Torchy’s Tacos in Austin, TX

May 4, 2008

On to Austin for my first non-Seattle food expedition!

The first thing I did in Austin was buy a burrito. I haven’t had a really really great burrito since going down to San Diego like 6 years ago. I mean the taco trucks in Seattle are alright and everything, but this is Texas! This isn’t child’s play.

So the first stand I found in downtown Austin was this grungy, blue brick building in the middle of the strip. Torchy’s Tacos barely has any seating room inside, and a large window to cater to a large line of hungry hipsters. There’s a good amount of garbage all over the ground, no doubt because of the constant business they’ve had since everyone’s hangovers started wearing off. I ordered at the window, the food wait was about 20 minutes. Not bad, considering the line.

I got a spicy chicken burrito with the fixin’s. It had good heft to it, and I enjoy the natural looking tortillas with the toast bubbles. The chicken’s spicy marinade wasn’t spicy enough. Shame on you, Texas. Sorry I don’t have a picture of the burrito innards, I ate it too fast.

My cohort was not happy with her “messy” burrito, I don’t think she was prepared for the amount of mess. It looked delicious to me.

She also got a soft taco. Looks good! But not extraordinary. Beans, meat, cheese, ho hum. I paying to be impressed!

So my introduction to Austin street food was “pretty great,” but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t expect to be blown away. Also disappointing was how expensive it was. I hope these were SXSW prices because if I pay six dollars for a burrito it better have a fancy-sauced meat in it or weigh as much as a small dog.


Long Live Rancho Bravo

March 31, 2008

I just learned today that Rancho Bravo in Wallingford had its doors forcibly shut by the health department.

I’ve been a devout patron of Rancho Bravo ever since it was parked at a Chevron down in Totem Lake, and it makes me sad to see it go. Yes, towards the end the quality of the food did decline steadily and yes, the price jump did make the food hard to stomach. But the pescado tacos were to die for in the summer time, and their mole was indeed the best mole I could get in this chocolate-bbq sauce deprived town.

Rancho Bravo’s popularity skyrocketed ever since it moved near the UW, and with it came the haters. But while food elitists will point to their own hole-in-the-wall taco trucks (taco’s aren’t music; obscurity doesn’t equal quality), I’m happy that, for a short while, one of my favorite taco trucks came close to home. RIP Pepe’s on the ave. RIP Rancho Bravo. Time to go find a new truck.

I just drove by Rancho Bravo this evening and it looked to be going strong. Take that, health department!