Leno's Rico Taco, Colton, CA

Carne Asada Tacos $1.20 ea

Leno's is a small joint on Valley near Colton High School.

Leno's serves authentic taqueria style tacos in a comfy atmosphere. Food is ordered at outside counter, then you can sit in the dining area anticipating your number being called.

The carne asada tacos were fantastic. Two store bought three inch tortillas layered with a generous portion of carne asada, onions, cilantro and a touch of tomato. The taco was topped with a spicy red chili sauce that hinted of chipotle. Chipotle is not one of my favorite chilies but this sauce brought it off to the tee. Also served with the tacos was a side of escabeche to top the meal off.

The carne was seasoned and very flavorful. This is a great place with very affordable prices, I will definitely  return soon.

Four out of four stars.

549 W Valley Blvd
Colton, CA 92324
(909) 825-9304

Cha Cha's Tacos, Loma Linda, CA

Cha Cha's is a small stand in front of an RV park. The building is 50's or 60's brightly painted. There are tables around the outside to eat "in" if you wish. I am sticking to my carne asada taco and  bean burrito order.

The menu offers a variety of tacos that I was expecting to be served taqueria style.

Carne Asada Taco $1.50

I was served a taco consisting of a large, thick corn tortilla. Inside the tortilla was some meat, lettuce,cheese, tomatoes and red cabbage. Appears to be a gringo version of a Mexican taco. The meat did not have the smoked,charbroiled flavor of carne asada and was a bit chewy. Cha Cha's skimps  on the meat and lays on the lettuce heavy.

Bean and Cheese Burrito $3.50

The burrito was foil wrapped and of a good size. The flour tortilla was fresh and of a good texture. The beans were refried, fresh and had a good consistency. Not much cheese and no sauce on the burrito. Overall it tasted good but needed more cheese to get that burrito flavor cooking.

Overall seems like an North American take on Mexican dishes. Its nice to sit outside, enjoy your meal and watch the world go by.

Will be generous and give the taco and burrito two stars out of four.

Cha Cha's Tacos

26393 Redlands Blvd
Loma Linda, CA 92354

(909) 799-0011

El Pollo Loco, Redlands, CA

Tacos, tacos, tacos no beef tacos at EPL.

Chicken Taco Al Carbon $1.00
Taco served with two, warm three inch manufactured corn tortillas, chopped chicken and just a touch of onion and cilantro. The taco is served with a generous portion of chicken with just a very small garnishment of onion and cilantro.

The taco has a good charbroiled taste but is very dry without a generous portion of salsa. The tacos will do but next time would request extra garnishes. Sevice is usually good.

BRC Burrito no rice.

Plain bean and cheese burrito served on a doughy flour tortilla.  The pinto beans are whole, the same as served with the dinners which makes the burrito soggy.  Just a hint of cheese and no sauce at all.  Definitely a bust, would not order again.

Score
Tacos 2 out of 4 stars
Burrito 1 out of 4  stars

Plain Ole Bean Burrito

Typically a flout tortilla layered with pinto beans, cheese and some type of sauce.

Three Types of Tacos

1. Fast Food

Typical Taco Bell type. Fried corn shell, stuffed with seasoned ground beef, lettuce, cheese and sometimes tomatoes.

2. Restaurant/Dinner House

Corn taco shell deep fried with shredded meat, stuffed with lettuce, cheese and tomato.

3. Mexican Taqueria Style

Two small corn tortillas laden with chopped meat, onions, cilantro and sometimes a chili sause of your choice.

Three types of tacos all delicious in their unique way.  When reviewing a taco shop will be referencing one of these type of tacos.

Welcome To Taco Beat

Welcome to my taco blog. This blog is more for my enjoyment than for public consumption. It is a log of my taco eating adventures I am not overly critical and fairly easy to please. I was inspired to record my fests by the LA blog www.greattacohunt.com. In no way will I come close to their work of art, this will be a simple blog written by a simple person with simple tastes. Their blog is lacking in IE locations, this blog hopes to fill in some of the blanks.

I am not a taco snob, will sample both American and Mexican style tacos. I feel that Mexican style are far superior in taste so will mainly search for local taco joints that specialize in Mexican tacos. I love tacos, grew up eating American style tacos. When I was nine years old Taco Bell opened their first unit in Downey within a short walking distance from my home. I was proud to have taken a dump in the foundation of the building before it was finished being built. It opened to much fan fare and I spent a good deal of tine acquiring a taste for their fresh warm tacos.

I was then fortunate to marry a young lady from Mexico who introduced me to Mexican style tacos. What a revelation. It opened a whole new world of culinary enjoyment.

Next entry will define what makes a good taco and bean burrito.