Colorado Mexican Favorites

[rlm]

Has anyone tried Taqueria Los Tres Reyes?

Nopers. Where is it? What are your impressions, mtdew, if you've tried it?

BTW, I like Tex-Mex, but the Costillas at Hacienda CO are all Tex and no Mex. They are served with a KC Masterpiece-esque BBQ sauce. I was pining for Efrain's!!!

Lori, thanks for the other suggestions. I have been craving Mexican food lately.

Thanks to Fred and afoodnut for the feedback on Las Delicias. I think there are plenty of other places I need to try first.

[rlm]

This week's Westword mentions the good-n-greasy tacos from Mexico City that I described earlier in the thread. It's in the Drink of the Week column. MC is actually on Larimer and is not open for dinner (except for happy hours on Fridays).

Westword Link:

Mexico City's steak tacos are the closest thing I've found in Denver to the Mexican street taco.

Edited July 15, 2004 by rlm (log)

[Chezhoff]

This is a bit off topic, but I had to share it considering all the discussion on good tacos...

Anyway, we recently moved into our new house in Erie (Vista Ridge subdivision off of Highway 7) and the area around us is still a major construction zone. While this creates problems, notably dust, there are benefits. The first is that the construction activities, trucks, etc. provided endless entertainment for my 2 year old twins. The second is that whenever one of the twins sees a truck, they yell out "truck", but when they say the word it comes out sounding like f*ck, so this is endlessly amusing to my wife and I (less so to the grandmothers...). The final, and most important bene, is that everyday between 11:30 and 2:00 or so, various food wagons come by. The best of these is a big, UPS sized, truck that has the faded words "tacos, burritos, tortas" painted on the side. They've got an amazing selection of meats that they will throw on very fresh corn tortillas and then top with cilantro and onions. On top of that they always have 4 or so fresh salsa you can top your tacos with. Plus some yummy Mexican sodas. Just the thing to quench hunger and thirst after a hard morning's work!

Don't even get me started about the fruit bar guy that comes by later in the day...

:)

[Milt]

This is a bit off topic, but I had to share it considering all the discussion on good tacos...

The final, and most important bene, is that everyday between 11:30 and 2:00 or so, various food wagons come by. The best of these is a big, UPS sized, truck that has the faded words "tacos, burritos, tortas" painted on the side. They've got an amazing selection of meats that they will throw on very fresh corn tortillas and then top with cilantro and onions. On top of that they always have 4 or so fresh salsa you can top your tacos with. Plus some yummy Mexican sodas. Just the thing to quench hunger and thirst after a hard morning's work!

You bought back some memories from long ago. I grew up in Farmington, New Mexico - not too far south of Colorado. A woman from Blanco (and sometimes her youngest daughter) came by our shop and sold homemade burritos from the trunk of her car. She had two options - hot and mild. They were to die for. Evidently, others in the community felt as I did. She put all twelve of her children through the University of New Mexico with the proceeds of those burritos being a significant part of the story.

[afoodnut]

This is a bit off topic, but I had to share it considering all the discussion on good tacos...

Anyway, we recently moved into our new house in Erie (Vista Ridge subdivision off of Highway 7) and the area around us is still a major construction zone. While this creates problems, notably dust, there are benefits. The first is that the construction activities, trucks, etc. provided endless entertainment for my 2 year old twins. The second is that whenever one of the twins sees a truck, they yell out "truck", but when they say the word it comes out sounding like f*ck, so this is endlessly amusing to my wife and I (less so to the grandmothers...). The final, and most important bene, is that everyday between 11:30 and 2:00 or so, various food wagons come by. The best of these is a big, UPS sized, truck that has the faded words "tacos, burritos, tortas" painted on the side. They've got an amazing selection of meats that they will throw on very fresh corn tortillas and then top with cilantro and onions. On top of that they always have 4 or so fresh salsa you can top your tacos with. Plus some yummy Mexican sodas. Just the thing to quench hunger and thirst after a hard morning's work!

Don't even get me started about the fruit bar guy that comes by later in the day...

:)

Chezhoff,

Not off topic at all...

So, if I wanted to find that big, UPS sized truck, with the faded "tacos, burritos, tortas" painted on the side, what times and exactly where would be the best place to hang out and wait? (I assume I start out heading east on Baseline? Then what?)

