ASADERO TECOLOTE: YOU MUST TRY THE AL PASTOR MEAT GRILLING IN THE CORNER OF THIS TIJUANA TACO SPOT
The Cost -$4 per person
The Atmosphere –Asadero Tecolote is located in the Aviacion area of Tijuana, not far from Plaza Chapultepec, one of the city’s newer outdoor malls. Though it is located on a main road, the entrance is inside of the parking lot. Inside, you won’t find high-end or modern décor, but you will find a long counter with stainless steel containers filled with different taco toppings and salsas as well as picnic-style tables. The casual taco-focused restaurant has both indoor and outdoor seating and does not take reservations. They are open for lunch and dinner.
For those that live in other parts of Mexico as well as Southern Californians, Tijuana has become a hot spot for weekend getaways. With the most well-known wine region in Mexico located just an hour and a half away and a great food scene that ranges from amazing street food to fine dining restaurants, Tijuana is shedding its bad reputation and gaining a lot of new fans – especially those looking for tacos. The city is full of taco stands and restaurants and one of the newer additions to the scene is Asadero Tecolote.
The Order – 4 Tacos – Asada, Pollo, Tripa and Pastor.
The Fantastic – The Pastor taco, a grilled pork taco that is made on a shawarma machine in which the meat rotates around a vertical pole, was the best taco of the lunch. On top of the single corn tortilla with the meat, I put a few drops of the mango habanero salsa to give it a slightly sweet and very spicy kick; but this taco needs the least amount of toppings because the meat is so good and flavorful. The al pastor meat tastes similar to a pork spare rib from an Americanized Chinese restaurant and has a bit of sweetness. It is the one taco that you should order on every visit to Asadero Tecolote.
The Great – Seeing tripas, which are cow intestines, on a restaurant menu in Mexico is quite common and though it is not my first choice in meats, I ordered it with a corn tortilla. I was pleasantly surprised at how good the Tripa taco is at Asadero Tecolote. The meat was ever so slightly burnt, which gave it a nice flavor that combined nicely with the salsa negra that I chose to put on top. I also added cilantro, onions, pickled onions, and guacamole. The salsa negra was spicy, with the spiciness hitting you right on your tongue about a second after contact. I also loved the pickled onions, but would not put the guacamole on this taco next time because it took away from the flavor of the meat. Overall though, a really nice taco and a good place for first-time tripas-eaters to get a taste of this typical Mexican taco meat.
The Asada taco is made with pieces of classic grilled beef and benefits the most from the toppings bar. While the meat itself is good, the finished product was much better. I added cilantro, onion, guac, pickled onions, and salsa negra to the corn tortilla taco and the flavors combined so nicely with the beef to make for an excellent few bites.
The Good – My least favorite, but still very enjoyable, taco of the meal was the Pollo taco, with which I chose to have a flour tortilla. I thought the flour tortilla was good, but I definitely enjoyed the corn tortilla more because of the taste and because it was the perfect amount of bendable while still being sturdy enough to hold all of the meat and toppings without breaking. The roasted chicken in the taco was good but not great; it was a little tougher than I would have wanted. I topped the chicken with cilantro, onions, salsa taquera, and guacamole and that definitely gave the taco the flavors and textures it needed.
The Verdict – Asadero Tecolote is a great spot for anyone looking for tacos in Tijuana. A super casual restaurant that has a delicious corn tortilla, fantastic al pastor meat, and a create-your-own-taco adventure with its counter full of various salsas and toppings, all of which make for an excellent meal that is sure to be enjoyed. And at about $2 per taco, how could you possibly say no?