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