SAN FRANCISO: Viva la taqueria

My big mission in San Francisco was to have real Mexican food, so we headed to the Mission, a neighbourhood that’s predominantly Latino and as with most cool areas, increasingly attracting artists and hipsters.

An easy BART ride to the 24th Street station brings you right into the heart of colourful Mission Street. If I hadn’t done some research on Chowhound and Yelp, I would have no idea where to start among all the taquerias (taco shops).

(In fact, there are so many taquerias in the Bay Area, the San Francisco Chronicle’s food writer only made it to 85 in 10 weeks in an attempt to visit as many as he could.)

I finally settled on hitting up the simply named La Taqueria. We knew it was a good choice when we saw a brisk lineup of all kinds of folks: mothers, construction workers, guys in suits, and tourists.

I’m a taco girl, but the tacos here are nothing like the tiny, dried out, processed versions I’ve had in Canada.

My taco ($3.50) was filled with moist, braised carnitas (pork), pinto beans, and fresh tomato salsa with onions and cilantro, wrapped in two soft corn tortilla. I could eat one every day til I died. And uncharacteristically, I was quite full after just one.

Next time, I have to remember to order it “dorado,” so the outer shell is fried to a crispy golden.

Jason opted for a chorizo burrito ($6). San Francisco is the birthplace of the burrito as most of us know it: a monster log of meat, rice, beans, lettuce, salsa, meat, guacamole, cheese, and sour cream rolled in tinfoil.

The chorizo was delicious, although a bit greasy, but I think what sets these types of burritos apart are the really, tasty beans.

We washed everything down with horchata, a rice-based drink made with cinnamon and vanilla, and jamaica, hibiscus-infused tea.

Be warned, people in SF have fierce loyalties to what they think are the best taquerias and burritos. (Some people feel La Taqueria is a little pricey, charging extra for cheese, guacamole and sour cream, while others love the fact they don’t stuff them full of filler rice.)

It’s a debate I’m very new to, but would be more than happy to do more field research on.

To burn off lunch, we walked to Balmy Alley a few blocks away, filled with hot pink bougainvillea and bright murals painted on fences and garage doors. There’s a local arts group that offers tours if you want to learn more about the artwork’s political and social messages.

Viva la taqueria!

La Taqueria, 2889 Mission St., San Francisco, (415) 285-7117. Open Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-9 p.m., Sunday 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
Balmy Alley, between 24th and 25th Streets, parallel to Harrison Street and Treat Avenue.