By Theo Vuong, Staff Writer
DISCLAIMER: This review is solely an expression of my opinions on the food served a Tacos El Rancho. I was not reimbursed for my purchase and paid for all the items in this review from my own pocket.
Tacos El Rancho is located on the intersection of Talbert and Magnolia, across from the Rite Aid Pharmacy and Subway that many Fountain Valley High School (FVHS) students frequent. As its name suggests, it offers tacos along with a “traditional taste of Mexico” (as stated on their menu) in the form of burritos and specialty plates. I personally opted for the tacos, priced regularly at $1.45 per taco and $0.95 on Taco Tuesdays.
The store keeps a more modest look with earth-tone colors, so while you might not find an opportunity to take aesthetic photos for social media, you can eat comfortably and at ease. Upon entering, I was greeted with a simplistic and easy-to-read menu and the friendly staff. The cashier and cooks are all fluent in both English and Spanish, making ordering a breeze for all potential customers.
The service was rather quick and within minutes of ordering, I received my food. On this visit, I sampled the carne asada, pollo and carnitas tacos. The tortillas and meat were prepared fresh on the grill, with salsa, onions and cilantro piled on afterwards. The salsa bar offered additional salsa and jalapeños along with lime and Tabasco sauce.
I tasted the carnitas taco first. It was delicately wrapped in the tortilla with a slight drizzle of salsa and a sprinkle of onions. I expected the carnitas to be extremely juicy, but that was not the case. The meat wasn’t dry when I bit into it, but not juicy to the point where it was oozing out as I had hoped. The salsa had a slight kick to it, but it was manageable.
The carne asada and pollo tacos were prepared in a similar manner to one another, with the meat piled on the tortilla and salsa verde dripping out of the sides as I tried to pick it up (not an entirely bad thing though). I first sampled the meats alone, without any salsa or onions. The pollo tasted good, but it was nothing special. The carne asada, on the other hand, bursted with flavor and had such an exquisite taste in comparison. When I added the tortillas, onions, and cilantro the taste was quite transforming. Both tacos boasted such eloquent and unique tastes. Although it had me scrounging for water due to its increased heat, the salsa verde completed the whole experience.
Overall, Tacos El Rancho is a cheap and delicious place to eat, especially if you’re a broke high school student. I personally cannot comment on its authenticity being that I haven’t sampled many other taco restaurants, but with a kind staff, low price and tasty food, it is definitely worth trying.
