We were SORT of planning in advance this week - somehow the task fell on my shoulders so I looked back to see if anyone following us had recommended somewhere we hadn't been yet. I stumbled onto 2 recommendations and the one that stuck out was Paleterias Tropicana because it was an ice cream shop that also served tacos! *Unicorn Alert!* I mean I like both tacos and ice cream, is it possible this place has both?! So we set out to find out how it was.
Chris arrived a little early and texted us immediately - wondering if we had the right place. When I arrived it definitely was a unique spot - a long counter running the length of the place definitely gave it that ice cream shop feel. Bold colors and lots of them and weird little bench/booth seats - a unique (odd) atmosphere to say the least.
Anyway, not deterred, we see tacos on the menu so sat and reviewed our choices. The taco choices were short - but the menu was long. Lots of options for smoothies and other desserts and a decent selection of hot foods (Mexican) as well. I opted for 3 tacos for $5.99: carne asada, chicken tinga, and cochinita pibil (pork). The other two guys ordered the same thing and Shon added a shared plate of 4 tacos dorados (crunchy tacos, cotija cheese, sour cream, avacado, and cabbage).
I dove into the pork first - it was tender and flavorful. I added grilled onions and some sauce but it still seemed like it needed something. Oh, I forgot lime juice - now it was complete. Overall pretty tasty - the tortillas were a bit odd, but not in a bad way.
Asada was next and I was not disappointed. It was tender and juicy with a good flavor. The normal onions and cilantro were expected and I added some red sauce and lime. I definitely enjoyed this taco.
The chicken was last and it had plenty of meat. The chicken was tender and full of flavor. It had a little kick to it but not enough to bother me - this taco was pretty good even though the different tortillas still gave it an odd touch.
Last but not least I decided to try one of the shared dorado tacos (sorry, no pic). I am NOT a fan of sour cream or cabbage - and both were drizzled on the outside of the shell. I dumped off most of it and took a bite. I'm going to say it now, this is the best fried taco we've had on the tour so far. The shell was crispy and light, the flavor was yummy. This was a dang good taco (even with the remnant of sour cream). I really like this taco! It makes me wonder what their empanadas are like - but that will have to wait for another visit.
Overall, this place was a bit of a surprise, but it was good. The odd tortillas stuck out a little but the tacos were still quite enjoyable - especially the fried ones. The service was friendly and quick and the place was decorated well and looked up beat. The seats are goofy, but whatever. Sadly, I decided to try their desserts another time - but that just gives me an excuse to come back. (And I will definitely be back.)
Out of 5 tacos, here are my ratings:
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