Tacos Del Rio - Carne Asada Tacos

Haven't been here before but have past by many times.  After examining I ordered two carne asada tacos add lettuce, cheese, and guac. 

I made a good decision, as these tacos were more than decent.  The asada was charbroiled and one of the better asadas I've had.  Guac was fresh, lettuce wasn't stem-y, and cheese was cheesy.

Fat rating: 5.5/10

Salt rating: 6/10

Taste rating: 7/10

Tasty Hawaiian BBQ vs. Aloha Island BBQ Chicken and Katsu DOUBLE REVIEW

Down to business.  Both were (dark meat) BBQ Chicken and Chicken Katsu combo dishes.  I forgot to get no macaroni salad at Tasty Hawaiian BBQ, so if you're expecting me to compare macaroni salads, then lol gtfo because that shit is gross.


Rice: both were sticky and tasted identical. 

Advantage: Tie

BBQ Chicken -  Tasty Hawaiian's chicken was a bit thicker and more charbroiled, while Aloha Island's was thinner and a little more flavorful.

Advantage: Tie

Chicken Katsu - Tasty Hawaiian's was crunchier while Aloha Island's had a lighter crunch with a flake-y sort of texture.  It was great.

Advantage: Aloha

So basically, the light and crispy Katsu from Aloha is the difference. 

Winner:  Aloha Island BBQ.

Fat rating: 6.5/10

Salt rating: 6.5/10

Taste rating: 7/10

Tasty Hawaiian BBQ:

Fat rating: 6.5/10

Salt rating: 6.5/10

Taste rating: 6/10

Kochee Kabob House - Chicken Curry

There are a lot of ways to prepare chicken and rice.  This place had a bunch of $10-$12 items but as any Tacographics enthusiast would know, I am cheap.  I don't see the point in spending more than $8 dollars on a meal unless I really have to.  This meal was about that with tax.

I'm getting sorta bored with this blog, so I obviously don't make entries that much anymore (that plus the fact that I don't go anywhere).  It was fun while it lasted, but sadly this blog is on its last legs.  I might be putting up guest reviews soon.

As for the food, well eh.  It was standard jasmine rice mixed with some standard yellow rice with some standard chicken curry and a standard salad.  I thought it was good...food...is good.  The pic I got is fudged up a little because I got it to go and yeah the contents shifted.

Fat rating: 4/10

Salt rating: 7.5/10

Taste rating: 6/10

BJ's - Potato Skins and Tortilla Soup/Caesar Soup Combo

Went to BJ's for my brother's birthday.  Got potato skins as an appetizer - they were fried with some cheese and bacon bits inside.  Very standard heavy/oily potato skins.

Fat rating: 6.5/10

Salt rating: 5/10

Taste rating: 6/10

For my entree I had bbq chicken pizza and a soup and salad combo.  The tortilla soup was poured in front of me, which was awkward.  I just stood there and thought about how horrible being a waiter must be while the hipster waiter served me my soup.  The soup was really salty AS TO BE EXPECTED. I don't find the appeal in how salty every goddamn soup has to be.  I mean, I'll eat it and like it, BUT THOSE SALT RATINGS, FUCK.   Just like the potato skins, this was mediocre. 

Fat rating: 2.5/10

Salt rating: 9/10

Taste rating: 6.5/10

 To round out the (meh) meal, the salad had a disproportional amount of dressing.  The first few bites were great, then the rest left a lot to be desired taste wise. The dressing was good, better than what I have at home.

Fat rating: 5/10

Salt rating: 2.5/10

Taste rating: 5.5/10

China Max and Tacos Mexico Double Review

When I see a mall food court, I sorta want to try something from everywhere.  MSG Variety is the spice of life.  China Max has something I've never seen before - where every item is 99 cents each.  So I got a chicken bowl thing.  The rice and chicken teriyaki was meh, but the chicken and broccoli was acceptable.  For 3 bucks it was a good amount of food so I can't complain too much.  

