El Tapatio; Good, Cheap Mexican Food … and Potent Margaritas … Near Rincón, Puerto Rico


El Tapatio – Comida Mexicana
PR-115, KM 20
Aguada, Puerto Rico
$$$$$

Margarita – $6.25
Unassuming from the outside, we decided to give El Tapatio a try after some so-so dining experiences in the Rincón area. It lies on the East side of PR-115 just a mile or two South of downtown Aguada in an area that is mostly residential with the odd kiosk Criollo here and there. The food was very good, the prices fair, and the margaritas very strong … they sure don’t skimp on the tequila!

We started with the carne y queso (meat and cheese) nachos  ($3.50), a 4 ounce guacamole ($2), and a large pico di gallo ($2). The nachos were not huge, but tasty, coming in a cardboard serving tray with homemade chips, generous portions of ground beef, and smothered in melted cheese. The guacamole not too bad and that is coming from the GUACAMOLE KING and the pico de gallo fresh and spicy. All three starters were a very good value.

Tacos Duros – $1.60 Each
For dinner we shared a cheese and beef quesadilla ($4.50), two tacos duros (hard tacos – $1.60 each), and a beef and cheese enchilada ($4.75). The tacos were good, especially with some guacamole and pico added. The quesadilla hot and decent, and the enchilada (which came with a small portion of refried beans) substantial and delicious.

Beef and Cheese Enchilada – $4.75
A surprisingly good dinner for $32, including two margaritas ($6.25), that were some of the most potent I have had in recent memory.

CombatCritic Gives El Tapatio 7 Out of 10 Bombs … BOMBAS ARE BUENAS!

Key Words: El Tapatio, el, tapatio, Mexican, food, restaurant, eat, taco, enchilada, burrito, quesadilla, nacho, margarita, CombatCritic, Aguada, Puerto Rico, TravelValue

Taco Mobil Jalapeño Brothers Arthur’s Lounge … It’s a Taco Truck for Cryin’ Out Loud!


Taco Mobil Jalapeño Brothers Arthur’s Lounge … It’s a Taco Truck for Cryin’ Out Loud!

Jalapeño Brothers
World’s Liquor Parking Lot
8108 NW Prairie View Road
Kansas City, MO 64151
816-337-1014

Jalapeño Brothers Facebook Page

Prices: $$$$$

Mobile food trucks have become trendy in recent years, ever since I started the craze with Mobile Joe, a mobile internet cafe business I built literally from the ground up in 2005.  MasterChef, Hell’s Kitchen, and many of the other food-based reality shows inevitably dedicate one or more episodes to a challenge involving food trucks.  A lot has changed since the days of the “food truck” arriving at construction sites with cold sandwiches, luke-warm coffee, and food piled on a bunch of ice.


I am not quite sure what the name of this business is … Taco Mobil? … Jalapeño Brothers? Arthur’s Lounge? … Taco Mobil Jalapeño Brothers?  It really does not matter because you can find this truck, a modified industrial size van to be precise, in the parking lot of World’s Liquor on Prairie View Road between Barry Road to the north and 72nd Street to the south in Kansas City’s Northland.  Up the street from Jaliscos (reviewed elsewhere in this blog) and LC’s, the famous hamburger stand, close to the also well known In a Tub, the greasy spoon, I mean, taco stand, and spitting distance from Saffron Indian Restaurant (also reviewed in this blog), there is no shortage of fast food in this neighborhood.

The menu is short and sweet, although not easy to figure out the first time you see it.  Your options are tacos ($2.00), burritos ($4.00), Torta (a large Mexican sandwich – $6.00), and quesadillas ($5.00) with a choice of meat (carne asada – small chunks of steak, pollo – shredded chicken, al pastor – small pieces of pork with pineapple and onion, and carnitas – shredded roasted pork).  I had the tacos, carne asada and pastor, and as you can see in the photo, they come open-face with just meat and the accompanying salsa verde (green chili sauce) and a guacamole-like concoction that looks more like avocado salad dressing, if it still exists.  I added the cheese because tacos without cheese is like a day without sex, bearable, but definitely better with the sex, I mean cheese.

The tacos were excellent and at $2.00 each, you can gorge yourself for the price of an appetizer at most restaurants.  As I said, they come only with meat on a warm corn tortilla, the way they are served south of the border.  No rice, no beans, just good tacos with an abundance of protein for the carnivore in you.  I will try the burrito, torts, and quesadilla on future visits, likely once a week from now on. 

They apparently also serve tamales and fish tacos because a sign on the truck says so, but I did not see a price or anybody ordering them.  I do not think they have drinks, but World’s Liquor is right there, so you should be able to find something to your liking, like a cold Tecate con sal e limon … YUM … minus the salt and lemon I am sure!

I will update this review as I sample more of the small menu … very soon … Ole’!



Jalapeño Brothers gets 8 BOMBS OUT OF 10 for quality food, abundant portions (I saw a torts … grande!), and extremely reasonable prices!





Key Words: jalapeño, brothers, mobil, mobile, taco, tacos, burrito, torts, quesadilla, tamale, fish, carne asada, carnitas, pastor, food, truck, comabtcritic, World’s, liquor, Northland, Kansas City, 64151


Title:Taco Mobil Jalapeño Brothers Arthur’s Lounge … It’s a Taco Truck for Cryin’ Out Loud!