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)

Emma's Taco House

The Location: Emma's Taco House. 1617 Sacramento Ave, West Sacramento, CA

The Taco: Carnita[sic] Tacos

The Price: 11.99 (with rice, beans, tortilla & soup or salad)

The Verdict: Any restaurant that has been in business since 1950 must be doing something right, and this little out-of-the-way spot on Sacramento Ave is a case in point. I got what was listed on the menu as the "Carnita Taco" plate which included two tacos, rice, beans, choice of soup or salad and an extra tortilla plus chips & salsa. Despite a warning that it would take about 15 minutes for a to-go order, they had it ready in less than 10. The tacos were stuffed with huge chunks of juicy and flavorful carnitas as well as lettuce, onions, cheese, and green salsa. Guacamole and pico de gallo were provided on the side.
My only complaint is that the best carnitas has a crunchy pan-seared outside, and this particular recipe did not, or at least I didn't get any chunks with the crunchy caramelized coating. But for that minor detail these would have scored an easy four-and-a-half. Overall, top-notch tacos, worth a repeat visit.

The Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)

Salsa Tacos

The Location: Salsa Tacos, 910 W Capitol Ave, West Sacramento

The Taco: Two item chicken taco plate

The Price: $7.26

The Verdict: Tonight was a return trip to Salsa Tacos which has previously served us up some tasty bites (in the pre-blog era). This was my first time through their tiny drive through, and the service was quick and efficient. Once I got home I found the crunchy tacos a little soggy but I'll blame that on the unfortunate circumstance of a 20-minute drive home and won't subtract any stars. The tacos were otherwise very tasty, with juicy meat and a substantial amount of filling stuffed into the shell. Quick tip if you like it spicy: order the hot salsa and pour it on liberally. It has a good flavor as well as a good amount of heat that manages to be hot enough without burning the taste buds into oblivion. As for the side dishes, both the rice and the refried beans were delicious. I'm not sure if the beans are prepared from scratch, but they tasted like it.

This small restaurant is tucked away on W Capitol Ave directly adjacent to a Jim Boy's Tacos. If you have the choice, I recommend you go for Salsa Tacos over the chain store every time.


The Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)