If you’ve ever driven down Capital Boulevard in Raleigh, you might have noticed a brightly colored building on the right hand side, Tacos y Mariscos Vallarta. If you don’t speak Espanol, you might not pick up what it’s about because I speak a little and still don’t know (mariscos = seafood). So after years of driving on by, I finally stopped in for a quick lunch to see what this restaurant is about.
First of all, understand that Tacos y Mariscos Vallarta is open 24 hours a day with the full menu. Inside you’ll notice the bare-bones cafe interior with brightly colored paint (lime green, yellow) and banners in the colors of the Mexican flag. A display of candies by the cash register and you immediately get the feel that Tacos y Mariscos Vallarta is pretty authentic. We get seated in a booth and get some chips and salsa. While the main menu is pretty large, the lunch specials are pretty short and you’ve got your usuals. Tacos, enchiladas, burritos but just a bit different than what I usually see. I order up the mochaca con huevo (beef and eggs) which comes with beans and rice. Prices are about $1 higher across the board but you’ll soon understand why.
It takes about 15 minutes for our food to come out and it is a LOT! The pictures don’t do it justice because the plates are huge. My mochaca is a large portion of egg and beef with beans and rice with nice extras like avocado slices, jalapenos, oaxacan cheese and some tortillas, yum! It’s a ton of deliciousness and half of it goes home with me for a later meal. My friend’s burrito plate doesn’t look quiet as delicious but what can you do?
Looking around the dining room I noticed primarily Latino patrons which is a good sign of Tacos y Mariscos Vallarta’s authenticity. Between the menu, decor and name, of course it’s not a surprise. But it’s all good when you get food this good, in this portion size 24 hours a day. So if you’re up for a little bit of adventure and some excellent Mexican eats, give Tacos y Mariscos Vallarta a whirl. I’m pretty sure it’ll keep you happy and you can always hit up Chubby’s next week!
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