Sure, there is Meatless Monday. And many folks eat fish on Friday. But so revered is the taco that when Tuesday rolls around, a lot of us begin to drool like Pavlov’s dog.
Tacos have been around for a long time. In fact, 16th-century Spanish explorer Bernal Díaz del Castillo wrote about enjoying a feast of tacos. That’s before the Spanish conquered Mexico.
I don’t think del Castillo waited until Tuesdays to eat his tacos, and neither do I. In fact, it was a Wednesday when I made my way into the charming Taqueria La Hacienda and set my sights on a couple for lunch recently.
Located in a nondescript strip shopping center, one-half of the business is the restaurant, a bit worn around the edges with tons of character. The other half of the business is a small market, which is fun to poke around in.
The tacos here are tasty and traditional and have become some of my favorites in the region since my visit. You get an option of corn or flour tortilla — I picked corn — and fillings.
There are an astounding 15 fillings to pick from — you don’t get that from a fast-food taco place. There’s the typical, including beef, chicken, fish and marinated pork. Then there’s some that will raise an eyebrow such as spicy fried pork skin and Mexican sausage. Then there’s some that will raise both eyebrows like cow tongue, pork stomach and cow head.
I got a variety, including chicken (pollo), cow tongue (lengua) and marinated pork (al pastor). Each taco is beautifully garnished with an assortment of toppings: raw onion, cilantro, turnip (although I think that’s what they are calling radish), cactus and grilled onions.
Each bite was amazing. Everything was richly flavored and amazingly fresh. The tortillas were soft and pliable, the fillings cooked perfectly and well-seasoned. The garnishes a wonderful complement. I will definitely be back.
Branches Tasting Room is hosting its Third Annual Cookie & Wine Pairing. The event takes place from 12:30-4:30 p.m. March 15. Four varieties of Girl Scout cookies will be sampled and matched with four varietals of wines. The cost is $20.
Make and take corned beef and cabbage to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day at Now You’re Cooking Culinary Studio. A Junior Chef class for ages 7-12 takes place at 6 p.m. March 16.
There will be another Junior Chef class preparing corned beef and cabbage at 10 a.m. March 21. The cost is $27.50. An adult corned beef and cabbage class gets underway at 6 pm. March 18. The cost is $45.
Sheriff Jim O’Sullivan’s yearly Hoops, Hops, & Shamrocks is set for March 21. The eighth annual event takes place from 6-9 p.m. at the Khedive Temple. On the menu is 14 craft beers from local and national breweries, food from Tap It Local and multiple big-screen televisions playing NCAA Championship basketball games. The all-inclusive ticket is $25.
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