When it comes to Mexican eats, the situation reminds me of Chinese food. In that there are so many different types of Mexican eats in this food category ranging from Americanized Mexican to more authentic taquerias and taco shops. And I’ll eat it all, but I’m usually searching for Mexican eats that are a bit more authentic to explore the cuisine. Thankfully up on Wake Forest Road in Raleigh, you’ll find a bunch of more authentic Latin-American dining options. One restaurant that I’ve been hitting up from time to time is Las Marias Tacos y Pupusas. It used to be La Fonda y Birriera Jalisco, before transforming in to Las Maria Tacos y Pupusas in its latest incarnation.

Las Marias Tacos y Pupusas is conveniently located across the parking lot from WalMart if you need to pick up a 12-pack of paper towels. So navigate those treacherous parking lanes and pull up into that lot that sits off of Ronald Drive. It’s a humble storefront with a big sign so you can’t miss it! Inside is where Las Marias Tacos y Pupusas starts to get really interesting. The dining space is super bright, colorful and cheerful. The pale yellow walls are accented with greenery and Mexican statuettes. The seating at Las Marias seems to be all hand-carved and painted wooden chairs, booths and tables, showing off a variety of Mexican artwork and kitsch. Looking around, each piece seemed to be unique and one-of-a-kind, very cool craftsmanship!

After you take in all the color and decor at Las Marias Tacos y Pupusas, grab a seat and peer through their deep menu. It’s multiple laminated pages and covers a variety of appetizers, dishes in beef, pork, chicken along with seafood specials. Or go the tacos and burritos route. And while Las Marias focuses on more authentic eats, they also have a page of Tex-Mex selections including fajitas and quesadillas, phew! It’s a huge array of possibilities while you dine here. Beer and margaritas are also available if you are imbibing. Looking around the dining room you’ll also find that the majority of the patrons here appear to be Mexican which is always a good sign for this foodie!

Over the course of my visits I’ve had the chance to sample several items off the menu. First, I had to try the pupusas given the name of the restaurant. Las Marias offers up a beautiful, pan-fried and griddled corn cake stuffed with some delicious melty cheese. It’s a tasty little starter served with some lightly pickled cabbage on the side along with a spicy side sauce. Very well done and filling, you don’t find a ton of pupusa options in the area.

Tacos at Las Marias are an affordable $3 each and are offered up in a variety of meats! More choices than I’ve seen at other Mexican taquerias, you can choose from: carne asada, chorizo, carnitas, al pastor, chicarron, pollo al carbon, lengua and more. I go with my favorite carnitas and while the price may seem a bit high for a taco, they are piled high with meat, shredded lettuce and topped nicely with a generous sprinkle of fresh cotija cheese! Definitely a mouthful, if you can put down more than three of these bad-boys, you have my respect.

And finally I had to try a burrito off their menu so I went again with the carnitas in their Macho burrito. Why is it called the “macho” burrito? Well the wait-person nicely cautioned me that it would be pretty spicy and is that ok? Of course I’m all in at this point and I’m not too concerned given I’m a fan of Indian and Thai food. My macho burrito comes out and it’s a nicely sized, thick burrito filled with crispy carnitas, rice, pinto beans, and more. Covered with some red sauce, melted cheese and some veggies as sides, you’ve got yourself a nice meal. Biting into the burrito you’ve got a filling mix of carbs, pork and spice and yes, it is spicy! While it doesn’t hit you at first, over the course of my meal I start getting the sniffles and realize we’ve got a solidly spicy burrito here, be forewarned!

Service at Las Marias Tacos y Pupusas is excellent, the staff is primarily female and personable. You’re seated promptly and the wait-staff is patient enough to work with you through their large menu. So kudos, Las Marias Tacos y Pupusas! While I may miss the old Fonda y Birriera Jalisco, you’re doing Mexican eats just as well and have kept most everything that made it good. You’ll still find tasty, authentic Mexican cuisine for a reasonable price in a bright and cheery dining room. I’ll be back soon to take another stab at that huge menu of yours but I’m pretty sure that whatever comes out of your kitchen is going to be muy excelente!

 

Las Marias Tacos y Pupusas

1600 Ronald Drive

Raleigh, NC 27609

919.977.8149

 

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In my world of Mexican food, I loves my casual taquerias. Places like Los Cuates or Taqueria El Toro float my boat pretty well. And then you have more upscale spots like Jose & Sons or Centro. But what if you came up with a Mexican restaurant that was right in the middle? A casual spot with more authentic and higher quality Mexican eats? Well in my mind that’s where Virgil’s Original Taqueria sits. Run by the same culinary team manning Linus & Peppers across the way, Virgil’s straddles the line between quick casual and upscale Mexican in a good way. Read on to find out more!

When you first enter Virgil’s Original Taqueria you notice the immediate quirkiness of the spot. It’s a longish narrow space but packed with plenty of seating. Front dining area has greenery covering the wall, a couple of funky hand-shaped chairs sit near the window. In the middle section you’ve got the open kitchen with seating at a counter. And in the back, the rest rooms with a bright “el bano” (bathroom in Spanish) neon sign lighting the way. It’s a small space but tightly packed with chairs and tables to maximize space.

I grab a seat at the kitchen counter for my early dinner. Thankfully the place is pretty empty so I can take my time ordering off the small menu. About eight apps, eight tacos, four plates and some sides for your eats. Cocktails, beer, wine and tequila for your adult bevvies along with some aqua frescas.  I decide to go with my favorite carnitas taco along with some chilaquiles for my main.

It’s a lot of fun sitting at the kitchen bar and you can watch your food getting made and chat with the staff if it’s not too busy. My taco come out first and it’s on about an 8″ flour tortilla, griddled and with a good portion of carnitas meat. Some onion, cilantro and a creamy salsa macha on top. With a squeeze of lime, the carnitas taco is filling and tasty with a nice seared, crispy edge to the meat. At $4 a pop, the tacos at Virgil’s Original Taqueria are not cheap but filling and of high quality ingredients.

My plate of chilaquiles is next and it’s a plate of fried tortilla chips, cheese, onion, crema, fried egg and cilantro. It’s my first time doing chilaquiles and it’s a bit different. The chips are crispy but softened a bit with the sauces. You’re supposed to break the egg yolk on top and mix the ingredients a bit but I’m noshing on different components of the dish. Given it’s vegetarian origins, it’s still a very hearty dish with lots of flavor and substance but probably not my favorite! Your mileage may vary, especially if you’ve been out drinking a bit…

But all in all I was pretty impressed with Virgil’s Original Taqueria. It’s has the presence and food of a higher end Mexican restaurant with the casual feel and prices of a quick-casual spot. Add in a nice selection of adult bevvies and I’m thinking that Centro may have a little competition now! I do have to work through the menu a bit more but given the overall track record of Linus & Peppers I’m optimistic that Virgil’s should hold its own over time. So check em out the next time you’re hungry in downtown Raleigh and looking for some good Mexican. I’m pretty sure they will keep you happy and humming along…

 

Virgil’s Original Taqueria

126 S Salisbury Street

Raleigh, NC 27601

919.833.3866

 

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