Fat rating: 6/10

Salt rating: 6.5/10

Taste rating: 5.5/10

Tacos Mexico looked like a pretty boring place, but I tried the potato tacos which were also 99 cents each.  What I ended up getting was two completely bland (small) fried shells with a skimpy amount of slightly peppery potato in them and a handful of lettuce in a box.  WHAT THE FUCK IS THIS SHIT.  Pitiful.

Fat rating: 5/10

Salt rating: 1.5/10

Taste rating: 1.5/10 

 

The FOAD list

Alright.  I mentioned in one of my now ancient reviews that I would create a FOAD list.  I randomly remembered just now.  There will be no pictures because they would soil this blog with their grotesque-ness.

Let's get it over with.  Google FOAD if you don't know what the acroymn stands for.

FOAD list:

1.  Lettuce stems - Yes. Die-hard Tacographics fans should know by now that I hate lettuce stems in my tacos (or any type of food).  They suck.  Die.

2.  Every fucking restaurant using the adjective "Chipotle" for their food -  Stuff a sock in it with your chipo-shit.

3. Pizza that doesn't have enough pizza sauce on it - If I want cheese sticks I'll order cheese sticks, not a pizza.

4.  MSG aftertaste - Go ahead and use some msg in your food if you want, but holy goddamn.  If I can still taste it hours after consumption, then there's something wrong.  STOP.

5.  Slimy textures in food (grilled onions, etc) - WHY IN THE FUCKING HELL WOULD I WANT THIS SHIT IN MY FOOD ? OH HEY, THIS FOOD TASTES GOOD, YOU KNOW WHAT WOULD MAKE IT BETTER??? SOME SLIMY TEXTURES .

I'm mad rating: Pissed/10 

LaMonica's - BBQ Chicken Pizza and Garlic roll

I sometimes make dumb decisions, I'll admit when I'm on the spot my decision making can be sketchy.  BBQ chicken is the best kind of pizza (fuckin' deal with it), however, I need to learn not to get it at an NY style place. 

They don't sell bbq chicken by the slice here, some dude ahead of me learned the hard way - they charged him for a whole pizza when he just wanted a slice.  As soon as I heard that I swooped in and asked if I could buy a slice off him, so I did.

The pizza was overwhemed with a meh bbq sauce (was a sweet sauce) and was undercooked, so that kinda wasn't good.  I wouldn't get it again.  Cheese pizza it is next time. 

The garlic roll saved the meal, it helped balance out all the sauce on the pizza. 

Fat rating: 4.5/10

Salt rating: 8/10

Taste rating: 4.5/10

Happy National Taco Day

Finally a national holiday I can support.

Tacos are awesome rating: ∞/10

LA County Fair - Indian Taco

Went to the Fair for the first time in years.  I was a corn on the cob farmer and a fierce crab. If you have no idea what I'm saying then you probably don't know me.  There was so much food that my head nearly exploded - I WANTED TO REVIEW EVERYTHING.  My lone stomach prevented me from doing that, so I had to pinpoint exactly what I should review.  Seeing how this is TACOGRAPHICS, the choice had to be somewhat unique but ultimately TACO BASED. 

I noticed a huge stand in the distance that said INDIAN TACOS.  I was like WHAT THE FUCK IS AN INDIAN TACO.  Minutes later I was ordering one.  The thing is not really a taco, more like a tostada bottomed with chili.  The other catch is instead of a fried tortilla shell, the base containing the lettuce, cheese, and (southwest-esque) salsa was a fresh gooey pita-type bread.  It had a nice texture and wasn't too light or heavy - thumbs up.

The chili was probably just a Hormel-canned chili with beans or something similar.  Overall, a gimmick-y fair food that I would probably not get again for the mere fact there are tons of other foods to try.  Speaking of gimmicks, I had fried kool-aid for dessert (it tasted like  cherry muffins).  Anyway, if you're still reading, here's the pic of the "Indian taco":

Fat rating: 5.5/10

Salt rating: 8/10

Taste rating: 6/10

Osuna's - Asada Sope

Haven't been here before, I got a sope for some reason. 
It was average overall.  All the ingredients were standard, especially the steak.  The lettuce was pretty bad - not fresh and stemcity.  I should have gotten TACOS.  I might try them next time.  I'll go back only because:

the best thing at this place is their mango salsa.  It's basically pico de gallo - with mango bits mixed in ~ very good!  Was "medium" spicy, just tolerable enough for me. 

