Caleb and I had been on a Taco Quest. Coworkers, united in our fondness for tacos, we needed a tacqueria close to work that provided cheap, authentic, Mexican-style tacos. We had our place near the Fiesta at Josey and Beltline, but apparently they didn't pay their rent, so the locks were put on the place. Thus the TQ began.
We tried several places in the area, but once we found Tacqueria Cholula, we knew the quest was over. Unlike Daniel, I am a corn tortilla guy on any non-breakfast taco, and what really sold me on TC was their soft NON-GREASY corn tortillas. Mind you, greasy, oily corn tortillas are not a deal-breaker for me by any means - I consider it standard fare. However, it's something I always considered unnecessarily messy, and it can often kill some of the great taste of a good corn tortilla.
Caleb and I went to TC twice last week after we discovered it, and unfortunately, they were out of the picadillo which I had really wanted to try based upon Daniel's review. Thus, my review is based upon the barbacoa, al pastor, and carnitas. I felt that the carnitas was the best, followed by the barbacoa, and finally, the al pastor. The carnitas has the best flavor by far. The pastor and barbacoa, while cooked well, lack seasoning. There are 2 schools of thought here: you might be a meat purist and feel that well cooked meat requires minimal seasoning, and should be presented as such. After all, one can always add condiments for flavor (and TC's red and green sauces are both great). Or, you may find this meat to be unseasoned and thus critically lacking in flavor compared to a place like Fuel City. Personally, I tend to fall into the former category, but not exclusively. The baracoa and al pastor meats were shredded, which is key in my opinion for optimal taco consumption, and when the verde and/or red sauces are added, they're awesome. Of course, onions and cilantro are standard fare as well.
So why not 5 stars? First, a reluctance to dish out 5 stars. Tacqueria Cholula is great, but it is not the standard to which i will hold all tacquerias. For one thing, the limes were completely dried out the first time I went (I know, I know, this is really nitpicky, I'm just sayin'). Nevertheless, the Taco Quest is over, and I whole-heartedly endorse Tacqueria Cholula as the best tacos I've had in this part of town. read more