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Take a trip down memory lane with me to California in the early 1970's, when there was a phenomenon known as a gas war. Ah yes, the good old days, when gas stations would attempt to underprice each other and the end result was that they practically gave their gas away to the lucky consumers. It's been a long time since I've even heard the term gas war used, and much longer since I've seen one. In California, gas wars have faded into history, but when you go south of the border to Tijuana, a different sort of war is en effect, and that's a taco war. Like a gas war, El Meño and their neighbor, El Poblado, just up the street, are locked into a taco war, and seem to be trying to see who can sell tacos for the lowest price. As of this writing, on March 13 2009, El Meño seemed to have won the battle, as their delicious tacos al pastor were priced at the unheard of low price of only three for a dollar. Three tacos for a dollar! Unbelievable! Photo: El Meño is located on Av. Madero, a couple blocks east of downtown Tijuana. Note the television in operation and the radishes that decorate the trailer. Chairs are provided for customers to the right of the photo. What kind of tacos do your get for this unbelievably low price? Tacos al pastor... which are pork tacos made from a large chunk of pork meat that has been marinated in a secret recipe and then cooked over a vertical flame, using a vertical rotisserie. For flavor and juiciness the meat has a pineapple placed on top over the meat, so as the meat cooks the pineapple bastes the meat, which adds flavor and moisture. Each taco has two corn tortillas, and is loaded with freshly-made guacamole, diced cilantro, chopped white onions and a spoonful or two of red chipotle sauce. These tacos are simply delicious... Photo: These are the two guys that work the restaurant, hard at work. The restaurant is actually located on the sidewalk, as the sidewalk is quite wide. El Meño is housed in one of those little taco trailers which never seems to move from its location. It appears as if the "kitchen" has been altered to allow the cooking of tacos al pastor, as it has what appears to be a custom-installed vertical rotisserie and next to it a griddle, for cooking tortillas and meat. Two guys operate the restaurant, one guy cooks the meat, and the other guy prepares the condiments and waits on the customers. During my visit at 6:30 on a Friday evening these guys were very busy, turning out countless tacos for their many customers. Photo: Cutting slices of meat from the hunk of pork for my tacos. Photo: Then the pieces of pork are finished on the griddle. Note the vertical grill and the flames, and the piece of pineapple on top of the meat. El Meño is not a big-budget operation, as the trailer is very small, and doesn't appear to move. That doesn't mean that the restaurant is lacking in creature comforts, as its shaded by a couple of plastic tarps, has several plastic chairs for the comfort of the diners, and offers entertainment in the form of a small color television, tuned to the ever-popular Mexican soap operas. The food is cooked by propane, and the meat, vegetables and soft drinks are kept cool in an ice chest. Two large trash cans are provided for convenient disposal of trash. The restaurant has electricity, but I'm not sure where it comes from, as there isn't a generator, and I wouldn't be surprised if its bootlegged from the city. Photo: Guacamole and other delicious condiments are added to my tacos. each taco features two corn tortillas, for better taste and to keep the taco intact as you eat it. It's interesting to watch how tacos al pastor are made, as the cooking and preparation techniques are somewhat unique to the vertical grill. The guy who is doing the cooking first places five tortillas on the griddle. Then, he rapidly slices meat from the al pastor, and allows the meat to fall into a tortilla that he's holding in his other hand. Next, he empties the meat on the griddle and places the tortilla next to the other three that have been heating for, perhaps, 20 seconds. When all of the tortillas begin to bubble, he grabs two of them with one hand, and with a pair of tongs, scoops meat from the griddle, places the meat on the tortillas, and then he puts the tortillas on a plastic plate. He repeats the process to make the other two tacos. This guy is quick, as the whole process, from placing the tortillas on the grill to plating the tacos takes about a minute. If you're like me, and you order "con todo" on your tacos, he'll first spoon chopped white onions on your taco, then the cilantro, a couple of scoops of red chipotle sauce, and finally top it off with a large spoonful of creamy guacamole. Photo: The cook hands me my plate of three tacos al pastor. The price was beyond reasonable, but the taste and quality of the tacos was as good as it gets. These tacos are a real bargain! Photo: My three delicious tacos al pastor, with all of the garnishes. Simply delicious! Many people are of the opinion that tacos al pastor are the finest tacos commonly found on the streets of Mexico, and I agree, yet I disagree, as I really don't have a favorite variety, as I love 'em all. The tacos served at El Meño are the most reasonably-priced tacos I've came across for a long time, but they are delicious, as they're cooked the way tacos al pastor should be cooked, and they're made from fresh ingredients. This restaurant is a bargain, and a real gem, and when you're in the mood for delicious tacos, head over to El Meño, for wonderful tacos at unbelievably low prices. El
Meño Copyright(c) 2012 eRench Productions. All rights reserved. We've been on the web since December 22, 2002.
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