Ode to a Taqueria

Ask a fellow San Franciscan their favorite taqueria in town and their response will likely be immediate, unequivocal and possibly smug. Maybe you'll detect a whiff of defensiveness.

16th btw Mission and Valencia

While shoving my face full with a guinea pig-sized spicy chicken burrito at El Toro today, I considered that I am of the smug and defensive opinion that El Toro and nearby sister store Pancho Villa are It. Either give me a burrito from one of these taquerias or don't waste my time.

Valencia @ 17th St.

For a taco, however, Haltun, also in the Mission (down the street from my apartment) specializes in food from the Yucatan -an obsession of mine- and their walk-up window is a gift from a generous and loving food god. The ingredients and tastes are so fresh and exciting, I would happily pay far more than $1.75 for a taco here. The fish tastes like it was caught that morning.  I took my brilliant writer friend, Lucy, here for a couple of tacos before last week's mussel Food Adventure and we gushed, food dribbling off our chins, about the miracle of cilantro and good fish.

21st @ Treat St. Oh what a treat!

 If I'm going on a late-night dairy bender, nachos at El Farolito (the one at Mission and 24th) are worth the sore throat, puffy face and disgruntled stomach.

24th st Bart station

Naturally you either agree with me and feel a strong carmarderie and think, 'Wow, I could really be good friends and eating champions with this blogger' or you think 'What a shyster! Anyone with taste buds knows that _____ is the best tacqueria in town!"

Go ahead, challenge me.