Chido Taco in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

When it comes to tacos, I can’t get enough! Like burgers or pizza, tacos are one of those ubiquitous food items that always seems to hit the spot. The challenge is finding really GOOD and authentic taco places, whether you’re talking food trucks, restaurants or what have you. Online reviews for Chido Taco caught my attention a while back online so I decided to track this taqueria down. Located in the recently constructed McNeill Pointe, Chido Taco is doing some really unique and special things to the traditional taqueria concept. And outside of trying to find parking in this busy shopping plaza, it all really works well in my book!

Kitchen at Chido Taco in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

Stepping into Chido Taco you’ll feel as if you’ve been transported south of the border! While Chido Taco may be about mercado (market) style tacos, we’re talking about a very modern market! Large and bright space with an open kitchen, cocktail bar in back and casual cafe seating, the front counter looks like painted corrugated steel giving everything an industrial look. And there’s plenty for modern art and logos painted on the walls giving the space a light and lively feel. Maybe it’s the salsa music playing overhead that gets your toes tapping!

Order counter at Chido Taco in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

Cocktail bar at Chido Taco in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

Head on to the back of the order counter and you can order up some classic Mexican eats in the form of tacos, bowls, tortas and burritos. The tacos and burritos come in six different proteins: pork (al pastor), chicken (pollo adobado), steak (bistec), beef tongue (lengua), beef belly (suadero) and cactus-poblano (nopal-rajas). There’s also a menu of specialty tacos like fish, octopus and more. Tortas are a new addition to the menu and come in steak, chorizo, link sausage and more. One negative at Chido Tacos is that you don’t get chips with your meal and have to order them a la carte. Tacos run from $2.49 to $2.99 while burritos are $7.99 to $8.99 a pop, a very inexpensive meal!

Al pastor on trompa at Chido Taco in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

Condiment bar at Chido Taco in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

After you order at the counter you’ll get a buzzer and you can grab a table. Couple of things to take note, Chido Taco cooks up its al pastor (pork with pineapple) on a traditional trompa which is a vertical spit and the meat is shaved off, very cool! There’s also a condiment bar with salsa, jalapenos, pico de gallo, red onion, cilantro and lime to bling our your tacos once you get them. Chido Taco serves up its tacos naked so you’ll need those self-serve extras to dress up your lunch.

Bare tacos at Chido Taco in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

Al pastor taco at Chido Taco in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

My favorites at Chido Taco are the Al Pastor (sliced off the trompa) and the bistecca (steak) tacos! The meat for both is well-seasoned with a bit of char for extra flavor from the flat-top. Their al pastor is served with a bit of sliced pineapple for some sweetness along with the pork, perfection. The tacos are served with a single, fresh tortilla and for the most part it holds up while eating.

Steak burrito at Chido Taco in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

Steak quesadilla at Chido Taco in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

If you’re not in a mood for tacos, you’ve got burritos, quesadillas, tortas and bowls as your other options and I can say that their burritos are quite good. Packed a bit smaller than I’m used to and seared on the outside, there’s plenty of grilled meat inside along with some lettuce for contrast. While the burrito is decent, I’d have to say I prefer the SoCal style burritos at Los Cuates down the street. But still a good option if you’re dining here at Chido Taco. The quesadillas here are perfectly grilled and stuffed with a good ratio of cheese and meat. A more American option for eats here at Chido Taco!

Decor at Chido Taco in Raleigh – nctriangledining.com

After the meal, feel free to bus your meal and tray up at the front of the store, it’s a casual eatery so good to help out and keep costs low. Because Chido Taco is offering some great Mexican eats and tacos at food truck type prices. Given the cool, colorful space and options around beer and liquor, it’s certainly a more sophisticated way to do street tacos without the street. And I love that concept here for Raleigh. While there are a ton of little taquerias scattered around Durham and Carrboro, having Chido Taco in ITB Raleigh is a great and inexpensive option for dining. If you appreciate it for what it is, I think you’ll love the food and ambiance here, delicioso!

Chido Taco

2300 Bale Street, Suite 100

Raleigh, NC

919.594.1930

Chido Taco menu

Location on Google maps

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

Location on Google maps

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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

Location on Google maps

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When it comes to Mexican cuisine, I treat it the same way as I probably treat Chinese. There’s a HUGE variation of Mexican food out there and I enjoy it all. But I do prefer more authentic and more down-home at a decent price. Who needs great decor and fancy-shmancy when the food is good?  So that’s what I had in my head when I stepped into La Carreta, a newish Mexican spot in the complex with the 401 Oberlin Court Apartments…

Located on a corner of the plaza, La Carreta is in a big space with a large side patio which will be nice when things get warmer. Inside the place is nicely decorated with Mexican pieces and some salsa music is drifting out of the speakers. I’m dining solo today so I grab  a seat at the bar but there’s plenty of seats available in the dining room.  From what I found in my research, La Carreta is one of eight locations of this small Mexican chain hailing out of Asheville.

Cracking open the menu it takes a while for me to scan the menu. There are a LOT of choices and even for lunch options there are 25 or so choices ranging from $7 to $15. Tacos, tamales, burritos, fajitas, chilaquiles, all the usual suspects. I’m in burrito-mode today so I go for the grand burrito at $8.95, with steak and smothered with red sauce.

I’m breaking into the basket of chips when my food comes out. It can’t be more than 5 minutes so lunch service here is lickety split! And it’s a decent looking burrito but smallish. I taste the red sauce first and it’s got the tomato but not much spicing. Cheese on top is definitely not cotija, maybe monterey jack. I dig into the burrito and it’s decent, stuffed with refried beans, good steak but over-cooked rice (mushy). It’s perfectly fine but missing the spices, flavor and texture that I would expect out of a good burrito.

Service at the bar was fine but the seats are too low for the bar top and the pepsi was pretty flat. Overall I thought La Carreta was just ok but in my experience, very Americanized and missing flavor. Along with the slightly higher lunch prices and medium portions, not a great value. You come here if you want some ambiance and decent food but not for value and flavor. I’d prefer to do it more low-brow at places like Los Cuates, Tacos y Mariscos Vallarta or even La Cocina for my Mexican. So we’ll see how La Carreta does in this tough spot. It’s not bad, it’s not great, think A-OK for Mexican and you’ll be perfectly pleased.

La Carreta

1028 Oberlin Road

Raleigh, NC 27605

919.977.3271

Location on Google maps

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