This week our search for the best tacos in Chatt Town brought us to Taqueria Elizabeth. Before I talk about their food, let me say, I first noticed Taqueria Elizabeth about two years ago.
It hadn’t crossed my mind to try their food because of all the other places I’ve come across, especially along Rossville Blvd.
If you recall I did a story about Rossville Blvd. having a lot of Mexican Food trucks and restaurants between 28 street and 48 street. It’s like Taco Alley.
Well, a few days ago I happened to be driving down Dodds Avenue from 28 street down to where it connects to Rossville Blvd. Guess What? I counted at least 10 Mexican Food trucks, of which I have tried none. Taqueria Elizabeth is one of those 10 and sits at 3202 Dodds Avenue.
The food truck is parked behind a residential home. Drive into the gravel back yard and that’s where you’ll find the bright red truck along with an outdoor covered patio with seating.
The kicker?
Right across the street is a store called Tienda Primavera #2 and parked at its side is yet another taco truck called Taqueria Luna. So, I guess I’ll be spending the next few weeks trying out Taqueria Luna and rolling down Dodds to see what’s up!
Now back to Taqueria Elizabeth. I ordered two carne asada (steak) tacos to go. Being that this place is maybe 2 miles from my house, I took my tacos home. This place is about a block away from East Lake Park too. That would be a nice place to have a great meal by the duck pond.
The grilled steak was tender, well-seasoned, cut into tiny bits and piled high on small tortillas, double stacked to hold it all together. I opened the red sauce it came with and dipped my finger in the sauce to give it a try.
FAR TOO SPICY!
There was plenty of meat, cilantro and grilled onions. Being that the sauce was too much for me, I just squeezed the lime wedge they gave me over both tacos and honestly, that brought everything together in terms of taste and texture. Those tacos were truly delicious.
There I was enjoying my lunch when my mom enters the room and asked, “Where’s my lunch?”
“I didn’t know you wanted lunch from the food truck,” I replied.
“Well, I don’t, unless they have tamales?”
I’ve gotten into the habit of taking a picture of the menu on the side of each food truck I visit so I can point out certain menu items I might want to try or want to recommend. So, I pull out my cell phone and let my mom know they did have Guatemalan style tamales.
“I want two tamales,” she said.
And just like that I was back in my car and headed back to Taqueria Elizabeth. The lady smiled when she saw I was back so soon. She asked me if I liked the tacos. I let her know they were fantastic, but my mom wanted tamales.
“With red or green sauce on top?” she asked.
I said green sauce but put it in a sauce container because mom’s heat level is sensitive.
I brought home the tamales. She placed one on her plate and handed the other one to me and said to put it in the refrigerator for her dinner later. That literally took just a few seconds, and she had already eaten half of her tamale, with the sauce!
“Dang mom, I was going to take a picture of it,” I said.
She smirked at me and in her sarcastic Spanish basically said, “Sorry, not sorry.”
I will be going back to Taqueria Elizabeth. I noticed they had pupusas on their menu that were filled with pork rinds, beans and cheese. I haven’t had many pupusas since I went to Pupuseria Marelyn in East Ridge.
Taqueria Elizabeth has tortas, quesadillas, fried chicken plates with either French fries or beans and rice, carne asada burrito, chicken, Al Pastor, carne asado and barbacoa tacos and pastelitos (pastry stuffed with strawberry or pineapple) for dessert. They also have breakfast options. They are open Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday until 10 p.m. and Sundays they are open from 1-9 p.m.
I’m looking forward to my Dodds Avenue adventure. If the other food trucks have great tasting tacos like Taqueria Elizabeth, I’ll let you know.
Taqueria Elizabeth
- 3202 Dodds Avenue, Chattanooga, TN
- (423) 315-1423
- Facebook: facebook.com/taqueria.elizabeth1
What’s your favorite taco place and why? Send me an email at Pattyl@brewermediagroup.com