Fat rating: 5/10

Salt rating: 6/10

Taste rating: 5.5/10

Tastea - Karate Chopped Chicken and BUTTLOAD A'FRIES

Tacographics loves free food.  IF YOU'RE A RESTAURANT MANAGER OR SOMETHING AND READING THIS SHOOT ME AN E-MAIL ME AND I'LL REVIEW YOUR FOOD. I'M AN INSPIRING BIG-SHOT INTERNET FOOD BLOGGER THAT TRANSCENDS THE REALM OF YELP BECAUSE I'M JUST THAT COOL.  JUST IN CASE YOU'RE WONDERING, YES THIS BLOG IS A GREAT AND FREE WAY TO GAIN EXPOSURE FOR YOUR RESTAURANT, YES I LIKE FOOD (EXCEPT SEAFOOD), NO, I'M NOT SHOUTING, THIS IS JUST HOW I DO THINGS.   

Anyway, I got this food free because my friend (and die-hard TACOGRAPHICS FAN) invited me over for a free INSIDERS ONLY event.  I got my moneys worth TACOGRAPHICS ALWAYS GETS HIS $$$'S WORTH BITCH. 

The "karate chopped" chicken was pretty much the same as this popcorn chicken .  I got the level 2 of spice which was really tame.  If you want insider info - IT'S JUST PAPRIKA.  So basically level 5 has the most paprika - do not go here if you want actual spicy chicken. 

UPDATE: I have been told it is not paprika, but cayenne pepper. 

random fry

Fat rating: 7.5/10

Salt rating: 8/10

Taste rating: 6/10

I also got BUTTLOAD A'FRIES.  Yes, that's what they're actually called.  If I cashiered here I'd probably die inside every time someone chuckled from reading it off the menu.  Anyway, these were ok. They remind me of those fajita fries I used to eat a lot as a kid.  The fries were mixed with "Tastea dust" which is apparently "super secret".  IT'S MSG.  Secrets revealed only on Tacographics. 

Fat rating: 7.5/10

Salt rating: 8/10

Taste rating: 6/10

El Loco - Tostada and Shredded Beef Street Taco

Stopped by El Loco because I was in the area.  Cannot believe I have not reviewed this tostada yet, it is one of my fave single food items of all time. TACOGRAPHICS HAS EATEN A LOT OF THESE IN HIS DAY.  This is the best fast food tostada I've had, if anyone can name a better one then TELL ME OR SOMETHING. 

It is bottomed by a fried corn shell with beans, avocado sauce, TOMATOES, shredded lettuce, and cheese.  I CAN EAT ONE OF THESE EVERYDAY BUT PROBABLY SHOULDN'T.  This tostada was definitely a main contributor as to why I have developed such a liking of mexican food  IT'S THE BEST.  IT TASTES SO GOOD AND HAS A LOT OF TEXTURES.  AS YOU CAN TELL I'M A PROFESSIONAL FOOD CRITIC.  SERIOUSLY THOUGH, THIS TOSTADA IS DELICIOUS.  ONLY ISSUE IS HOW MUCH OF A SLOB I LOOK LIKE EVERY TIME I EAT ONE, NAPKINS GODDAMN EVERYWHERE.

Fat rating: 6/10

Salt rating: 6/10

Taste rating: 9/10

 

A part of a brand new dollar menu, I opted for a street taco with shredded beef WITH NO ONIONS OR CILANTRO BECAUSE FUCK ONIONS AND CILANTRO I DON'T EVEN CARE.  

DOESN'T LOOK TOO APPETIZING, EH?  WHAT THE FUCK EVER.