Now off topic...are you going to join us at Dalat on Saturday?

Edited July 20, 2004 by afoodnut (log)

[Chezhoff]

So, if I wanted to find that big, UPS sized truck, with the faded "tacos, burritos, tortas" painted on the side, what times and exactly where would be the best place to hang out and wait? (I assume I start out heading east on Baseline? Then what?)

Exactly, head east from Lafayette and turn left into Vista Ridge, about a mile or so past the Tri-County Airport. I've seen him driving all around the 'hood, usually around 12:00-1:00 or so.

Now off topic...are you going to join us at Dalat on Saturday?

That's a good question, I'd really like to...we weren't planning on it due to our move (last weekend) into our new house and the state of chaos we are in, but we've made better progress than I thought. Let me talk to my wife tonight and I will let you know.

Brian

[mongo_jones]

So, if I wanted to find that big, UPS sized truck, with the faded "tacos, burritos, tortas" painted on the side, what times and exactly where would be the best place to hang out and wait? (I assume I start out heading east on Baseline? Then what?)

afoodnut,

if you find the truck can you tell the guy to swing by north boulder?

mongo

[Chezhoff]

I ate at the truck again yesterday....it is so very good, plus they sell some very interesting varieties of Mexican potato chips and sodas. This time they had little disposable ramekin sized cups to put the salsa in...I of course took a bunch extra, made my scrambled eggs much more interesting this am.

[mike k]

Los Pinchones on Main Street in Longmont. It's a converted drive-in A&W or something. The front half is a typical (typical for south of the border) outdoor mexican produce market and the rear counter area is the restaurant. You should come armed with more than the English language, though you can always point. The menudo is renowned, but I frankly find it a bit overwhelming. The tacos and similar items are all excellent though. Properly cooked meats - pastor, tongue, goat, pork, whatever you want - with all the fixin's. I have not been there often, so don't have a whole lot more to say, but it certainly appears to be the Real Thing.

Tres Margaritas is sort of a cliche, overly popular local chain of Mexican restaurants. However, I go there as often as possible to eat the Sopa de Mariscos (seafood stew). It's a wonderfully spicy tomato broth, chock full of tender octopus, shrimp, bay scallops, white fish, a hand of snow crab and small chunks of avocado. It's huge, so my wife and I usually split one and get some other plate of meat-thing, which is always good, but not the focus. Sometimes we just get two Sopas and have leftovers. They also make the best margaritas around - just tequila, lime juice and countreau, served in a nice silver shaker full of ice with a strainer and a salted glass. It's surprising how hard it can be to avoid sour mix around here. I've only ever been to the one in Broomfield, so I don't know for sure that the others are the same. I keep meaning to find out but haven't gotten around to it.

[afoodnut]

Tres Margaritas is sort of a cliche, overly popular local chain of Mexican restaurants. However, I go there as often as possible to eat the Sopa de Mariscos (seafood stew). It's a wonderfully spicy tomato broth, chock full of tender octopus, shrimp, bay scallops, white fish, a hand of snow crab and small chunks of avocado. It's huge, so my wife and I usually split one and get some other plate of meat-thing, which is always good, but not the focus. Sometimes we just get two Sopas and have leftovers. They also make the best margaritas around - just tequila, lime juice and countreau, served in a nice silver shaker full of ice with a strainer and a salted glass. It's surprising how hard it can be to avoid sour mix around here. I've only ever been to the one in Broomfield, so I don't know for sure that the others are the same. I keep meaning to find out but haven't gotten around to it.

I've also been to Tres Margaritas in Colorado Springs and the one on South Clinton (near the country dinner playhouse), as well as the Broomfield location. I've always enjoyed the food and experience at any of the Tres Margaritas, and I'm happy to eat there when anyone suggests it, but never thought of recommending it as someplace special to go. Maybe I should rethink?

Edited July 28, 2004 by afoodnut (log)

[rlm]

Tried the Ajuaa in Broomfield. Same bland food I remember but in an even more generic location.

