Taco Idiocy

Re:Taco Idiocy (ChrisOC)

Tue, 21 Sep 2010 14:04:07 GMT

Here in Ocean City we have a place called Don Jose Rojo's Tacos. They offer their tacos American (lettuce, tomato and cheese) or Mexican Style (cilantro, onions and lime). You also get to choose crispy corn tortillas, or soft corn or flour tortillas. I get the Mexican style Tacos de Lengua. They are made with cubes of marinated tongue. Each one has a little salsa verde, onion, a handful of fresh cilantro and one or two radish slices. You get a wedge of lime also. Wow are these ever full of flavor.

Re:Taco Idiocy (PapaJoe8)

Sat, 14 Aug 2010 17:28:13 GMT

Thanks Drew! And, nice comparison deal yall did!

There are all kinds of good and bad Tex Mex tacos also. Some use coarse ground beef while others use a finer groind. El Finix in the DFW area has maybe my fav Tex Mex taco. It's kinda a medium grind w/ great flavor.

There is a FF place around here called Taco Casa that has a good FF taco. It is kinda like the ones Taco bell made in the old days.

The best tacos I can find are at small flea markets w/ Mexican folks serving them.
Joe

Re:Taco Idiocy (TacoDrew)

Sat, 14 Aug 2010 11:58:33 GMT

PapaJoe8

There are also Tex Mex tacos. Those are made w/ ground beef.
Joe

True enough, I was negligent in not mentioning it!

Re:Taco Idiocy (PapaJoe8)

Fri, 13 Aug 2010 20:33:32 GMT

There are also Tex Mex tacos. Those are made w/ ground beef.
Joe

Re:Taco Idiocy (TacoDrew)

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 17:01:53 GMT

Surprising, but it's becoming a trend. There's even a Kogi's-style truck roaming Indianapolis.

Re:Taco Idiocy (Foodbme)

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:47:02 GMT

TacoDrew

If you ask most Mexicans, the majority of the tacos sold in the US (by chains, at least) would be considered 'American tacos'.

Beyond that, how about Korean BBQ tacos like from Kogi's?

Never heard of Kogi's so I googled it. A Fusion Roach Coach??????? C'mon!

Re:Taco Idiocy (TacoDrew)

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:39:33 GMT

If you ask most Mexicans, the majority of the tacos sold in the US (by chains, at least) would be considered 'American tacos'.

Beyond that, how about Korean BBQ tacos like from Kogi's?

Re:Taco Idiocy (Foodbme)

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:28:52 GMT

TacoDrew

Tony Bad

Just because the big plastic light up sign out front has Taco in the name don't think they'd know a real taco if it bit them on the rump roast.

Quoted for agreement. Taco Bell now has what they call 'authentic-style Mexican tacos'... we compared them to taco truck tacos here:

http://tacotruckscolumbus.com/2010/08/11/cantina-vs-taqueria-the-taco-bell-challenge/

Are there any other Kind??? I've never heard of an Italian Taco or a Chinese Taco or a Polish Taco or a Irish Taco or a .....

Re:Taco Idiocy (1bbqboy)

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:22:41 GMT

Well, I'm not a snob. Maybe a slob. But if the Bell wants to make mexican tacos, more power to them.

Re:Taco Idiocy (TacoDrew)

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:20:02 GMT

Tony Bad

Just because the big plastic light up sign out front has Taco in the name don't think they'd know a real taco if it bit them on the rump roast.

Quoted for agreement. Taco Bell now has what they call 'authentic-style Mexican tacos'... we compared them to taco truck tacos here:

http://tacotruckscolumbus...e-taco-bell-challenge/

Re:Taco Idiocy (Rick F.)

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 15:57:43 GMT

In twenty years as a parish priest I served communion about 3,000 times, at a guess, and at each service I took the elements last. That means drinking after uncounted thousands of people. I never caught anything from that.

Granted, my experience in that area is limited to people who were probably pretty clean, for the most part. I don't doubt that unsanitary conditions are breeding grounds for disease, but I don't think we need to be obsessive-compulsive about it!

Re:Taco Idiocy (Cosmos)

Thu, 05 Aug 2010 14:54:02 GMT

leethebard

How about "any taco made not by someone with dirty hands or not wearing gloves". Too many taco places using kids(and adults) who don't use latex gloves...and handle all that food you eat moments later...It's gross!!!

I never understood the magic of latex. Its not the gloves but the idiot in the gloves. I have seen latex gloves handle raw chicken, clean sinks, count money, blow noses, just the same as naked hands...I don't feel any safer if someone is wearing gloves..

Re:Taco Idiocy (Milt)

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 18:29:04 GMT

Shame on me if I have not also praised El Taco Veloz. It is an excellent choice for authentic Mexican food in a very casual setting. I have never yet been disappointed - and I have eaten at various locations for probably ten to fifteen years now. Metro Atlanta is fortunate!

