First Bite: Crazy Taco
I'm really struggling with this review. Feels clunky. Feedback is welcomed and appreciated. :(
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Crazy Taco is not your mama's taco stand. Unless, of course, your madre was of Central Mexican descent, and turns out dishes steeped in tradition that are imbued with the flavor of a rich culinary heritage.
Bordered by a bleak industrial yard and surrounded by nondescript brick homes, the improbable postage-sized orange building beams brightly by contrast. You'll likely have to wait behind a few regular patrons, but once you have a look a the hand painted menu boards, it's clear this is the real deal. Crazy Taco's offerings are worlds away from the generic, homogenous dishes that would typify your average Tex-Mex restaurant.
There are 10 dependably good taco choices ranging in price from $1.50 to $2.00. Fifteen variations on tortas can be had, most of them for $5 to $6. Burritos come in at $4 and quesadillas won't break the bank at $2.50 each. Handy explanations for many of the ingredients are provided in English.
If you're feeling especially adventurous, there is tripe, lengua and cabeza to sample. On the other hand, if you'd like something more conventional, zincronizadas and gringas (featured on the platillo menu, $7 apiece) may strike a familiar chord. The difference between zincronizada or gringas, is, for me at least, essentially semantic. Zincronizada are a tortilla sandwiched with a slice of ham and a portion of chese (usually Oaxaca), grilled until the cheese welds everything together. That sandwich is then cut into wedges. The gringas are similar, slightly oilier, filled with al pastor meat, grilled until the tortilla begins to freckle.
Not for the faint of heart is the Quesadilla de Huitlacoche. Said to be woody and earthy tasting, it is considered a delicacy in parts of Mexico, in much the way costly truffles are regarded as a luxury ingredient here in the US. Untreated corn stalks sometimes develop a fungus which will then consume the cob. This fungus causes the kernels to become bulbous and swell. The resulting huitlacoche is then removed, chopped and sauteed in a pan for a few minutes until it turns an inky black.
As is the case with many loncherías and taquerías, there are hits and misses depending on the day. On a recent trip, after ordering an enchilada platillo ($7.00), for example, I discovered my beans were acrid, permeated with a lightly burnt taste. I imagine whatever vat they had been ladeled them from sat on high heat for far too long. The sopes ($2.00) are fair, if a bit dull. Their thick, crisp cornmeal discs are dimpled slightly, swabbed with a paste of refried beans, meat, dressed with shredded Iceburg lettuce and fresh Cotija cheese.
Take a pass on the huaraches. They are unremarkable. If you have a hankering for a good huarache and don't mind a drive, Benji's Taqueria in Pinebluff (320 N Walnut St) is the way to go. I would wager on saying that Benji's huaraches may be the best in the state. The owner turns out handmade rugged corn tortillas, with bits of griddled steak and roasted corn. On it is a splay of creamy avocado, Mexican crema, a tangy-bright splash of salsa verde courtesy of a squeeze bottle and a special mix of cheeses that he won't disclose. Asadero? Quesillo, maybe? It doesn't matter, because. let me tell you, it is Heaven on a plate.
We have it on good authority that Crazy Taco turns out tamales twice weekly. They involve more of a laborious preparation and sell out quickly. With these prices and far more hits than misses, we'll definitely be returning to sample them.
198 Mallard Rd (Outside dining only)
Smithfield, NC 27577
(919) 209-0338
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Recent 'First Bite' review:
* Rockin' Comet Diner, Smithfield
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Crazy Taco is not your mama's taco stand. Unless, of course, your madre was of Central Mexican descent, and turns out dishes steeped in tradition that are imbued with the flavor of a rich culinary heritage.
Bordered by a bleak industrial yard and surrounded by nondescript brick homes, the improbable postage-sized orange building beams brightly by contrast. You'll likely have to wait behind a few regular patrons, but once you have a look a the hand painted menu boards, it's clear this is the real deal. Crazy Taco's offerings are worlds away from the generic, homogenous dishes that would typify your average Tex-Mex restaurant.
There are 10 dependably good taco choices ranging in price from $1.50 to $2.00. Fifteen variations on tortas can be had, most of them for $5 to $6. Burritos come in at $4 and quesadillas won't break the bank at $2.50 each. Handy explanations for many of the ingredients are provided in English.
If you're feeling especially adventurous, there is tripe, lengua and cabeza to sample. On the other hand, if you'd like something more conventional, zincronizadas and gringas (featured on the platillo menu, $7 apiece) may strike a familiar chord. The difference between zincronizada or gringas, is, for me at least, essentially semantic. Zincronizada are a tortilla sandwiched with a slice of ham and a portion of chese (usually Oaxaca), grilled until the cheese welds everything together. That sandwich is then cut into wedges. The gringas are similar, slightly oilier, filled with al pastor meat, grilled until the tortilla begins to freckle.
Not for the faint of heart is the Quesadilla de Huitlacoche. Said to be woody and earthy tasting, it is considered a delicacy in parts of Mexico, in much the way costly truffles are regarded as a luxury ingredient here in the US. Untreated corn stalks sometimes develop a fungus which will then consume the cob. This fungus causes the kernels to become bulbous and swell. The resulting huitlacoche is then removed, chopped and sauteed in a pan for a few minutes until it turns an inky black.
As is the case with many loncherías and taquerías, there are hits and misses depending on the day. On a recent trip, after ordering an enchilada platillo ($7.00), for example, I discovered my beans were acrid, permeated with a lightly burnt taste. I imagine whatever vat they had been ladeled them from sat on high heat for far too long. The sopes ($2.00) are fair, if a bit dull. Their thick, crisp cornmeal discs are dimpled slightly, swabbed with a paste of refried beans, meat, dressed with shredded Iceburg lettuce and fresh Cotija cheese.
Take a pass on the huaraches. They are unremarkable. If you have a hankering for a good huarache and don't mind a drive, Benji's Taqueria in Pinebluff (320 N Walnut St) is the way to go. I would wager on saying that Benji's huaraches may be the best in the state. The owner turns out handmade rugged corn tortillas, with bits of griddled steak and roasted corn. On it is a splay of creamy avocado, Mexican crema, a tangy-bright splash of salsa verde courtesy of a squeeze bottle and a special mix of cheeses that he won't disclose. Asadero? Quesillo, maybe? It doesn't matter, because. let me tell you, it is Heaven on a plate.
We have it on good authority that Crazy Taco turns out tamales twice weekly. They involve more of a laborious preparation and sell out quickly. With these prices and far more hits than misses, we'll definitely be returning to sample them.
198 Mallard Rd (Outside dining only)
Smithfield, NC 27577
(919) 209-0338
___________________
Recent 'First Bite' review:
* Rockin' Comet Diner, Smithfield