Viva Jalisco

It's high time to learn Spanish. If I'm going to do this search good and proper then it's going to be crucial to speak to the taco makers--and many don't speak English. Plus, anymore, it seems ridiculous not to speak Spanish--especially if you live in a city like Phoenix. There's a solid and proud Latin history in this city. Certainly picking up the language is an easy way to show some respect as well. Unfortunately, the county Sherriff, Joe Arpio, has polarized Phoenix using his version of a race war as the lynch pin. Mr. Arpio, bat shit crazy, must see himself as some sort of One Man Alamo. Cuidado Senor. Cuidado. Point being, to entench myself fully in taco culture I'm going to have to learn Spanish so I can talk freely.

I learned this lesson the hardway at Taco Jalisco. I started with Jaliso because it has gained some notoriety recently. Fancy resteraunt chefs and resteraunteurs have been skulking about, tasting the food, and probably thinking up their own ways to open high end taco joints (I can see it now: "Slow braised short rib with mesquite roasted salsa and blue maize tortillas"). Located in South Scottsdale, Jalisco has a hugely loyal following. The place is small, and looks like it used to be a drive-through burger place. Small parking lot, a few plastic tables and chairs out front, and garishly painted windows--big hand-painted tacos and shrimp. Excellent. I'm surprised that a contemporary artist hasn't done something with the window paintings on taquerias. Besides the fact that Jalisco has been frequented by the local chef set, the other reson that it has received good buzz is that their food is very good.

I arrived right before noon and Jalisco was jammed. The hissing grill and smell of fresh tortillas turned me inside out. In the interest of trying to sound like I knew what I was doing, I ordered in Spanish. Now, I THOUGHT I'd orderd the tacos el pastor lunch plate and a couple beers. Feeling a little smug, I sauntered over to the salsa bar after placing my order and filled plastic cups with incredible, smoky salsas. The jukebox was banging out mariachi music and packs of people kept streaming in. When my order arrived it looked NOTHING like the tacos el pastor that I'd ordered. The meat looked shredded rather than a small dice. Something amiss. I asked the lady taking orders if this was el pastor. "No, cabeza" she replied. Cabeza. The meat from a cow's head. Cow head meat. Hmmm. Ok. I was saving cabeza for a particularly adventurous day. But, because I don't know how to say "Number Six" in Spanish I ended up with Number 17--cow head tacos. See what I'm saying? Time to pick up some espanol.

Jalisco makes a wicked good taco. The tortillas are fresh, small, and have an amazing texture. I love the way that they're doubled to make a nice sturdy little container for the goodness. The condiment bar, as I mentioned, has three salsas--a smoky, chipotle salsa, a super hot salsa (really, really hot), and a light verde style. All were excellent. Plus, Jaliso serves grilled jalapenos, radishes, and the mandatory lime wedges. I didn't want to be a coward, so I grabbed a grilled jalapeno and munched it down. Probably not the best idea, but the grilled quality seemed to have lessened the heat. It still burt all the way down.

Cabeza was strange. It reminded me a little bit of the only time I've eaten head cheese. On a dare. It tasted like a bloody nose. The cabeza was like that. It was tasty enough--the meat was soft and didn't have much fat on it. But I can't say that it was the best tasting meat I've ever eaten. I tried a different salsa with each of the three tacos. The hot salsa with a big squeeze of lime worked the best in my opinion. I don't need to eat the head meat taco again.

The sides at Jaliso were a little disappointing. Each taco plate comes with rice and beans, some shredded iceberg lettuce, one slice of tomato, and some sour cream. The rice was flat tasting and the peas and carrots in it were clearly frozen before cooking. The beans were a little cold and the sprinkle of cheese on top was rubbery. Not too sure why they bother with the lettuce, tomato, and sour cream. In the future I'll simply order the tacos without the rest.

Were I to rate Jaliscos, I'd give it huge points for the atmosphere, music, and super friendly staff. I'd also say that the tacos are excellent in terms of tortilla quality, salsas, and yes, head meat. I'm not going to do a rating scale (7 out of ten on the Tacometer), but I'll give Jaliso an above average evaluation. Let's see how the Phoenix foodie chefs respond in turn...