Some months back when my friend Arline came to San Francisco to visit we went to El Castillito for dinner a couple times. Both times she ordered a veggie taco. To my RBX quesadilla devouring eyes, the veggie taco looked like a plastic tray filled with chopped iceberg lettuce with chips on the side. Being somewhat prurile about intake, and being on a roll at remarking about the difference between caffeinated, cheese eating, bread eating me and non-smoking, corn tortillas only please, decaf Arline, I was amused. I openly teased her about the mad plate of lettuce before her, both times. I admit it was somewhat cruel, but it was also a little bit charming (I hope.)
Well… I’m here today to tell you that I was wrong. Oh my heaven’s was I wrong.
Calvin and I went down to El Castillito for a bite to eat. He said with bright eyes that the veggie taco was rocking his world right now. I smiled at him, not sure if he was kidding or not. Calvin is a carnivore, and when you have shrimp, steak, and chicken on the menu, most dead animal eaters will choose to eat them over anything “veggie.” I mean, meat is what’s for dinner right? the lack of death in my diet appears to baffle many of the flesh eaters I know. It’s ok with me, eat what you want, but I’m not gonna kiss you.
Luckily for me, I have no aspirations to kiss Calvin, and he was not kidding. I took him up on his offer and went for the veggie taco. Even my man behind the grill was shocked. He usually has my bean, rice and cheese quesadilla on the grill before I open my mouth to order. Not this time bub, I ordered the veggie taco.
At El Castillito they take two corn tortillas and put a piece of cheese between them and slap them on the grill. Once the cheese is melted and the tortilla is warm they add beans (your choice of refried, pinto, or black beans) and rice, guacamole, sour cream (none for me thank you,) onions, cilantro (none on mine,) and salsa (spicy,) and they top it all off with a generous slice of tomato. This massive ordeal is then placed in a plastic tray and handed to you.
You pay, get your chips and a drink and sit down. Looking at the beast for a moment you soon realize there’s no possible way you are going to pick it up, so you get up and head back to the counter for a knife and a fork. If you get a carrot juice the meal comes in at $5.99, if you drink water it’s only $1.99. It’s filling, amazing, and a superb example of how teasing your vegan friends is only an expression of one’s own contempt prior to investigation. There, I said it. That feels good.
Now there’s another issue I should tell you about. My other friend Clare won’t eat at El Castillito. She’s a vegan too, and doesn’t like how they grill the tortilla and the meat on the same grill. I explained that they wipe it off, and keep it pretty clean, but she just looked at me like “Shut up dude” and we had to go somewhere else. so the veggie taco has now been sampled at several other taquerias across San Francisco, and while they vary from place to place, my favorite so far is from good old loud jukebox by surprise, dubious grill integrity, confused because I’m not having the same old thing, El Castillito.
Yay for new food in my mouth! Viva el taco del veggie!
17 Comments
Laughing hysterically!
awww, man! i am SO jealous that you californians have good mex food at arms reach! try getting a decent taco in the Philly suburbs, i dare ya.
that veggie taco sounds incredible.
its 7am, i have just woken up and am about to go downstairs to make my morning breakfast and suddenly all i can think about are vegi tacos. sigh. cereal and milk is going to be such a disappointment.
I often order vegetarian items and cook non-meat items at home even though I am a dead animal eater. Amazingly there are some wonderful options out there.
Now your friends aren’t vegans but vegetarians, right? cause otherwise the queso would be a problem. I’m also hoping that the corn tortillas are non-lard ones. You really have to check to be sure.
oh no, you can order one with or without any item. so no cheese for the vegans please, no sour cream either.
absolutely no cheese or lard, I am emphatic about that. Corn tortillas are made with water and not oil, I have never had any with oil or lard anyway. I overlooked the grill with a bit of trepidation, but some things you just have to let go of.
[T]he word “veganism” denotes a philosophy and way of living which seeks to exclude ?Ǩ as far as is possible and practical ?Ǩ all forms of exploitation of, and cruelty to, animals for food, clothing or any other purpose; and by extension, promotes the development and use of animal-free alternatives for the benefit of humans, animals and the environment. In dietary terms it denotes the practice of dispensing with all products derived wholly or partly from animals.
?Ǩ Vegan Society[1]
Thank you Elaine
yes so no dairy, yeast or honey. That’s interesting about their corn tortillas cause traditionally they are made with lard and masa not just masa and water. Very cool. I am fascinated by food anthropology and history as well as enjoying the eating of it.
I’ve just had a MAD craving for one of these since you posted, Sunshine. If anyone knows of a place you can get something similar in L.A. I would be grateful.
I’m about as far as it gets from vegan, being a wearer and eater of the dead flesh, but I love vegetarian and vegan cuisine and it’s a big part of my diet.
I like to pretend that I walk the middle path (snickering). :)
Elaine, you can get far better mexican food in LA than you coud ever hope to score in San Francisco. Granter, SF has a style of it’s own which is nice, but in LA you can find the truth!
The taco stand in Hollywood is amazing. I am surprised you don’t already know that about LA.
Sort it out and let me know where to go nect time I’m down your way?
now i feel like a big ol’ snob about the castillito grill…
but if i hadn’t been so vegan-snooty about it, you never woulda been able to snap that *awesome* picture of us outside papalote with our giant, retarded helmet heads. so that oughtta even things out.
Oh, Sunshine, honey, I am not complaining about L.A.’s Mexican food. And you will never, _ever_ hear me doing that.
I just have never seen the likes of your taco here. And I do miss my Mission burritos, powerfully, sometimes.
Is the Hollywood place actually called “Taco Stand”?
I’m happy to sort it out and will give you some pointers. I’m shrugging off my standard order of “tacos de carne asada” or “tacos de birria” for a while and am on a quest.
I hope your teeth will feel better soon.
E
Yeah! That’s right.
All kinds of awesome!
darn it, i may go on a quest today. i NEED a taco!
not sure where in LA you live but on Hillhurst in Los Feliz there is the BEST, allow me to repeat…BEST, taco/burrito stand. Its called Yuca’s and its sooooooo incredible. So good in fact that they have a James Beard award…yes, a taco stand with a James Beard award. yum….sigh.
Get the Cochitil Pibil Burrito…so effin good. drool. sigh.
but in all honesty the late night taco trucks are the absolute best ever…nothing better than authentic mexican food after a long night of dancing.
ps. Elaine…I’m pretty sure that the place that i’ve mentioned above is the same “taco stand” that mr. jones is referring to. if its not who cares…its too good not to miss.