This week our search for the best tacos in Chatt Town brought us to El Trio Mexican Restaurant #2 in Ringgold, GA.
There are three El Trio, one in Tunnel Hill, one in LaFayette and this location. This is a mid-sized restaurant with a casual interior, cultural photos on the walls and friendly staff.
It’s in a small strip mall that has a Little Cesear’s Pizza place, a smoke shop and a Subway sandwich shop.
It has a huge menu like the last two places I visited. A page of appetizers, salads and nachos. Another page of chicken items, burger and sandwiches, veggie options, A La Carte items and sides. Another page of burritos, combination plates and kids and senior meals. A page of their steak, seafood and pork options. Another with their enchilada and fajita options and more listing quesadilla, chimichanga options and lunch combinations. They have a full-liquor bar and a few dessert options as well.
The chips and salsa are brought to the table as soon as you’re seated.
The Mexican Street tacos are listed in the A La Carte menu with your choice of grilled steak, grilled chicken, chorizo, Al Pastor pork or birria beef and topped with cilantro and onions. They come 3 to an order.
They have chunky house made guacamole, so I ordered that and the birria tacos. You know that saying about how you should never assume anything…well I assumed the birria tacos would be served with the consommé, and the shells would be dipped in the consommé and cooked on the flat grill. In another words, I assumed it would be wet like all the other birria tacos I’ve ordered.
So, you could imagine the look on my face when my three tacos showed up in the fancy taco holder, dry, no consommé. The waiter noticed too. He asked if everything was okay. I told him that when I typically order birria tacos the shells are wet and grilled and served with consommé.
He explained that they serve their quesabirrias (from the quesadillas menu) that way, but he went back to the kitchen and brought me a cup of consommé, so problem solved.
I have previously mentioned that some places label quesabirrias on their menu meaning wet birria stye taco with cheese, while others list it as a wet birria style quesadilla, so my fault for not asking.
In the end it didn’t matter as I dipped my first taco in the savory broth and took my first bite. The meat was tender and delicious. The only downside was the shell. Since it wasn’t grilled to be a bit firmer it started to fall apart a bit. Nothing that using a fork and knife couldn’t fix. The guacamole lacked a little bit of acid. Luckily the tacos also came with lime wedges, and I squeezed some on the guacamole. Perfect!
Honestly, the tacos were big so there was plenty of guacamole to bring home as well as one taco. I thought about placing the guacamole on the top shelf of the refrigerator where mom can’t reach, but that would’ve been wrong (or would it?). I scooped some guacamole into a small cup covered it and let mom know that there was one taco and some guacamole in the middle shelf (and my portion of guacamole did go on the top shelf because I know my mom).
On my second visit I ordered their lunch special #3 which came with one American style taco, one enchilada, rice and beans. Basically, a Speedy Gonzales with both rice and beans instead of having to pick one of the other. I mixed my rice and beans together and used my chips to scoop them up. Delicious. The enchilada is covered in red sauce and melted cheese. This was a perfect portion, so mom was out of luck because I cleaned my plate.
They’ve scored a perfect 100 on the last three health inspector reports and have photos on the wall indicating they are the community sponsors of the local high school marching band. I like supporting a restaurant that gives back to their community. If you’re in Ringgold check this place out.
El Trio Mexican Restaurant #2
- 6979 Nashville Road, Ringgold Road, GA
- (706) 937-2255
- Website: www.eltriomr.com
- $$ - $$$
What’s your favorite taco place and why? Send me an email at Pattyl@brewermediagroup.com