 

Before I took a bite, I slammed on some pico de gallo (which is one of the better picos around town).  I had an idea of what to expect since I've had this shredded beef a bunch of times, but I never have recalled it being this moist.  It's really damn good.  There's a very seasoned taste, (probably msg, meh) overall really succulent. The meat was so juicy it saturated the tortillas - makin it a mess to eat (just like the tostada) BUT IT'S THE PRICE YOU PAY TO PLAY THE GAME.

SLAMMED WITH PICO DE GALLO

Fat rating: 3/10

Salt rating: 7/10

Taste rating: 8/10

  

Chipotle - Barbacoa Burrito with Chips and Guacamole

Back to Hipotle (no, not a typo), this time to try some stuff.

The chips were like Acapulco's but less oily.  Sorta salty.  The guac was decent but nothing amazing.

Fat rating: 7/10

Salt rating: 5/10

Taste rating: 6/10

Onto the barbacoa:

"Spicy, shredded beef, slowly braised for hours in a blend of chipotle pepper adobo, cumin, cloves, garlic and oregano until tender and moist."


I was surprised to find it wasn't very spicy, but definitely tender and moist.  I will be getting this as my default burrito from now on (black/pinto beans, corn salsa, tomato salsa, rice, and cheese).  Only problem was most of the meat was on the bottom, a typical burrito issue if all the meat is distributed to the center.

Fat rating:  7/10

Salt rating: 9/10

Taste rating 7/10

Wendy's - Chicken Caesar Wrap and Fries

Hadn't been to Wendy's in a while.  This new wrap was only 99 cents, which was cool.  I'm not sure if it was suppose to come with two pieces of chicken, but that's how much I got (I remember their old wraps only having one).  The dressing was lob-sided and low quality.  Still, I would have liked more.  The thing was pretty dry without it.

The ingredients for a dollar menu item - romaine/iceberg lettuce and the bits of asiago cheese were legit.  However, the chicken was obviously not chicken breast. For 99 cents, I don't expect it to be, so whatevs.

As for the natural cut fries, I hadn't tried them before.  They were definitely good but tasted a bit artificial- especially compared to In-N-Out's fries.  Would still buy again.

Fat rating: 7/10

Salt rating: 6.5/10

Taste rating: 6.5/10

Carl's Jr. Chicken Fillet Sandwich

I will commend Carl's Jr. for their effort on this sandwich.  It's probably second to Chick Fil-A in the fast food market -  the chicken was plump and juicy.  If only Carl's Jr. had shredded lettuce, it would really help their chicken sandwiches.  They already go through the effort of hand-breading (which is a factor), might as well get a better textured lettuce to complement the sandwich.

Fat rating: 7.5/10

Salt rating: 8/10

Taste rating: 8/10 (w/ bbq sauce)

Poquito Mas – Dinner Plate with Steak

Back on Sunset Strip, this time about a half mile south of Frankie and Johnnie's Pizza.  I wish I knew this place existed before because it is a Baja Fresh-esque white people mexican food place within walking distance of all the venues I go to for shows.  Lesson learned – don’t take a couple years to check yelp for tacos in a certain area.

I got the dinner plate with steak. The general consensus on yelp was this place was pretty standard, but has an excellent salsa bar.  Definitely agree.  It had a lot of variety; if you can’t find a good salsa here then you got problems, man.  Some of the hot stuff:

Only one missing was a pineapple salsa, but oh well.  I got the mild versions of the pico de gallo and mild salsa (bottom left and center).  I mixed them together at one point and it was exellente.

Onto the meal:

Pros:

-          Corn tortillas were some of the best I’ve had:  fresh, thick, and soft. 

-          Salsa quality and quantity – I had about 3 ½ cups of the pico with my meal, delicious.

