100 Favorite Dishes, No. 48: Pastor Tacos at El Rincon
To prepare for this fall's Best of Dallas® 2014 issue, we're counting down (in no particular order) our 100 Favorite Dishes. If there's a dish you think we need to try, leave it in the comments, or email me.
Pastor tacos on handmade tortillas at El Rincon.
From the outside, El Rincon De Villa doesn't look like much. Cars fly by all day and night, seemingly oblivious to the nearly limitless supply of delicious tacos are available just off Greenville Avenue. The small, yellow building may look unassuming, but inside handmade tortillas wait to expertly cradle chicken, pork and other taco fillings.
You can see the wavy patterns left by the cellophane used to keep the wet masa from sticking to the tortilla press used moments before the round hits the hot griddle. And if the kitchen is cooking enough of them at the same time, you can smell the toasting masa in the dining room. It's intoxicating, and it's rare you see so much work go into a tortilla and end up with a subpar taco.
I first fell in love with the taqueria for its chicken tacos. Filled with tender, soft and juicy chicken, they recast my poultry taco expectations forever after. But it's the pastor tacos that cemented my love for El Rincon. They're some of the best you can find in the Dallas area, porcine or otherwise.
The meat is charred but still juicy, heavily caked with spice and full of flavor. Onions bear just as much char, some of them withered to the thinnest black strands. Paired with that fresh tortilla, some cool crunchy onions and salsas from the condiment carrousel, and a cold fizzy Topo Chico, tacos like these can make life pretty good.
No. 100: Pastrami Egg Rolls at Blind Butcher
No. 99: Chicken-fried Steak at Tom's Burgers and Grill
No. 98: Pasta with Uni Butter at Nonna
No. 97: Camarón en Agua Chile at La Palapas
No. 96: The Wings at Lakewood Landing
No. 94: Chicken Kebab at Afrah
No. 93: Trompo Tacos at Bachman Lake
No. 92: Fish and Chips at 20 Feet
No. 91: Canelés at Village Baking Co.
No. 90: Banh Mi from La Me
No. 88: The Burgers at Off-Site Kitchen
No. 87: The White Album at Spoon
No. 86: Ramen at Tei An
No. 85: Tacos at Revolver Taco
No. 84: Stuffed Chicken Wings at Sakhuu
No. 83: Korean Fried Chicken at Bonchon
No. 82: Grilled Branzino at Tei Tei Robata
No. 81: The Toddfather at Cattleack Barbecue
No. 80: The Biryanis at Chennai
No. 79: Shish Tawook at Qariah
No. 78: Arepes at Zaguan
No. 77: Goat Momo at Everest Restaurant
No. 76: Steak Tartar at Gemma
No. 75: Escabeche at Joyce and Gigi's
No. 74: Spicy Fish in Oil at Royal Sichuan
No. 73: Pupusas at La Pasadita
No. 72: The Kathi Roll at Simply Dosa
No. 71: The Chicken Wings at Teppo
No. 70: Cheesesteak at Truck Yard
No. 69: Chicken and Waffles at Jonathon's
No. 68: Birria Tacos at Los Torres Taqueria
No. 67: Bulgogi Cheesesteak at Say Kimchi
No. 66: Suadero Tacos at La Banqueta
No. 65: Brian Luscher's Post Oak Red Hot
No. 64: Banana Flower Salad at Mot Hai Ba
No. 63: Cinco Leches Cake At Mesero Miguel
No. 62: Cabrito a la Parilla at El Ranchito
No. 61: Reuben at Kuby's
No. 60: Plain Cheese Pizza Cooked Extra Crispy at Zoli's
No. 59: Enmoladas at Mesa
No. 58: Pig's Head at CBD Provisions
No. 57: Rib "Sandwich" at Baby Back Shak
No. 56: Beef Noodle Soup at Monkey King
No. 55: The Nachos at Spiral Diner
No. 54: Elotes, Everywhere
No. 53: The Popeye At Green Grocer
No. 52: The Cuban at International Bakery
No. 51: Rush Patisserie's Croissant
No. 50: Kitfo From Sheba's Ethiopian Kitchen
No. 49: Beer at Craft and Growler
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