHC. Say what you like about milkshakes, but tacos seem to bring all the boys to the yard. Or perhaps it was the perfect storm of month-end, heading into a holiday week, good walking weather, and $2 tacos. But mostly the $2 tacos because… Clydesdales gotta feed.
Options included:
- Ground beef. YHC passed on these. Appearance was traditional; with shredded iceburg, diced tomatoes, and sour cream. Reviews seemed mild but positive.
- Braised beef. YHC enjoyed two. Topped the traditional way, with cilantro and diced white onions. Pulled beef was perhaps a bit too wet, and not as flavorful as expected. Was accompanied with a sauce that very much improved the spice situation. A solid entry, with the footnote that I should have started with these before the sauce could soak through and compromise the tortilla. Overall a solid entry.
- Something chicken. Turncoat warned that these were bland and somewhat “soupy”. Word spread quick, and I don’t believe a single person ordered one.
- Carnitas. YHC enjoyed two of these also. Very solid entry. Topped with pickled onion and cilantro (personal favorite style, I love pickled onion on tacos). Folded up nice, not too wet not too crunchy. I might have liked some Cholula, maybe the garlic chili version, to spice this up a bit.
Other notes:
- Kudos to Turncoat for leading the charge on this today.
- Four tacos was the right number. Pretty sure that’s what most of us did.
- Excellent service. Did anyone else notice our waitress had a massive hickey on her neck? Aside from poor choices in dating, our girl was absolutely on top of things… fast service, everything correct, I think we could have gotten in and out in 20 minutes if we had wanted to.
- Most plates seemed to come with a small side of sauce, but I noticed at least three different kinds. And it seemed to be random, who got which sauce. One was reported to be a nacho cheese of death; pure fire. Mine was a very mild salsa.
- Good chips. A third batch came out very warm… if you missed that basket, you missed out boys. Nothing better than hot salty chips. Oh and the salsa was quite good, deep red like they used some roasted tomatoes in there.
- Reports of post-lunch visits to the mens room were limited, so we’ll call that a win.
- Good location too – perfectly centered inside the triangle from the NASCAR / Wells side and the BAC Trade & Tryon side and the Gateway side.
Overall impression: solid choice. I might have liked a bit more spice and flavor, wouldn’t call my tacos totally tame, but I’m looking for a bachelor party level of flavor, what I got was a quinceanera’s worth. Despite this, I would gladly revisit – I may just bring a bottle of hot sauce with me next time.
See you in the gloom… or at the taco stand…