Ban on Variety Meats/Beef Parts

[chuck]

Went to the Tacos Guaymas on Greenlake the other day and was suprised to see a couple of options for meat fillings crossed off of the menu. The waitress said that it was illegal to buy some of those things lately. Anyone else heard of this?

I haven't noticed any changes at other restaurants, and the clientele at that particular Guaymas has always been influenced by the U.W., so maybe they just never sold.

Stuff's pretty good there still, by the way. It's really close to my house. Maybe that's it...

[SeaGal]

I was there the other day too, and I tried to order my favorite, the cabezas tacos (basically beef cheeks, I believe) and they said they didn't have them any more. I just assumed it was because they didn't sell well. Didn't hear anything about illegality though--can't imagine what that would be about.

[tsquare]

Went to the Tacos Guaymas on Greenlake the other day and was suprised to see a couple of options for meat fillings crossed off of the menu. The waitress said that it was illegal to buy some of those things lately. Anyone else heard of this?

Yes. It was in the news last month.

[trillium]

I was there the other day too, and I tried to order my favorite, the cabezas tacos (basically beef cheeks, I believe) and they said they didn't have them any more. I just assumed it was because they didn't sell well. Didn't hear anything about illegality though--can't imagine what that would be about.

I hope this doesn't ruin it for you, but tacos de cabeza are usually made from the meat from heads of steers which have been steamed for a really long time. You usually order sesos (brains) seperately though.

Gotta love the beef industry. Instead of screening their cattle more carefully they just want to eliminate the bits that if eaten have the highest probability of getting them sued if a mad cow slips through the screening.

regards,

trillium

[ExtraMSG]

I've got a pic I should post some time of de Leon here in Portland stripping a cow head of its meat after steaming all night. However, I think the form cabeza takes at taquerias, especially in the US, varies. It's one of the things I order the most, and it's often obviously not the steamed all night variety.

[trillium]

I'll have to take your word for it. I'm partial to lengua and al pastor over cabeza so I don't order it that often. I know in Chicago they did the steam the head all night deal, but I haven't gone out of my way looking for it here in Pdx.

regards,

trillium

[ExtraMSG]

I don't like lengua much at all. Carnitas is actually my first love, though, of the typical choices you find in the US. Probably second would be carne asada or birria. Salvador's in Woodburn does theirs perfectly, even cooking it with orange. But all these change so much from place to place. Sometimes birria is birria de chivo and so more of a pot roast style dish. Or sometimes it's more like the northern Mexican cabrito and so roasted. Sometimes carne asada is more like fajitas, or sometimes it's little crusty bits. And if you like al pastor, I'm sure you've gotten way too many of the diced pork in bbq sauce variety of al pastor which would probably better be termed adovada. I almost never get al pastor because 75% of the time it's this latter thing unless you go to a place like Uruapan or Poncho's when they've got the spit turning.

[SeaGal]

I hope this doesn't ruin it for you, but tacos de cabeza are usually made from the meat from heads of steers which have been steamed for a really long time. You usually order sesos (brains) seperately though.

Gotta love the beef industry. Instead of screening their cattle more carefully they just want to eliminate the bits that if eaten have the highest probability of getting them sued if a mad cow slips through the screening.

regards,

trillium

No, it doesn't ruin it for me--it's no different than eating head cheese I imagine. My favorites tacos are carnitas, but I haven't had any here that are really carnitas, i.e. a whole pig (well, not all on one taco of course ) deep fried to crunchy goodness as in Mexico. Is there anywhere in Seattle area that does them authentically (or close to it?).

I also like lengua, asada and pastor, but as ExtraMSG said, most places serve pork stewed in BBQ sauce which is ok, but not like the al pastor in Morelia, MX. which was sort of grilled on a spit like a gyros and juicy pieces were carved of and served on tortillas. Ymmmmm.

Where are the good taco places in Seattle?