Deep and Radical is back from hiatus. After a lifetime of extensive research, it’s time to discuss the important stuff in life, starting with a two part voyage through the Mexican restaurants of San Luis Obispo County. Part 1 focuses on the County seat and nearby coastal towns. Be hungry.
San Luis Obispo and Tacos de vs. Tacos de
San Luis is home to many great Mexican restaurants and elusive tamale ladies, but even the great establishments have their flaws. While everybody in town loves the Broad Street Chilie Peps for their brisket burrito and giving free drinks to Tigers alumni, their beef is still a little weird and their tacos bland. (The less said about the Foothill version the better). Nobody knows anything about that spot on Foothill and Santa Rosa, and Toñitas is really only worth the price after 2am. Opinions on the absolute best Mexican eatery in town are generally divided between Tacos De Mexico and Tacos De Acapulco. Tacos de is the go to burrito for residents of the downtown area and neighborhoods north of the 101. Southsiders head over to Laurel Lane for some Tac de Ac (tawc de awc) action.
Both fine establishments make excellent food at a fair price. Both spots have sunny dining patios perfect for beer drinking and enjoying a late afternoon food coma. Granted Tac de Ac offers better food volume to money value, Tacos de is elevated into to rare Mexican food atmosphere by their magical carne asada and salsa combination, making it the best Mexican food in town. That and their sweet jukebox.
That deep and mucho picante salsa makes everything on the menu totally dank. Tacos de’s tacos, smothered in the spicy stuff, are flavor bombs. Their simple approach to burritos initially won my heart and the tortilla quality has been unwavering over the years. With such excellence on offer the place can get packed to the walls, but the efficient kitchen pumps out orders with admirable speed. With Tacos de in town, it’s amazing Taco Roco exists at all.
It is also well known that anybody who makes an order with mild salsa, or God forbid without salsa, will be sent to an underworld serving Chipotle three meals a day for eternity, with a Tacos de taco constantly dangling above them, just beyond their reach.
Los Osos Mexican Market
Los Osos is an odd place. This lost Californian gem is home to many natural and man made secrets, including the lost avocado grove and the face of dive bars around the world. Perhaps greatest of all these mysterious wonders is the Mexican Market. The place is excellently camouflaged, with no sign to distinguish it and a neon open light that is always turned off. Deep and Radical spent years searching for this Yeti-esque grocery, gleaning mentions from the dusty tomes of unincorporated community planning records at the county register’s office. More than a few times I’d find myself in the Elfin Forrest after following maps drawn for me by scheming Los Osos locals, intent on protecting their spot from the chumps down LOVR.
Yet it’s hard to keep secrets. One day an old hippie living in a Westie camper let the location slip. Until my first trip to the market, I’d never met a burrito I couldn’t destroy in one sitting. Facing this tortilla wrapped asada behemoth was a profoundly humbling experience, one that truly revealed my terrifying insignificance in this Universe. An existential crisis was averted by the realization that I discovered the best food deal in the entire county. Six days a week this burrito monster costs only $6 but on Burrito Tuesdays it costs only $5. That’s five big ones for a meal that not only provides a fattening dinner but also a microwaveable desayunar de champeones. It’s such an epic deal I’ve never gone on any other day of the week nor tried anything else on the menu.
All the fresh made tasty pastries and rare Latin groceries are just a perk.
Tacos de Mexico Morro Bay
Some people say Taco Temple gets top trumps for Morro Bay Mexican food. I say those people are chumps for equating fanciness to quality. The hungry burrito enthusiast need look no further than the Morro Bay Tacos de Mexico for a spiritually fulfilling and appetite appeasing experience.
Nothing compares to scoring the Pit for four hours, devouring a Tacos de Morro Bay wet burrito drenched in salsa rojo and cheese, downing a few $1 Tecates, then passing out from a efficient combo of physical exhaustion and food baby induced coma. This is the ultimate post-surf session feed on the Central Coast and as close to paradise as you can get in a restaurant. Plus, their mural is the dopest mural this side of Guadalupe.
Deep and Rad will be back with Part 2, focusing on tasty secrets of South and North County.
Deep and Radical 