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Tijuana Tacos is a small storefront on Fleet Street, and if you're driving too fast—or are more concerned about finding a parking space—you're going to miss it. And that would be tragic. The inside of the place is nothing spectacular, but simple seems to be a common theme here. The food isn't all that fancy, either. Thankfully, simplicity works. Really well.
The menu is loaded with authentic Mexican offerings, from tacos filled with beef, chorizo or tongue to a variety of burritos, tostadas, tortas, shakes and, oddly enough, shrimp cocktail. Thirsty? Pull a drink from one of the coolers. If you're looking for Pepsi in a tall glass bottle, you're totally in luck. You can also quench that thirst with super-sweet sodas in electrifying colors and flavors like guava or tamarind. Tijuana Tacos even has a deli filled with tortillas and a few other imported items, if you want to take a little something home with you.
Dish: Tijuana Tacos begins each meal with fresh chips and a sauce that seems to be a hybrid of guacamole and salsa. It combines the fresh flavors of cilantro and jalapeno with a few random chunks of avocado. We ordered three marinated pork tacos which came double-wrapped in tortillas loaded with yummy toppings and a side of grilled onions and peppers. Why double-up the tortillas? Maybe it's for added support. Or maybe it's just because the tortillas are so tasty.
When we ordered the chicken sopa as our second dish, there was a little confusion (the result of a minor language barrier) and a small worry over whether one chicken sopa was enough to fill a growing girl. The worries were unfounded, however, as a large chicken sopa is plenty to fill a growing girl.
Tijuana's flat tortilla is stacked high with refried beans, chicken, lettuce, tomato, onion, cheese and some sour cream, and while we wanted to stick our faces directly into the plate, we refrained and begrudgingly used a knife and fork.
Damage: No need to break out major pesos to eat at Tijuana Tacos. Even the most expensive items on the menu roll in under $9.95. On Metromix's trip, the priciest eats were three pork tacos at $2.50 a pop (a total of $7.50, for the mathematically-impaired). The chicken sopa was $3.25, and with drinks the bill was $14.77. And yes, we did a double-take at that, too.
Decision: As long as Tijuana Tacos has a home in Baltimore, there's no need to book a flight to Mexico any time soon.