Neutral:

-         Rest of the ingredients – steak, guac, (free) chips, beans and rice were all decent/average

Cons:

-          No cheese included

Fat rating: 6.5/10 (w/ chips)

Salt rating: 7/10

Taste rating: 7/10

Juanita's - Shredded Beef Burrito and Chicken Taco

Haven't been here in a year, it's a good hole in the wall place in a bad area.  I've gotten the burrito before.  This place has really gooey homemade tortillas.  Probably full of lard but meh, THEY'RE SO GOOEY.  The ingredients are also good.  Shredded beef was moist, rice and beans were good.  Not sure if they even put cheese in it.  The sauce here is sorta unique.  It is a tomato sauce with a peppery taste and slight spice.  It is a bit like a mix of marinara and enchilada sauce but peppery.  It's not bad, it works in the burrito for some moisture.  I'm not too picky with salsa any more unless it's too spicy or too onion-y.  This was neither but needs tomatoes ALL SALSA NEEDS TOMATOES.  No picture, I got one at home but can't find it on my phone, probably deleted it. Oh well, it looks like a burrito. 

Fat rating: 7/10   Salt rating 8/10   Taste rating: 7/10

The chicken taco looks soft but it was actually crunchy.  Definitely the least greasy fried taco I've ever had.  There was a lot of shredded chicken, some lettuce and topped with cheese.  I will definitely want to get this again, along with a shredded beef one.  I'll ask if I can get it with some tomatoes though.  ALL TACOS NEED TOMATOES.

Fat rating: 4/10

Salt rating: 5.5/10

Taste rating: 6.5/10

Tacographics GIVES YOU THE 411 ON HOW TO MAINTAIN A HEALTHY WEIGHT

For anyone who reads this blog and doesn't know me, you may think DAMN THIS TACOGRAPHICS GUY MUST BE A FATASS LOL ROFL HE'S ALWAYS EATIN' FAST FOOD.  It's actually the opposite - I'm really skinny/quasi-fit.

Almost all the unhealthy restaurant food I eat is posted and reviewed on this blog.  The rest of my diet is healthy-ish.  I'm obviously not a health freak  - I believe in moderation of both unhealthy food (because it generally has a high taste rating) and healthy food (full of vitamins/minerals that your body needs), as well as exercise.

HEALTHY AS FUCK FEELIN' GOOD ALL DAY PERFECT SMILES RANDOM SUNFLOWER

 EATING A HUGE ASS WATERMELON

Unhealthy food in moderation (a few meals a week) is fine as long as you watch it.  Eating healthy food is absolutely a must for well-being and to stay at a decent weight.  While my metabolism is probably faster than yours (just saying),  I can still give my simple advice on how to lose a few lbs. and maintain a healthy weight.  If you follow it I am confident it will yield results (expect at least two weeks to a month).  Just remember though, since all of this is in moderation, expect moderate results.  If you want to lose more that 5-10 lbs. quicker then look elsewhere.

The Tacographics Lifestyle is highlighted by the following:

- Jumping rope or jumping jacks (usually after waking up) or any time on empty stomach for at least 5-10 minutes a day

- Any mode of transportation where you're standing up  (or bikes)

- Smaller meals  - NEVER keep eating if you're on the verge of being full

- Replacing white bread, pasta, tortillas, etc.  for whole wheat bread, pasta, tortillas, etc. as much as possible.

- At least one serving of green veggies a day - broccoli, spinach, romaine lettuce (NOT iceberg), anything else green.

- At least one serving of non-green veggies a day - potato, corn, carrots, squash, etc.

- At least one serving of fruit a day - kiwi (with skin, yes it's edible), apple, orange, berries, melon, grapes, etc.

FRUIT RULES, GET INTO IT

- At least one serving of lean (not fried) protein -  skinless turkey or chicken breast, eggs (I hate eggs), fish (I hate fish), or 8oz of low fat milk (I hate milk)

- Limiting red meat to 1-2 times a week

- Limiting sugar as much as possible - (soda, desserts, snacks, juice drinks, sports drinks, etc)

- Limiting fried food to 1-2 times a week or cut out all-together

- Switch to low fat cheeses, dressings, butter, and sauces whenever possible

- Drink plenty of water - some with meals, some before/after

And the bottom line:

Male - Do not exceed 2000 calories a day

Female - Do not exceed 1500 calories a day

3500 calories = one pound.

calorie information can be found on nearly everything when you buy it - and at restaurant chains

Expected reaction whilst reading nutrition facts at any restaurant

 Other recommendations:

- Get enough vitamins
- A jump rope is worth the (very small) investment.  It is a great calorie burning exercise. 

