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El Farolito Taqueria (Mexican cuisine)  $

 6
JaT Rating

394 Grand Ave, S. San Francisco, 94080  (Directions)


650.737.0138


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Taqueria joint along Grand Avenue near South San Francisco city hall


Reviewer: Jason
Total Reviews: 1040
Reviewed: 7/5/2006
Rating: 6
My photo gallery 		I forgot my directions to La Morena and found myself looking for a taqueria replacement. It didn't take long as I rolled up to El Farolito Taqueria on Grand Avenue. I recognized the restaurant name and logo and positive it's the same owners from the mission district location. I'm still up for trying it out, different city, different cook, maybe food is better. It was late afternoon when I walked in and it was 80% full of customers.

I ordered carne asada and carnitas tacos. About $4 and comes with free tray of chips. There are 3 types of salsa to choose from; salsa fresca, verde, and rojo. The verde was great with rojo following a close second. Both salsas were spicy. Chips were a joke and I keep hitting myself for eating these bulk tortilla chips. The chips need to go, they are terrible.

Since all the tables were occupied, I had the luxury of sitting way in the back next to the food supplies (picture #5)and bathroom. It smelled so horrible back there. The cleaning chemicals and mildew rotten air had me green faced. I tried to block it out but with every passing customer going to the bathroom, they'd bring some bathroom residue out with them...yuccckkk.

My prayers were finally answered 10 minutes later when a table opened up near the front door. OMG, fresh AIR! Ok, now where the heck are my tacos. It took forever to cook those tacos up. I would guesstimate in the 12 minute range. What the hell is the cook doing back there? As you can probably tell, things aren't looking good so far.

Chips suck (picture #7).
Back room smelled horrible (picture #3).
Food took too long.

Tacos have finally arrived. They look legit. Carne Asada (picture #7) was steamy hot while the Carnitas (picture #8) looked like a pile of meat, no browning, no site of any crispiness.

tortillas - 2 small corn ones, almost a white color, pretty good.

toppings - cilantro, onions, and a orange salsa glaze. Way too much cilantro and removed half of it. It's your standard fare of toppings for legit mexican taco.

meats - Carne Asada was served very hot which gets a plus in my book. Small cuts of beef on a flat steel grill, crispy on some parts. Extremely greasy, not for the faint at heart. I would order the Carne Asada again. Ahhh..the carnitas, what a letdown. It was bland and served at room temperature. I was actually scared to eat it. Who knows what could be growing on this thing? I only ate 2 bites and let the rest for the trash.

I don't know what else to say? Carne Asada was a respectable greasy piece of meat while the Carnitas sucked. El Farolito was generous with meat servings. Things just didn't click with me and with 30+ other people eating there, who knows what the hell they were eating. I doubt I would make a return visit especially with La Tapatia across the street.
 
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