El Taco Riendo

So after dabbling in some delicious French pastry which, although scrumptious, is a little pricy, I am back to cheap undiscovered eats.  Next time you are craving Mexican food, don't turn to Taco Bell, Del Taco, or even Rancheritos.  Instead, head south on Universtiy Ave. til you get to the shining silver diner that used to be Wingers, but now has been converted into a little piece of Mexico.


El Taco Riendo is not a sit-down, look-at-the-menu restaurant, but it still incorporates some of those elements.  After ordering at the register, you find a seat and wait for your food to be delivered to you, but unlike many fast food style restaurants, the waitress promptly brings you a basket of steaming chips and fresh salsa.  You can also take a few moments before your food arrives to get some small plastic cups full of the many salsas offered at the salsa bar.  I really loved the creamy avocado salsa that was a mix of salsa and guacamole.

 I ordered a gordita, which is nothing like the gorditas Taco Bell has to offer.  If you haven't tried a real gordita before (like me until I tried this one), it is like a thick fried tortilla which is cut in half and stuffed with any variety of things.  The gorditas at El Taco Riendo come with two types of cheese--one that melts and another that stays crumbly--and your choice of meat.  I chose the carne asada and was not disappointed.  Top that off with some fresh cilantro, onions, guacamole, and a squeeze of lime and you are in business.  You've gotta give this a try.

 My wife went with the quesadilla, which also comes with your choice of meat.  At the suggestion of the lady at the register, we went with the pork al pastor.  Al pastor is pork prepared with a sweet and slightly spicy marinade and finished off with pineapple along with onions and garlic.  The huge tortilla was the best flour tortilla that either of us had ever tried.  So, match a tasty tortilla with gooey cheese and savory pork and we had a can't miss plate on our hands.  We would definitely order both of these items again, although the tacos, nachos, and tortas looked worthy of an order as well.

El Taco Riendo is the perfect place for a casual night of dining.  I'd take this place over Los Hermanos or any other Mexican restaurant in a heartbeat.  Best of all, my wife and I got out of there with full stomachs and a full wallet: we only spent $10.58 between the two of us.  Check them out:

El Taco Riendo

465 S. University Ave

(801) 373-1266

Buen Provecho!