Its always a tough call for me on deciding were to eat when I' m driving through Ventura Avenue in Ventura.There's obviously many taqueria's on the avenue all with their own fan base, and then there's some that don't get very much attention at all.
With regards to Super Taquera, were I'm eating for today's post, it may be in the latter. But then again, I’m not a local so I really don’t have much information to go on other than what's been written in all the various food review sites on the web. Even though I've lived in the Ventura county for a long time I'm still learning much about Ventura, Oxnard, Filmore, Port Hueneme and the rest of the cities and towns in the county. So its not just about trying different tacos at different establishments but its also about checking out the different locals in which these taquerias are situated.
With regards to Super Taquera, were I'm eating for today's post, it may be in the latter. But then again, I’m not a local so I really don’t have much information to go on other than what's been written in all the various food review sites on the web. Even though I've lived in the Ventura county for a long time I'm still learning much about Ventura, Oxnard, Filmore, Port Hueneme and the rest of the cities and towns in the county. So its not just about trying different tacos at different establishments but its also about checking out the different locals in which these taquerias are situated.
Super Taqueria is nestled in between a small market, and a panderia (Mexican bakery) in what appears to be a pretty decrepit old strip mall right off of Ventura Avenue.
In any case, I end up ordering two asada tacos, one al Pastor and one carnitas. There was plenty of other meat options but I decided to keep it simple for this one. The very nice man who took my order also gave me 2 cups so I could serve myself some salsa. I ended up with their verde and the roja plus he served me bowl of fresh chips. A very nice surprise.
The salsa roja was very spicy and had the sharp flavor of chilies at the front end with a quickly decaying smokey accent at the back. Very nice, it opened up my sinuses a bit so I could definitely taste and feel the kick. The verde was very mild and subdued; it had no real chili flavor or tartness from the tamatillos. It was average but tasted nice none the less.
Okay, so the carne asada was good; the meat had a nice flavor and was tender. Although it did have some connective bits and a little gristle it was still tasty so I didn't think about these flaws to much. Plus the hot salsa roja did its job and covered up any mistakes.
The carnitas taco was not so lucky, I decided to pour the verde on top and it only seemed to amplify the fact that these carnitas were bone dry in taste. They came shredded in their style but the two things I look for in carnitas the most is juiciness and the unmistakable flavor of PORK, both of which it lacked. So no, I didn't like this one to much.
The one that I thought I really would not like here is the Al Pastor. I could see that the Achiote paste was really thick and that the pork was just smothered in it but alas, I actually really liked it. Its not an authentic pastor, per se, but it was pretty flavorful in its own right. The pork was tender and the paste was spicy. Coupled with the salsa roja, it made for a very fiery taste. I enjoyed it, most definitely a different take.
The tortillas, while not oiled up like I prefer, tasted okay. They were warm which in some cases will do.
While I was eating my tacos outside at one of the tables, some dude left his bike leaning on the wall and as he walked away to go in to the bakery he was yelling at a friend telling him that he was worried about the "gabacho" stealing his bike. And then they both laughed at the thought. The gabacho they were referring to was me! I think he thought that because my back was turned to him, right? I've never been confused with being a gringo before. I'll get over it. 3/5 stars
Super Taqueria
819 North Ventura Avenue
Ventura, CA 93001
