Texas Standard: How we mix cultures to make great tacos

The Texas Standard asks, “When does a taco stop being a taco?” I say NEVER! As long as there are warm corn or flour tortillas, we will always have tacos. In the latest segment of my #tacotalk with David Brown of the Texas Standard, we talk about veggies, chapulines, Korean BBQ, Farm to Table, and how we mix cultures to make great tacos.

Eat these Tacos at SXSW

Welcome to Austin, Texas y’all! We have a plethora of tacos for you to try during SXSW. Sure you can go to Torchy’s and Tacodeli and you should but there are waaaay more places to get good tacos in Austin. As your Taco Journalist, I urge you to eat these tacos again and again and again!

  • Brisket Taco
  • Battered bacon, eggs & beans
  • Veracruz All Natural
  • Blackened Fish Tacos
  • Tamale House East
  • Egg and Chorizo Breakfast Taco
  • Barbacoa Taco
  • Tacos Al Pastor
  • Mi Tradicion Panaderia
  • Tacos Al Pastor Enchilado (Extra spicy!)
  • Tacos al Pastor from the Trompo!
  • Rosita’s Al Pastor
  • Carnitas Taco
  • Mi Madre’s Restaurant
  • Del Mar Fish Tacos
  • Mellizoz Tacos
  • Fajitas Ranchera Tacos – Muy Espicy!
  • Habanero Mexican Restaurant
  • Check the taco map and go eat these tacos

Truth Shall Be the Victor in this #TacoWar

Truth shall the be victor in this #TacoWar! That Austin Eater writer got it wrong, even after I told him to look to South Texas. Catch up on the Austin – San Antonio #TacoWar on the Texas Standard where I talk about Columbusing, gentrification of tacos, culture & the truth!

Undercover Tacos

We don’t need any stinkin’ taco stand! So where do you go to uncover comida casera or in this case, homemade tacos?!? There’s a place you may have heard about. It’s commonly known as El Face or Feizbuk except to find these tacos, you have to dig deep into the groups of FB. Instead of using FB to connect with friends and family, there’s a different way of using it, more like a Craigslist or an online flea market. Oh yeah, you can find deals on kids clothes, cars, grills and yes, homemade tacos.

But of course, you have to know a bit of taco-speak, el Español and you have to gain the trust of the taco ladies selling the tacos. Usually, you’ll get directed to a number where you can text the location of the tacos or a taco corner and in Austin, it’ll be right around IH-35 and Rundberg Lane.

So if you want that real homemade taco experience, sometimes you’ll have meet the taco lady in the parking lot of the IRS building, gas station or in front of her porch. But this is nothing new, Mexicans and taco hustlers have been doing this since the beginning of time. You see that in Mexico, along the border towns in Texas and barrios of Northeast Austin. And what you get is a home cooked meal by somebody’s Mom, Tia or Abuelita and that’s all good in my book.

So yes, I did enjoy my #UndercoverTacos + you get the extras (zanahorias y cebollitas) and that great homemade taste! So good luck in your search for that comida casera cuz that’s something I’ll just keep to myself for obvious reasons. Stay hungry my friends.

Mando