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What's for breakfast on a September morning in Las Vegas? Since I was staying near the strip, breakfast choices were unlimited, considering the countless number of nearby, world-class resorts. There was even a Denny's restaurant in front of the motel where I was staying... My mission was menudo, so I got up, got on the web, "Googled" something like "las vegas menudo tropicana" and Tacos Mexico popped up. After a quick check of Google Maps, I noted the restaurant was only a tad over a mile from the motel, so within minutes, I was on my way.
Photo: There is no doubt that Tacos Mexico features authentic Mexican cuisine, and they're proud of it! How can you resist a restaurant that says "MENUDO" in 2-foot tall letters!
Photo: You walk inside the front door to the order counter, at the right of the photo. You place your order from the menu, located on the wall behind the cashier, and pay for your order. If the restaurant is busy, you'll get a plastic number, if it's not busy - like on this Tuesday morning - they just call out your order. You pick your order up at the counter, to the left of the photo. The menu features a wide variety of Mexican favorites, including combination plates, menudo, pozole, birria, mariscos and much more. The two women that were working in the restaurant were quite friendly and cheerful. In true Las Vegas fashion, the restaurant is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and anything on the menu can be ordered at any time. Ah, menudo 24/7... I'm lovin' it!
Photo: The dining room is large, clean, and very comfortable. On this Tuesday morning, September 18, 2012, the restaurant wasn't at all busy.
Photo: When my order was called, I made my way to the order counter to pick it up. Tacos Mexico is a bit of an oddity, as they do not offer beer on their menu. Note the pool table, but there are no cue sticks or balls. Unlike many taquerias in the same class as Tacos Mexico, there is no chip and salsa bar, which is a definite minus, as I'm accustomed to filling up on free chips and salsa as I wait for my order to arrive. There are a limited amount of condiments available at the pick-up counter, such as red or green salsa, diced onion, cilantro and pickled vegetables. I was disappointed that no cerveza was available - at 9 O'clock in the morning! - and I didn't feel in the mood for a soft drink, so the friendly gal was happy to fix me up with a glass of ice water at no charge. That's a good thing!
Photo: My breakfast of a bowl of menudo, four corn tortillas, and garnishes of cilantro, onion and two slices of lime. The menudo was served at exactly the right temperature, very warm, but not hot, and it had plenty of tripe and hominy, and was spiced just right. It was good, and definitely a keeper in many ways, but... That's where the good news ends. I've been enjoying menudo for over 50 years, and I never thought that I'd see the say where it was served in a styrafoam bown with a litte, bitty, plastic spoon to eat it with! Holy Toledo... this is NOT the way menudo is supposed to be served, as the soup is quite difficult to eat with a small, flimsy, plastic spoon. I also thought the portion was quite skimpy, for the $6.95 plus tax that it cost. I'm still scratching my head over my feelings towards this restaurant... Tacos
Mexico definitely captures a niche, as it's within walking distance
of the strip, and their menu offers a wide selection of traditional,
Mexican "comfort food," including such favorites as
menudo, pozole and birria. However, the lack of a chip
bar, lack of beer, and the styrafoam bowels and plates leaves
much to be desired. Thery're close, the food is alright,
and it's reasonably priced... So I'll leave it at that. Copyright(c) 2012 eRench Productions. All rights reserved. This site has been on the web since December 22, 2002.
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