- Always warm-up by either running in place, jumping rope or do jumping jacks before doing any workouts such as push-ups and sit-ups (which are great, do them until you can't do any more)

- Stretch after working out.

- If you do eat out at a restaurant or fast food place, take a sip or two of Aloe Vera Juice any time to aid digestion:

Yes, this thing is like $25, but it'll last a long time and will help. It has no taste.

- Anything with fiber is filling -  fresh or cooked veggies and beans are great side dishes. Try to get 10-25g of fiber a day.

- Avocado and nuts are full of fat but they're good for you.  Eat them in moderation.

- Easy snack: wash a potato, wrap it in a paper towel and microwave for 3-5 minutes (depending on how big it is) and sprinkle with a little cheese and top with steamed broccoli if desired. 

- Eat Baked Lay's, Wheat Thins, Triscuits, or Sun Chips instead of regular potato chips if you like crunchy foods like me.

And finally, an easy and healthy taco idea:

- Whole wheat tortilla

- Fajita-seasoned boneless skinless chicken breast

- Spinach

- Low fat cheese

- Chopped tomatoes

Serve with some pinto or black beans and maybe a few tortilla chips for a Tacographics approved meal.

Fat rating: 3/10 (4/10 w/ a few chips)

Salt rating: 4/10

Taste rating: Fuckin' Healthy /10  

Frankie and Johnnie's New York Pizza - Pasta Pizza

I've been here a few times because it's the cheapest option where I go on the Sunset Strip (Hollywood for those who don't know).

Last two times I've gotten cheese pizza here but haven't reviewed it because it's... cheese pizza.  I'm probably not going to do many more reviews on topping-less pizza unless it stands out.

After waiting about 20 minutes, I ended up getting the last slice of pasta pizza they had sitting out.  What is pasta pizza?  Well, it's basically pizza with a bunch of spaghetti as an interior topping, and cheese on the exterior.  I've never seen a place with it so I got it.

Carb rating: 9/10

 If there's two things tacographics is a fan of, it's texture and not having to use utensils to eat something.  This delivered in those respects. As for the pizza itself, it was standard  but could have used more sauce.  It had a few basil leaves on it for presentation.  I later took those off and coated the pizza in oregano and parmesan for more taste.

Fat rating: 5.5/10

Salt rating: 7/10

Taste rating: 6/10

Mr G's - Cheese Pizza

It was PIZZA.  A little undercooked.  A little on the greasy side from garlic butter finish.

Fat rating: 5.5/10

Salt rating: 7/10

Taste rating: 6.5/10

El Cholo - Chile Colorado

Went here after a job interview, Tacographics looked ~ suave as shit ~ all dressed up and professional.


First the chips and salsa:

Standard fare.  The salsa was thin but had a classic mild flavor.  If they just added some chopped tomatoes it would be solid. 

This place is a step above Acapulco in price/quality.  I didn't want to spend $15 on a meal so I got the chile colorado for $11.  It was also pretty standard fare.  The beans were tasteless, rice was fine, and the guac was fresh but meh. 

The entree - chunks of shredded beef in an extremely mild chile/tomato broth, I liked the portion of the relatively lean stew meat. Any die-hard Tacographics fan should know I really enjoy the texture of shredded cuts (of meat) in general.  

Depending on your perspective, you can say El Cholo is less salty than some places... or just plain bland.  If you like mild food, this is your place.  Fans of spice: look elsewhere. 

Fat rating: 7/10

Salt rating: 7/10

Taste rating: 7/10

  

Pizza Hut - Breadsticks with Marinara

Another nostalgia food, Pete-zzuh Hut's breadsticks are not exactly something to be proud of eating.  They lack a natural softness that bread should possess, and if you save them in the fridge they become garlic-y and parmesan-y blunt weapons.

