Authentic Mexican food made from family recipes and original creations
It’s the quaintest building you’ve ever wanted to have lunch in. The exposed brick walls, the hand painted geckos seemingly scaling the walls, the close quartered seating, the cheerful Mexican music playing overhead, all gives the shop an air of authenticity not found in chain Mexican restaurants.
Taqueria Jalisco is a place of heritage, of coming together over a delicious, home-cooked meal, and that is evident within the first few moments you enter the door.
What started as a food truck in 2005 became a truck-to-table style restaurant on Rossville Avenue, and it’s clearly working wonderfully. While working in the food truck can have its disadvantages, such as being limited by how much food can be prepared at once, it is more manageable, having the truck parked just behind the building for all their food prep needs.
“Maria Parra, the founder of Taqueria Jalisco, prepares all the food,” says manager Jorge Parra. “Some of the recipes are family recipes, while some are Maria’s special creations.”
A talented woman with amazing skills in the kitchen, Maria Parra is a godsend when it comes to authentic Mexican dishes. The favorites of most guests are the sope, gordita, and authentic street style tacos.
“For the sope, we start with a cornmeal shell, topped with beans, lettuce, pico, avocado, crema, queso fresco and a choice of meat. Our favorite meat with it is chorizo,” says Parra. “The gordita is made out of cornmeal as well, but it’s prepared differently from the sope.”
The gordita comes with beans, cilantro, onion, and queso fresco, with Jorge noting that it is great with cactus, or nopales. The authentic street style tacos were this writer’s favorite. Soft grilled corn tortilla topped with cilantro, onion, and lime and your choice of meat—the best decision being shrimp. Flavorful, spiced, and oh so perfect on that soft tortilla, the shrimp tacos were mouthwateringly delicious.
On weekends they try and add an authentic entree as part of the menu, and they have tres leches cake on occasion. With a wide variety of meats to choose from, the options for each dish are astronomical. They offer steak, chicken, pastor, carnitas, tinga, fish, shrimp, barbacoa, and chorizo, and while they have so many meats to choose from, there are options for vegetarians as well.
“We have a ton of vegetarian and vegan options,” says Parra. “Probably about 90% of the menu can be made into a vegetarian or vegan dish.”
To wet your whistle, partake in your usual Coke products, as well as the refreshing taste of Jarritos. Flavors like pineapple, strawberry, mandarin, and grapefruit will have your tongue tingling with crisp refreshment, something you’ll need alongside your hearty meal.
If you’d prefer something stronger to drink, feel free to BYOB. Yes, I said BYOB to a restaurant. Buy a six pack of Modelo on the way over, or maybe a bottle of wine to share with your friends, and settle in for an amazing meal. Start with chips and guacamole or a choice of salsas to get you ready for the entree.
Their option to call in your orders ahead of time is perfect for when you can only get out of the office for a few minutes for lunch or to pick up for dinner on your way home.
The best advice for eating at Taqueria Jalisco is to step out of your comfort zone. Order something you’ve never tried, or order what you’ve been eating at chain Mexican restaurants and see what the real thing is like. Whatever ends up in front of you will not disappoint.
Taqueria Jalisco
Open M-F, 11a-8p, Sat. 11a-7p
1634 Rossville Avenue
(423) 702-8081
Follow them on Facebook