This week the search for the best tacos in Chatt Town continues at Taqueria Chapina, a new taco trailer parked in my barrio off Rossville Blvd.
The one thing I love about my neighborhood is the quick access I have to several great Mexican and Guatemalan restaurants. Recently a new tienda (store) opened at 2828 Rossville Blvd.
Permanently parked outside the tienda is Taqueria Chapina, a taco trailer that is quickly becoming my go-to stop for grabbing a quick but tasty meal.
Taqueria Chapina offers Mexican and Guatemalan food.
Unlike other taco trailers this is the first one that I know of that opens at 5:45 a.m. Monday through Saturday offering local workers a place to stop in and grab one of their breakfast plates or breakfast burritos.
Taqueria Chapina carries steak, chicken, tripe and chorizo tacos. I ordered chicken and steak tacos to try. The chicken was tender and well-seasoned. The steak was tender as well. The tacos were topped with sauteed onions, cilantro and cabbage. The cabbage provides a nice crunch factor, and the corn tortillas are a bit larger than most but soft without falling apart.
I had some major dental work done recently and could only eat soft mushy food for the next few days. I went to Taqueria Chapina to get some tamales. I noticed the menu stated Mexican tamales or Guatemalan tamales, so I asked what the difference was.
The cook said Guatemalan tamales are more moist and softer because they cook the masa before they stuff it with the meat or chicken and then steam the tamale again in the banana leaf. She said she also mixes the chicken in her mole sauce before it is stuffed into the masa. For the Mexican tamale, they make the masa, stuff it with the protein then wrap it in a corn husk for steaming.
I ordered four Guatemalan style, since I was also bringing food home for my mom. The tamales were wrapped in tin foil, keeping them hot. I opened the foil to find the tamales wrapped in the banana leaf. They were massive! I think two would have been sufficient, but at least mom had leftovers for lunch the next day!
Soft and fork tender, the tamales were delicious. The mole added a great pop of flavor. It wasn’t spicy but she gave me some red-hot sauce on the side, which packed a punch! It was just what I needed since chewing was not much of an option this day.
The following afternoon, mouth still sore, I picked up an order of chicken empanadas and a steak taco for mom and I. The order comes with three empanadas topped with lettuce, queso fresco, pico-de-gallo and sour cream. I took an empanada for myself along with the taco and gave mom the other two empanadas.
The empanada was slightly crunchy around the edges. I picked up my empanada careful not to spill any toppings and took a bite. The chicken was flavored with the same mole sauce used in the tamales. The empanada shell mixed with the toppings was scrumptious.
If I was eating the empanadas on my own, two would have been sufficient without the taco. I didn’t think mom would be able to finish the two I gave her but when I asked her what she thought she was halfway done with her second one.
Mom approved! I’m willing to bet mom will be requesting some tamales and empanadas in the future. One day I plan to wake up early enough to stop in and order the breakfast burrito with eggs, beans, rice, chorizo, pico-de-gallo and cheese. It’s served with a side of seasoned potatoes.
Heads up. This taqueria is new and has not set up an account to receive payments by credit cards yet. BRING CASH! The food is worthy of the green!
Taqueria Chapina
- 2828 Rossville Blvd.
- Chattanooga, TN 37407
- (423) 260-1352
- $-$$
What’s your favorite taco place and why? Send me an email at Pattyl@brewermediagroup.com