Aside from a lackluster texture and subtle greasiness, these are good.  The flavor is (like I just said) a garlic parmesan blend but they need dipping sauce. The marinara sauce it comes with it was more watery than I remember it being - DAMN YOU TARGET PIZZA HUT EXPRESS.  The flavor of the dip is basically a mix of rustic and tomato-y, solid. 

Fat rating: 6/10

Salt rating: 6.5/10

Taste rating: 7/10

BJ's - BBQ Chicken Pizza

After about a week straight of Tacographics gorging on mexican food (Puffy Taco, Chronic Taco, Acapulco, and King Taco), this was like a breath of fresh pizza. 

I got a mini-size with no onions.  I should have also got no tomato because the texture is really meh.  Tacographics doesn't like slimy textures on his food, real talk. The pizza was damn good- having a very sweet sauce and just enough cheese. This deep-dish style 'zza was heavier than what I'm used to.  Whatevs, bro.

Fat rating: 6.5/10

Salt rating: 8/10

Taste rating: 7/10

King Taco - Chicken Taco, Steak Taco, Beans and Chips

After a long menu examination I got two tacos with no salsa, onions, or cilantro, but with a side of monterey jack cheese.  I also got a side of pinto beans, and chips.  Both sides were quantity over quality, basically being (low) supermarket level side dishes.

As for the tacos, the chicken was blended with veggies for a more authentic flavor, but Tacographics is about authentic as counterfeit jeans. If you care about authentic mexican food send me an email at:
 MOTHERFUCKINGTACOGRAPHICS@COULDN'TGIVETWOFUCKS.COM

After quickly disposing of some blended-in peppers and onions, I found the chicken moist and having a decent flavor without being salty.  As for the carne asada taco, the meat had a lime marinade, and was also on the moist side.  Good texture when I added some cheese. I tried the green salsa but didn't like it - very pepper-y and cilantro-y.  Next time I come here I will get a carne asada sope.

Fat rating: 4/10

Salt rating: 5.5/10

Taste rating: 6/10

Acapulco - Carnitas Fajitas

Finally got a pic of chips and salsa from here, even though it's a shitty pic:

From my previous Acapulco reviews, I've mentioned they are probably my favorite chips and salsa combination.  I've had better chips, but this salsa is probably my favorite hence it being my favorite combo.

As for the actual review, I got a promotional item called the Carnitas Fajitas.  I tried a little of them before and so hey, why not get them.  It came with a separate plate of charro beans and guac (which was more lime-y than usual)  The beans were better that the last time I've had them, mainly because there weren't many bits of chopped veggies or bacon fat. 

Finally, onto the entree.  A fajita skillet with a side of rice bottomed with a corn tortilla, a cheese enchilada, and the carnitas with veggies (fajita veggies can die).  The rice is solid, and the cheese enchilada was pretty basic.  Cheese enchiladas in general are meh, too much gooooooey. 

The carnitas were tender, not too juicy but not dry either.  Unlike most carnitas (as I've been told), these were not fried - they were probably slow cooked.  The main flavor was a salt and pepper seasoning (to be expected at a white people mexican place) - overall I enjoyed the shredded meat, adding it to some corn tortillas with some guac was typical Acapulco goodness.  Thumbs up.

Fat rating: 7.5/10

Salt rating: 9/10

Taste rating: 8.5/10

 

Elephant Bar - New York Steak and Coconut Shrimp Combo

Tacographics graduated COLLEGE yesterday.  To celebrate, Tacographics wanted a little more upscale dining experience.  I know what you're thinking: Elephant Bar? Upscale? Just remember, Tacographics couldn't give two fucks.  Tacographics rides solo - a lone wolf forever lost in the abyss we call reality. 

The New York steak was an 11oz. cut, ordered well done.  The steak had a seasoned and classic char-grilled taste.  I could have gotten it medium well for just a little more juice, maybe next time.  What was there had enough flavor where I didn't use A1 (even though A1 is godly).  IT WAS STEAK.

