Ay Jalisco

The Location: Ay Jalisco, Jefferson Blvd

The Taco: One each of carnitas, carne asada and al pastor (not pictured)

The Price: $1.89/each

The Verdict: Ay Jalisco has been tempting us from its location just off the freeway in West Sacramento for years, and we've been meaning to stop by to check it out. After reader AJ wrote in to recommend it, we knew it had to get bumped to the top of the list. I tried one each of the carne asada, carnitas and al pastor tacos. Each one was topped with a traditional onion and cilantro mix with a little salsa thrown in for good measure.

The carnitas tasted fine but was nothing special.  It seemed to essentially be shredded pork without that extra bit of chewy caramelized texture that good carnitas should have.  The carne asada was tasty with a good marinated flavor that wasn't overwhelming.  Of the three my favorite was the al pastor.  Typically al pastor is served thinly sliced, similar to a gyro, but in this case it came chopped into small cubes.  The flavor of the marinade (which is really the key to al pastor) came through nicely, with a good spice that wasn't too strong.

Overall, I rate this as a respectable three and a half stars.

The Rating: ★★★ ½ (out of 5)

Taqueria Maria

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Originally uploaded by ptelford

The Location: Taqueria Maria, Roseville

The Taco: Crispy Taco

The Price: $2.25/each

The Verdict: This little restaurant is hidden away behind a gas station, and if you're not paying attention you might easily miss it. That would be a shame, because the food is delicious. The menu is extensive with at least a half-dozen types of meats to choose, several taco choices and all the usual burrito, enchilada, etc. options too. My taco came with a generous helping of pastor (spicy pork), guacamole, sour cream, lettuce & pico. Everything about it tasted fresh and the meat was tender & flavorful. At the risk of ruining my appetite for dinner, I would have happily consumed several of these well-stuffed tacos.

The Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)