Re:Taco Idiocy (Born in OKC)

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 07:14:48 GMT

I have no comment about the poll that led to this thread but as regards the "cleanliness" of American (Taco Bell) and ethnic stands, I can only comment that argueably in Atlanta the best tacos come from the orignal Taco Veloz on Buford Highway in a part of town that friends from East LA told me looks like home. It is in a recycled Dairy Freeze or some other little known failed franchise building. Their chilli relleno taco with onion, cilantro, and green salsa is to drive forty miles for. Presumabley they meet the local health code just like the very much more expensive Buckhead Life restaurant where we ate dinner last night does. I can't see the workers make these tacos from my car in the drive through lane and I don't know if they wear gloves or not, but I wish I had a couple of them right now. Taco Veloz has been mentioned before on roadfood.com, by me if no one else, but I'll put up a link again. The menu which can be accessed from the homepage is for another branch which probably was a Pizza Hut or something like.

http://www.tacoveloz.com/index.html

Re:Taco Idiocy (Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle)

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 10:47:48 GMT

I hear you, Davydd, but I was kind of going for something else with the poll. Just about everyone, everywhere, puts butter on toast or corn-on-the-cob. I wasn't looking for folks' favorite uses of butter. I was going for excessiveness - places where butter is used where most people don't expect it, like a burger or brat or fried fish, or where an unconscionable quantity is used, as on a hot lobster roll or pierogis.

Re:Taco Idiocy (Davydd)

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 09:38:24 GMT

Many times you need an "other" as a choice. I'm thinking back to the buttering question and corn on the cob wasn't even a choice.

Re:Taco Idiocy (Scorereader)

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 09:19:46 GMT

bill voss

I'd still rather have "all of the above" than "none of the above" as the last choice.

definately for this poll!

Re:Taco Idiocy (ChiTownDiner)

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 20:14:30 GMT

I prefer the most choices, i.e., combinations, none of the above, all of the above, etc.

Re:Taco Idiocy (1bbqboy)

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 19:55:25 GMT

I'd still rather have "all of the above" than "none of the above" as the last choice.

Re:Taco Idiocy (Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle)

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:54:41 GMT

Yeah, Scorereader, I pretty much agree with everything you say. My inclination, though, is to get maximum participation rather than useful data. People like to play along. Once in a while, the "I Don't Like" number is even interesting.

You'd be surprised - the polls almost never come from the threads. I don't spend a lot of time there. There is probably a lot of overlap because I often try to make the poll appropriate for the season, which is also the natural thing to be discussed in the Forums.

The taco poll was inspired by a recent Michael Stern review where he raved about the freshly made tortillas, and how that made such a difference to the tacos. That fit with my own experience, and it got me thinking how much I also enjoy salsas and garnishes that are bright and fresh rather than dull and old and sad-looking. I'm pretty sure that I'll try to tie in the next poll to the recently announced New Mexico Roadfood tour.

Michael, at times I've tried to cover as many bases as possible. Like the poll for mustard type on hot dogs, I included some main types, an "other" category, and a "no mustard on dogs" category. I suppose to be true to my inclusive philosophy I could have also included "I Don't Like Hot Dogs" as a choice but it starts to seem a little silly to me at that point.

The part of the software allocated to the front page poll is very limited. Not only are all those complex answer choices not available, but even the number of characters for the title of the poll, and the choices, is very limited, which sometimes results in some pretty strange wording as I try to shoehorn the poll into the space provided.

Re:Taco Idiocy (Scorereader)

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:25:00 GMT

Bruce and/or Susan:

If you're trying to see "what's your favorite type of ice cream," then "I don't like ice cream" doesn't answer the question. "none of the above" could answer the question, but stating you don't like ice cream doesn't answer the poll question.

The statistical information doesn't have to include all people because you can't poll all people anyways - plus, you're not getting everyone who hits the site to take the poll. So, the percentage of people who don't like that type of food, doesn't really create a useful number.

It's hard to state what I mean, exactly, but statisically speaking, whether someone or not likes the food in question in the poll is rarely an important number, because what you really want to know is, of those who eat ice cream, what do you like.

For example: Best place for pizza: NY, CT, Chicago, Gary IN, Philly, I don't like pizza.

"I don't like pizza" is irrelevent. What's the use of that statistic? If you're trying to figure out where to have the next Roadfood pizza meet up, the percentage of people who don't like pizza doesn't matter. They won't come no matter where its held. And if you're trying to see what pizza people prefer, "prefers none" won't help you - unless you're going to change your food choice.

None of the above works if one likes the food, but prefers a different choice, but then you have to do some statistical balancing to figure out what percentage of those people just don't like pizza rather than some other region not listed - like Scranton (that's for you Mosca).

I guess the point is, that expressing that you dislike a food in most polls seems unhelpful. Most important part of BBQ? Rub, woodchips or charcoal used, quality of meat, the sauce, I don't like BBQ.

Well, if you don't like BBQ, then your opinion on what makes BBQ good, is irrelevent to the discussion.

