21 Nov 2007 | mexican, philadelphia | 3 Comments

I’ve been going to Taqueria La Veracruzana for years. Ever since going to grad school in Texas, I’ve been a big fan of real mexican food. And honestly, the mexican food in Philly does not really compare, but there are a few gems, like this place. In a world full of Qdoba, Chipotle, and Baja Fresh, this taqueria kicks butt. And it”s cheap.
They always give you chips and two salsas – red and green. They’re pretty damn spicy. And the chips are usually freshly fried, and on this occasion, particularly greasy. But I didn’t mind. We also ordered some guacamole. You could totally tell it was just freshly made. They don’t mash it up too well, they leave it fairly chunky, and the avocados were nice and ripe. They put nice chunks of ripe tomato in there too. Yum.

We all ended up ordering tacos. A got chicken and C got chorizo. Don’t be confused by the menu here. The tacos are in the “lunch” section, but it doesn’t mean that you can only get tacos for lunch. You can get them whenever you want. It’s always three tacos and they come on corn tortillas and are garnished with onion and cilantro and limes. Nothing fancy schmancy, just tasty.

I got the al pastor tacos, which are pork with pineapple. It’s a nice contrast of savory and sweet. And these particular hunks of pineapple were super sweet. I also always get the beans and rice when I’m here. The rice is just fine, nothing exciting, but I just love their beans. They’re so creamy and you know they’re totally made with lard. Screw the lard-free refried beans. Service here is fine, nothing great, but nothing bad. And you all know about the ambiance, there is none.

Taqueria La Veracruzana

908 Washington Ave

215-465-1440

3 Responses to

1. Anonymous says:

   November 30, 2007 at 1:43 PM

   My honey and I dine here probably once a week. IT’S THE BEST!
   Last weekend they had SPECIALS, which was a first.
   BEST AL PASTOR IN THE CITY, HANDS DOWN.

   Reply
2. Bill says:

   November 28, 2007 at 5:47 PM

   While our experience at Taqueria La Veracruzana wasn’t as good as yours, I’ve spoken with so many poeple that swear by this place that I guess I need to give it a second chance. During our initial visit, my faves included the salsas and the tamales.

   Reply
3. albert says:

   November 25, 2007 at 2:57 AM

   KILLER burritos here. i’ve had the steak and the chorizo and they’re gigantic. their salsas are wonderful. i’d love for them to be a little bit hotter, but i just make do and add more than i should to my bites of burritos.

   i also love their freshly fried chips!

   Reply