SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS -- Any Taco Tour worth its salt needs to include at least three taquerias. It's like my old journalism professor Sam Archibald used to say about news stories. You need to include more than one source. Same thing with Taco Tours.
So far, in San Antonio I've tried the pork belly tacos at La Gloria and the BBQ brisket and carne asada at Maria's Cafe. My time in the Alamo City was running short, though. I went back to the concierge at Hotel Emma and asked for advice. Is there anything near the hotel that's worth sampling?
Taqueria Chapala Jalisco at night.
"Yes, there are a couple options," said Hugh Daschbach, Emma's extremely helpful culinary concierge. He drew me a map of nearby streets -- "take Grayson to St. Mary's to McCullough" -- with all points leading to Taqueria Chapala Jalisco.
The restaurant was big and bright and packed with families enjoying a Saturday night dinner. While San Antonio is known for its Tex-Mex, Taqueria Chapala Jalisco was another all Mexican option in the city.
I ordered a Negro Modelo and savored the spicy green salsa on the chips, while I ordered my al pastor and carne asada tacos in Spanish. As I waited for the food, I noticed Christmas stockings on the walls, one for each of the friendly waitresses: Gabby, Sofia, Tania...
The tacos were huge, morsels of pork meat, pineapple, onions and lettuce and wrapped in corn tortillas along with the carne asada steak tacos. Compared to my other tacos in San Antonio, these were the largest. The al pastor taco was the star of the show, at once sweet and spicy.
Carne asada tacos at La Gloria in the San Antonio International Airport.
Alas, my Taco Tour had come to an end. Or had it? The following morning on my way out of town, I stopped again at La Gloria's, this one in the San Antonio International Airport. With a college bowl game on the tube, I ordered an Alamo Golden Ale and three carne asada tacos.
(No comment on the Oklahoma State fans who sat next to me, criticizing the fact that Colorado had been favored in the Alamo Bowl, sore winners to the core.)
Served on small corn tortillas, the tacos were spiced perfectly with chili and charred to perfection. Despite being served in the homogenous confines of an airport terminal, they were the best tacos of my tour in San Antonio. And a deal at only $5.
As I boarded my Delta flight back to New York City, my Taco Tour was now officially over. It was only a quick visit but through tacos I experienced a slice of authentic San Antonio. I know my old journalism professor, so tough to please back in the day, would've been proud.