Sahuaro's Taco Shop is not your standard taco shop…read more
I found it by accident. I'd spent the morning at a big Asian market and, for reasons I can't explain, walked out craving Mexican food. Sahuaro's was 15 minutes away with good reviews, so I went. Then I pulled up and appeared to be at a car wash. Yes, a car wash. Stay with me. It has every sign of a hole in the wall, and any seasoned foodie knows that's often where the good stuff is.
Inside, it's a clean, comfortable little casual sit-down restaurant. The menu is where I became overjoyed, not overwhelmed: carne asada fries, street tacos, burritos, enchiladas, tortas, and the coveted tacos dorados. I went with Combo Plate #1 (chicken enchilada instead of cheese, a bean tostada, and a beef taco dorado), plus a potato taco dorado because I have no self-control. IYKYK.
There's no free basket of chips and salsa, but my order came with fresh, crisp chips and two big bottles of salsa, one red and one green. It's nothing like the bagged stuff.
My test for any Mexican restaurant is the salsa, the rice, and the beans. Sahuaro's passed all three. The salsa has real depth and enough heat to remind you what you're eating without sending the gringos running for milk. I nearly drowned my plate in it. The rice has that savory tomato-bouillon flavor, properly seasoned and not an afterthought. And the beans, my goodness. Rich and creamy, the kind your abuelita makes, with an old-school richness that suggests someone was generous with the lard. Ahem.
The enchilada sauce tasted homemade, with that earthy guajillo flavor, and the chicken held up under it. The beef taco dorado was crisp and savory. If you're not a refried bean person, a bean tostada is a tough sell, but trust me, it was excellent. The lettuce and tomato were cold and crunchy on top of piping-hot food, and the cheese was applied by someone with zero interest in portion control. Bless them. The plate clearly gets a pass under the broiler before the veggies go on, so give that first bite a minute unless you enjoy sacrificing your taste buds.
It all came on a real ceramic plate with real silverware. No Styrofoam.
They deliver the flavor, presentation, and hospitality of a full-service Mexican restaurant at fast-food prices.
So next time you're tempted by one of those "-bertos" shops, try Sahuaro's instead. You'll thank me. And yes, it's next to a car wash. Just trust me.
Five stars. Easily.
