I went to Tacos el G (which I thought was Tacos el Gordo) last weekend with Jake, T, and Laura on Saturday night. We had just gone to see The Avengers over at the Regal Cinemas off East H Street (only $5.50 for an evening ticket!) and I wanted tacos. Laura had never been to Tacos el Gordo and we figured the National City location would be a little less crazy than the Chula Vista spot. Sadly I did NOT realize this is not the same as the real Tacos el Gordo. I read a few reviews online today and saw that this location isn’t on the Tacos el Gordo website anymore!
I thought something was a little off when it didn’t say “Tacos el Gordo” like the other locations, but we just went with it. Tacos el G sounds like some kind of superhero to me. A taco superhero!
It can be a little intimidating if it’s your first time at a place like this. You see all these different stations and lines and you’re like, “What the heck is going on here?” Basically there are three stations. One for the spicy pork adobada (which is on a spit, like gyros), one for carne asada (beef), pollo (chicken), chorizo, or cactus, and one for “other meats” like lengua, cabeza, tripe, or suadero. You go to the station with the meats you want and order your preferred “style” – mulita, taco, sope, toastada, etc. Sorry, no burritos here. Or beans. Or rice. That’s just how they roll.
I always make Jake order because he speaks way better Spanish that I do. I encouraged Laura to do the same.
While we were there, we noticed that the Mayweather v. Pacquiao fight was being show on TV. We were wondering if they had paid the big bucks to watch the fight but then we noticed it was being broadcast in Spanish. Mexican TV, yo! They apparently were just showing it on regular TV down there.
We watched about four rounds and I thought it was kind of boring. It seemed like all they wanted to do was hug. I’m not a big boxing person in any way, shape, or form, but I couldn’t see what the big deal about this fight was. Yawn.
Tacos!
More specifically, quesadillas! I can’t go to Tacos el Gordo (or well, what I thought was Tacos el Gordo) and not get a quesadilla. I can’t do it! I always have to have one. This one has a nice amount of crunchy, grilled cheese on the end and that made it so extra deliciously amazing! I had never seen crunchy grilled cheese bits on the quesadillas before.
This is a mulita. It’s like if a quesadilla and a taco had a baby, it would be this. This one is filled with pork adobada. We noticed the pork isn’t as spicy here. It wasn’t quite as tender or tasty, either. I should have realized then that this was not the original since it just didn’t have the same flavor.
Adobada, taco style.
I decided I really wanted some carne asada that night. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t the most delicious taco ever. But it was still a good taco so you won’t hear too many complaints from me. The meat didn’t quite have enough seasoning to make it a fabulous all star, but it was still tasty.
While the food here is decent at Tacos el G, if you’re looking for an all star, amazingly delicious experience I’d say head to the REAL Tacos el Gordo in Chula Vista. This place is a mere imitation of the real thing and while it looks similar it is just NOT the same as the real thing. I wish I had realized that when we went since we took Laura there! Curses. We’ll just have to make a special trip to the real location sometime soon. I hate when I get tricked.
Tacos el G
1940 Highland Ave
National City, CA 91950
(619) 474-5033
What? They got rid of the Tacos el Gordo on Highland? Well, CV is the place to go then, haha.
Tacos el Poblano is near the Regal you guys went to but I think you already went there/blogged it. I love that the movies are so cheap there. Have I gone to a movie there lately, no, but I’m glad I have the choice of paying less instead of $9 somewhere else.
As for the Mayweather-Pacquiao fight, yes it was pretty boring, but a standard ‘boxing’ match rather than an actual fight. My Mexican friends were telling me that the fight was free on Mexican TV. None of that pay per view nonsense. She said past big-name fights have always been free on Mexican TV.
Hi CC – Yup! I should have know something was up right away. I questioned it a little but didn’t think about it since it looked the same, haha. I got tricked! Yes, it is really nice having the cheap movie option. The Hazard Center theater isn’t too terrible, either. I’m spoiled now paying the cheaper movie ticket prices!