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How many taco carts in Tijuana's Zona Rio are named "Tacos Varios?" OK, how many stars are there in the sky? ... you get the idea... as "Tacos Varios" seems to be painted on every taco cart, and every taco stand, as you enter Tijuana through the turnstile, and find yourself on Av. Amistad, surrounded by taco stands, taxis, and fare-hungry taxi drivers looking for customers. If you're looking for tacos, you've come to the right place as there are tacos, tacos, and well... muchos "Tacos Various." On Monday, December 28, 2009, I spotted a taco stand with a bright, red canopy named Tacos Varios "Lily," (another Tacos Varios!!!) that I'd never seen before, so it was time to drag out my camera, dig a few pesos out of my pocket, and enjoy some fine Tijuana street cuisine.
Photo: Tacos Varios "Lily" is a busy little restaurant, and caters to the taste of local residents. Note the "Golden Arches" in the background of the photo, which makes this restaurant easy to locate. Note the wary look I'm receiving from the guy working in the taco stand, as I take the photo. Tacos Varios "Lily" is located on the east side of Av. Amistad, directly across the street from the prominent McDonald's Restaurant, and the entrance to the Tijuana Plaza. If you're walking from the U.S. to downtown Tijuana, it's right on the way, albeit on the opposite side of the street, and I doubt that Lily is patronized by many of the Americans who walk to downtown Tijuana. Lily is pretty much like any other taco stand in Tijuana, as it's staffed by two gentlemen, and offers a variety of tacos, including cabeza, lengua, carne asada and birria. Birria! I couldn't pass up an order of tacos de birria, so I ordered two of them. At Tacos Varios "Lily" each taco ingredient is contained separately in a large covered pot, and kept hot over a propane burner. There is a small griddle that seems to be used for heating corn tortillas, which is the only variety of tortillas the restaurant offers. Condiments include diced white onions, diced cilantro, along with red and green salsa. The restaurant is staffed by two guys, who seem to perform interchangeable duties, but both of them acted totally weird when I pulled out my camera and started taking photos. I've had a few run-ins with folks for taking unwanted photos, so I became quite discreet as I snapped a few photos.
Photo: After the tortillas are removed from the griddle, they're placed on a plastic bag-covered plate, filled with the desired meat, and handed to the customer. This guy is preparing to place my tortillas on the griddle; a plastic bag-covered plate rests on a large stock pot. Condiments are to the lower left of the photo. Despite their photo wariness, their small selection, and the limited choice in condiments, these guys produce great tacos. Each taco contains two corn tortillas, toasted on the griddle, with a very generous helping of birria, ladled from one of the large stock pots. In the style of may Tijuana street vendors, each taco is wrapped in a sanitary paper, and placed on a plastic plate, protected by a disposable plastic baggie. It's up to you to garnish your tacos, and I was definitely up to the task, as I placed diced onions and cilantro on mine, and finished the job with a helping of green salsa. I wasn't alone, as this taco stand was very busy with local customers on this mid Monday afternoon in late December.
Photo: My delicious tacos de birria. Note the juicy meat, the fresh garnish, and the fact that each taco contains two corn tortillas. At the price of only MEX $10.00 per taco, Tacos Varios "Lily" is a bargain in any language. The tacos are delicious, made from fresh ingredients, and served Johnny-on-the-spot, Tijuana style. The only drawback is the lack of anyplace to sit - I sat on the sidewalk curb with my legs in the gutter - and the maybe-I-shouldn't-take-pictures mindset. But if you're in the mood for delicious, albeit basic tacos, and aren't a huge fan of personal amenities, I'd highly recommend a visit to Tacos Varios "Lily." Tacos Varios "Lily" Copyright(c) 2009 eRench Productions. All rights reserved. We've been on the web since December 22, 2002.
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