Most of these polls seem to come from some current topic being discussed in the threads. They seem to come out of "since we're talking about what we're making for SuperBowl Sunday, lets see what people make for the game." In a case such as that, "I don't like football" is completely irrelevant. It's not like any useful statistic can be used from those few people who respond like that. And, who cares if you don't like football. You're probably communist, but, since we can't discuss politics, that opinion has no place here.

It's about as useful as someone coming into a thread like "what I'm making for SuperBowl Sunday" and saying "I'm not making anything because I hate football." In that case, the thread, doesn't apply to you, move along.

Which is different that someone showing food they made, and more or less asking for comment.

None of the above, or all of the above, could be useful sometimes. A rating system would be really useful for some of those polls - especially ones that look really lopsided, but you know the 2nd favorite item is well loved, but it looks pathetic in numbers in a one pick scenario and a rating system would show the love better. But, I know thats a much more involved software program to do that kind of a poll.

I probably haven't made the world's strongest case on the matter - it's late in the day, I'm ready to go home, so I'm not putting my usual "all angle" position on the floor here where I can dig my heels in and swing from a grounded position. Ultimately, it just bugs me and I see not point to say, "I don't like hotdogs" when someone asks you what toppings you like on hotdogs. What can I say. We all have our limits. ;o)

Re:Taco Idiocy (ynotryme)

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:27:45 GMT

mayor al

I agree with none of the above or I don't like. Also the butter poll should have included corn on the cob.
If the purpose of the poll is to show how many of the RF participants like various 'stuff' on or in the Taco, I think having the alternate choice that says "None of the Above" is a valid entry.

I wish that some of the polls had the capability to allow multiple answers, or a prioritized response..say three points for your top selection, two points for your second choice and one point for your third pick. These would let you say what many seem to want to say...I like the Meat and Cheese but Gucamole is important also.

I don't respond to some polls because I just don't care for the item being measured. If there is a place to say that, I will vote 'Yuck". That should tell the reader that a small (or large) percentage of the participants may not care for the item at all.

Re:Taco Idiocy (Michael Hoffman)

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:17:13 GMT

Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle

Hold the popcorn Joe, I'm not bothered at all. I really am curious. I've had mixed feelings about it myself, but I tend to want to give as many people as possible the opportunity to answer the poll question, and "I don't like" does that.

Just a suggestion. I understand what you are attempting to accomplish with "I don't like," But I wonder whether "None of the above" might be a better option. For instance, I may absolutely love some particular thing, but I might not care for any of the four or five things mentioned. I don't want to say I don't like the thing when I do. But "None of the above" gives me the chance to respond.

Whoops! Al, I hadn't seen your post before I put this one up.

Re:Taco Idiocy (joerogo)

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:12:40 GMT

Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle

Hold the popcorn Joe, I'm not bothered at all. I really am curious. I've had mixed feelings about it myself, but I tend to want to give as many people as possible the opportunity to answer the poll question, and "I don't like" does that.

Hey Bruce, It wasn't your response I was getting the popcorn for

Re:Taco Idiocy (6star)

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:07:59 GMT

Would there be any possible way of setting up a two-column poll: one column "Yes" and a second column "No"? Then you could list the various ingredients (or applications) and people could vote on what they liked and didn't like. A person who didn't like the given food at all could just vote "No" to everything in the list, but you could still rate the popularity of the various ingredients by how many voted for each one.

Re:Taco Idiocy (mayor al)

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 14:15:32 GMT

If the purpose of the poll is to show how many of the RF participants like various 'stuff' on or in the Taco, I think having the alternate choice that says "None of the Above" is a valid entry.

I wish that some of the polls had the capability to allow multiple answers, or a prioritized response..say three points for your top selection, two points for your second choice and one point for your third pick. These would let you say what many seem to want to say...I like the Meat and Cheese but Gucamole is important also.

I don't respond to some polls because I just don't care for the item being measured. If there is a place to say that, I will vote 'Yuck". That should tell the reader that a small (or large) percentage of the participants may not care for the item at all.

Re:Taco Idiocy (Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle)

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:56:24 GMT

Hold the popcorn Joe, I'm not bothered at all. I really am curious. I've had mixed feelings about it myself, but I tend to want to give as many people as possible the opportunity to answer the poll question, and "I don't like" does that.

Re:Taco Idiocy (joerogo)

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:42:16 GMT

Now I think I'll get the popcorn!

Re:Taco Idiocy (Bruce Bilmes and Susan Boyle)

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:36:28 GMT

Scorereader

at least this poll didn't have the useless "I don't like [tacos]" option.

Scorereader, you've mentioned this a few times over the years and, as the poll writer, I'm interested - why do you dislike the "I don't like" option?

Re:Taco Idiocy (Scorereader)

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:01:11 GMT

at least this poll didn't have the useless "I don't like [tacos]" option.

I'm sure this study has already been done, but how many cultures out there have the "flat bread, stuff on top, fold and eat" type of food? i.e. taco, gyro, pizza. Must be countless.
And I like 'em all.