I checked out Authentaco over the weekend at a friend's behest (and to fill the hole that's been in my soul since Tierre Caliente/el Chapin shut down), and tried the al pastor, the barbacoa, the... sorry, it's the one with poblanos and cheese, but it's not chile relleno (edit: rajas, I think), and the sweet potato al pastor before shuffling home in a taco-induced daze. I liked the sweet potato al pastor, with its nice blend of earthy heat and natural sweetness, rounded out with chorizo and the usual onion/cilantro garnish best of all, but each needed acid to brighten up the rich and somewhat sweet filling. No lime wedges were offered, and I didn't think to ask for any, but perhaps it's for the best; they were pretty "wet" tacos, located a little south of "carbonade à la flamande" in their consistency, and they'll stain if you're careless. There are probably hundreds of personal and regional explanations for this style, but when I order tacos al pastor (it's rarely in the singular), I expect some reduction, char and perhaps even a little smoke if I'm lucky. If the pork I ate at Authentaco had any of those, they were lost in the sauce. The barbacoa was sweet and complex and the poblano intensely, refreshingly vegetal, but I wasn't crazy about them. Still, I'd go back for the massive, pillowy, frigging gorgeous tortillas and eat whatever came with them, they were so good. They were like masa naan, and I want to buy a fresh, plain one just to see if I can stuff the whole thing in my gob.
So, I hope for drier tacos with lime wedges next time, and I'll ask for... a dozen tortillas to take home. Maybe if enough people ask, Authentaco will find a way to make that happen, and we can all experience the undeniable pleasures of a tortilla coma in the comfort of our own homes.
Last edited by
syncretism on December 5th, 2014, 12:07 pm, edited 1 time in total.