Listen, when I first started dating my fiancé, I checked off my mental list his understanding of my love for tacos. A man has to get it in his head that I require at least a street taco every few days, or I get cranky. My guess is that I began to fall in love when I sunk my teeth into a carnitas taco he *brought* to me. I didn't even have to stand in line anywhere. It was presented. I will talk about that experience in another, nearly three years overdue review.
First, let me right quick express my disappointment in yet another misbegotten taco travesty. Or, was it a tragedy? Whatever. It was bad.
I called twice. Got disconnected. I figured something was wrong with their phone or mine. I show up, and the cashier is on the phone taking an order and then telling the caller that his order will be ready in 10 minutes. I'm thinking, "oh since I'm here it shouldn't be too bad."
I notice an inexplicable, vacant lack of desire to take my order. She's slowly writing on the pad, nonchalantly walks back the slip, then plasters on a smile but seems irritated as I explain what I want. I'm not picky. Simple order.
I sit down and I'm watching plate after plate of food going to tables. People come in and walk out with their bags. The longest anyone's waiting once they arrive is five or 10 minutes. All told, I'm waiting about 30. I'm not complaining. I'm in a Zoom meeting.
My fiancé shows up. He decides he doesn't want the salad I ordered him. I ask if it is too late to take it off, and she rushes to the cook to ask. Then comes back and says that my order will be a bit longer, because there is a problem with it. I'm wondering: no tortillas?
No. She pulls my order up off the desk where it's been sitting all this time and takes it to the cooks. And then gets ready to help the next customer and I ask for a refund on my salad.
I'm polite, as my mother raised me, but my fiancé is livid. Especially as he looks around and sees there is only one of me. She offers some guacamole. Somehow, she knows what men want.
There was no expediting of what should have been an easy-to-rush order, given my extreme inconvenience, of two tacos, a cheese enchilada, rice and beans. I get my order put to the back of the line as if I just placed my order. Just as they were content to let me sit there a half hour on a bench right in front of them without checking to see if my order was ready, I guess they liked seeing me warm it a good 20 minutes more.
And to add insult to injury? I got it home and what an insult. Soggy taco shells and mushy meat with no flavor.
I do better at home. Crispy shells, flavorful ground meat, sharp cheese. How is this hard???
The enchilada cheese wasn't even fully melted.
These Oxnard people make me feel like opening my own Mexican restaurant with my Black self. Do better. read more