Maybe I’m delusional, but if you offer both mild and spicy versions of sauces, perhaps the “spicy” version should pack slightly more heat than items on the menu at Hot Dog on a Stick in the mall’s food court. When asked how the minimal amount of “spicy” green chili dabbed on my enchilada and tamale was, I said, “Well, it’s not spicy.” Our server responded, “Most people don’t like it very spicy.” Uh? Come again? It wasn’t inedible like Dos Amigos in Elko, Nevada, but it certainly wasn’t satisfying. Boring rice, boring salsa, boring fillings. Re-vamped menu, my a$$, unless it was even worse before than I remember.

Edited August 8, 2004 by rlm (log)

[rlm]

The old Denny's in Louisville on McCaslin is now (or soon to be) a 3 Margaritas.

Was never blown away by the Tres Margaritas in Broomfield, but it's always nice to see mediocre places like Denny's go out of business.

Edited September 11, 2004 by rlm (log)

[Aileen]

This is my first post here - I was so excited to find this forum! (I stumbled across it while researching Sichuan peppercorns.) I just finished reading through this thread and was surprised to find mention of La Panda II in Longmont (I live in Longmont and agree with the consensus.) I haven't been to Los Pinchones yet, but my sister, who is also a "foodie", swears that their civeche is the best in town. I was even more surprised to see Dos Hombres mentioned. I grew up in Grand Junction and used to eat there often. It was the first restaurant I ever went to without my parents along to supervise, so it holds happy memories for me. I haven't been there in at least 10 years, though, so I couldn't vouch for the quality anymore. As for 3 Margaritas, I haven't been back after ordering a burrito, finding it both bland and filled with what appeared to be canned chili, and seeing that they serve cole slaw as a side dish. I agree it would have to be better than a Denny's, though!

[rlm]

Welcome, Aileen!!! We always need more CO people to post here.

Another Boulder County-area person as well! I think this lends even more credence to the argument of having our next egullet get-together in Boulder somewhere.

Edited October 11, 2004 by rlm (log)

[katzenjammy]

With my dubious status as (in Mondo's words) a serial backer-outer, I have no standing to suggest the next eGullet venue. But maybe with a new Longmont person on board I can revive interest in a trip to Angkor Cambodian Restaurant. My meal there (too many months ago) was fantastic; I'm dying for an excuse to go back.

[mongo_jones]

let's not forget that i backed out of the last outing too.

but angkor sounds good. name a date and make it so.

[Aileen]

Thanks for the welcome! Funny you mention Angkor. I noticed the sign before it opened, and have been curious about the place ever since, but I haven't managed to go. I usually have no trouble convincing my sister to go to new places with me, but her husband has a fear of unusual food and we both have young children, so there hasn't been a good time to try it. I would totally be up for an outing!

[mongo_jones]

independent of colorado outing #4 i'd like to call for an informal boulder county mexican food run. i am yet to make it to ephrain's or santiago's (or to find that taco truck) and it may take the lure of good company to make it happen. anyone?

[afoodnut]

independent of colorado outing #4 i'd like to call for an informal boulder county mexican food run. i am yet to make it to ephrain's or santiago's (or to find that taco truck) and it may take the lure of good company to make it happen. anyone?

←

Efrain's, La Familia, taco trucks... I'm up for any of them, at just about any time. Or we could pick up food from Santiago's and come back to my house...

edit to add:

Welcome Aileen, it's good to have another coloradan posting.

Edited October 12, 2004 by afoodnut (log)

[Aileen]

Which Santiago's are you thinking of? I know there's one in Longmont, but it seems like there are many, because I think the one in Longmont is Santiago's VII or something similar.

[mongo_jones]

afoodnut, in order to forestall paralysis from too much choice i am going to unilaterally pick the santiago's and your house option. when is good for you?

[Shoeburyness]

I can't say I'm surprised, only out of date.

So I just tried googling to see if I could find any more information, and there's apparently still a Las Palmas in Thornton that's been around since 1986; as well as taqueria Las Palmas on Federal (probably the one Robin saw?). Are they all related? Quien sabe...

←

I realize I'm digging up a fairly old post here.... but I have to warn people. We ate at Las Palmas (not the taqueria on Federal) right after we moved to Thornton and it was absolutely HORRID. Unbeleivably nasty. Any Mexican restaurant that makes you feel that you would have better spent your money at Taco Bell... words fail me.

[mongo_jones]

okay, so santiago's green chile is as advertised. where should we go next? and when?