THE STEAK was served with garlic mashed potatoes which were not bad at all, not too strong or too weak on the garlic flavor.  The other side dish was a sauteed vegetable medley in place of the standard sauteed spinach.  The veggies were broccoli (meh, I've had better), carrots (they were carrots), zucchini (sucks), waterchest nut (good) and edamame (everything went better than expected). 

As for the fried coconut shrimp (which were bottomed with wontons) - they rule.  Crispy fried skewers with a great crunchy texture and slight sweetness.  The pineapple orange (I think) dipping sauce was a great pairing, adding moisture and more sweet taste.  Only complaint was the sauce was sorta cold, which was odd.  Overall, a balanced meal which I could only eat about half of because:

  

GODDAAAAMN RATING: 9/10 

Based on how much I ate (ignore the nutrition facts):

Fat rating:  8/10

Salt rating: 7.5/10

Taste rating: 8/10

Clyde Wright's Tennessee BBQ - Pulled Pork Sandwich

Tennesseein' is Tennebelievin' ....  or is it??  I went to an Angels game the other day for the first time in a while.  No, I did not enjoy it.  I did find this sandwich enjoyable, though.  Shredded meat has better texture than chopped meat, which is why I settled for this over the brisket. 

The pork was doused in a tomato-y and vinegar sort of bbq sauce which had a little sweetness to it - pretty good.  The coverage was also adequate.  The bites where there wasn't any sauce detected was where you could taste the pork - salty.  For the steep ballpark price of $9.75, Tacographics doesn't expect to be eating here any time soon.

Fat rating: 5.5/10

Salt rating: 7.5/10

Taste rating: 7/10

Acapulco - Tacos Al Carbon

Acapulco is the pinnacle of white people mexican food.  I've gotten this entree 2 previous times but each time it was at night and the pictures came out horrid.  I finally ate during the day so there was light to take the pic.

I forgot to get a pic of the chips and salsa but they remain my favorite combination - light crispy chips dusted with salt along with a mild and flavorful tomato salsa.

The entree came with two corn tortillas with a chile-lime sort of marinated grilled chicken inside, otherwise known as a taco.  The pic makes it seem that the taco is barren, but when I added my own lettuce, cheese, and salsa they came out awesome. I topped the tacos with some guac and entered into a taco-phoric state.  Acapulco just has awesome ingredients - from the grilled chicken to the beans and rice - this entree in particular caters to my tacographic - it has ALL the flavors and textures together in one meal when eaten with some chips. 

Fat rating: 8/10 (w/ chips)

Salt rating: 9/10

Taste rating: 9.5/10

Green Burrito - Taco Salad

Had a 2 for $5 coupon and for some reason the Carl's Jr. on campus is selling them. 

I don't have much to say about this salad, it was incredibly average and skimpy.  The lettuce was almost all stems, beans and meat were ok, and pico de gallo was onion-y.

Inadequate ingredients to tostada shell ratio.

Fat rating: 6.5/10

Salt rating: 6.5/10

Taste rating: 5/10

Farmer Boys - BBQ Ranch Chicken Sandwich

I would go to Farmer Boy’s a lot more if Del Taco didn’t exist.  It’s been a place I’ve gone to once or twice a year since since 7^th grade on the way home from school.  They didn’t have this sandwich until re-doing their menu a few years ago, and damn – it owns your face.

A grilled chicken breast with all the ingredients I like in a sandwich – bbq sauce, swiss (or provolone, can anyone tell the difference?), and bacon.  It also has lettuce, tomato, and ranch which I’ve gotten without before, but got this time.  It was also suppose to have onion straws but the cook who looks like Saddam Hussein didn’t put any on:

What I liked about the sandwich, as you can see, is the excellent amount of bbq sauce.  It was a sweet and salty sauce, nothing impressive but it fit the sandwich.  There was also a similar amount of ranch which created a great blend of flavors (in between the wheat bun).  This was a well crafted sandwich from top to bottom with textures galore even without the crispy onions.  

Fat rating: 7.5/10

Salt rating: 8/10

Taste rating: 8.5/10