Editor’s Note: The first in a series that celebrates S.A.’s best tacos. I completely stole this idea from Roger Ebert’s Great Movies, and so . . . here is one of San Antonio’s Great Tacos.
Taco Mexicano (asada steak with guacamole, onions and cilantro); $3; Yatzil, 502 S. Zarzamora St., (210) 432-2240
To launch this series, I chose this taco for many reasons. The biggest reason being that my favorite taco on this Tacoist journey doesn’t exist anymore, or else I would have lead with that one. I’ll decline to write its name and the restaurant that makes it, because there’s a possibility it may return.
Until then, I give you the Taco Mexicano at Yatzil on the West Side.
This isn’t even my second favorite taco. But why not start this Great Tacos series with this one?
The menu describes it as asada steak with guacamole, onions and cilantro. So I ignored it during my first visit to Yatzil back in October. I wanted to try something new. Steak asada taco? Been there, done that. Oh, no I hadn’t. I figured they would cut the steak into strips. Oh, no they didn’t.
Yatzil puts an entire steak in a tortilla. And then they only charge you $2.99. This makes the price of tacos at Fiesta (only two days away!) seem like 10 times more a rip off than they already are.
The first time I ordered the Taco Mexicano, the steak was thicker; the second time, the steak was thinner. It doesn’t matter. Either way, it’s still grilled to perfection — juicy and well seasoned. The dollop of guacamole and onions and cilantro complements the meat and Yatzil’s very good flour tortillas.
A truly great San Antonio taco in both taste and price.
— Benjamin Olivo
Have any taco news, issues or concerns? Email me at ben@thetacoist.com.