Saving the Best for Last

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Tacos, though not crispy, repeat September's tasty triple play, and La Casita celebrates them with standard and not-so-standard choices. Like Taco King on West Liberty, La Casita serves memorable versions of barbacoa, carnitas (braised, fried pork), carne asada (grilled steak), and puerco al pastor (marinated grilled pork). "Yummy," my mother declared at tasting the lengua (tongue) taco, and we also agreed that the cochinita pibil (marinated, pit-cooked pork) had enough annatto-oregano-garlic seasoning to properly flavor and moisten the meat. My brother and I didn't favor La Casita's tripa (intestine) as much as we had Taco King's, nor did we really enjoy the cabeza de res (shredded bits of beef head), which tasted almost more organ-y than the tripe.

La Casita's menu ranges through enchiladas, tortas, and all the incarnations of filled flour and corn tortillas. Descriptions of entree specials featuring tamales or chiles rellenos or fish line the walls. But another unique menu item I've not seen elsewhere locally is a pambazo, a soft bun filled with potatoes and chorizo or any of the taco fillings, soaked in a mild guajillo chili sauce, and pan-fried--a deliciously decadent knife-and-fork sandwich. It was pillowy in the center but crispy at the edges and suffused with the flavor of chili and meat, and I found it irresistible.