For those unable to catch a flight to Los Angeles, look no further. On the main drag of nearby Conneaut Lake, you can get a taste of the West Coast.
So-Cal Tacos has opened its first brick-and-mortar location, previously operating as a food truck in the parking lot of its current location.
Hanging above the register is a row of sports banners for the Los Angeles Chargers, the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Los Angeles Angels, along with a California license plate and a shirt depicting a scene of The Golden State.
I ordered the three for $10 taco platter: one chicken, one pork and one chorizo. I helped myself to some complimentary horchata and grabbed a seat.
The horchata was watered down, but I was warned it would be, so no complaints there. It smelled like it was chock-full of sugar, but upon sipping it, it was only mildly sweetened, relying on the cinnamon to provide the bulk of the sweet taste.
Five minutes after ordering my food was delivered to my table. It came with two salsas and a sour cream. I was also given a large order of chips, also coming with two salsas and a sour cream.
The chips were fresh and oily, as if they were just made in the back. They were smothered in seasoning and too good to put down.
Now, the tacos. They were roughly the size of sand dollars. The corn tortillas were soaking up the juices of their respective meats. The fresh cilantro and onion layered over the meat gently floated from the plate to my nostrils, a delightfully pungent odor.
After a long examination of my food, I started with the chips, a few by their lonesome, and then began to thrust them into the salsas.
The salsas tasted fresh, made-that-day kind of fresh, not made-to-order fresh — but fresh nonetheless. They were also refreshing, burning the back of my throat and assaulting my sinuses that have longed since dried up during this long and harsh winter.
After tossing a healthy (perhaps unhealthy) heaping of chips back, I began my taco tour.
I started with a bite of each, no sour cream or salsa. Plain. The first bite of each taco revealed the corn tortillas were cooked to perfection, full of the juice of each meat, yet still able to provide a solid crunch.
The chicken was the first taco I tried and the chicken was at a good temperature: not too hot that I had to wait to eat and not too cold to raise any questions. The chicken shredded instantly upon entering my mouth, perfectly tender.
The pork taco was next and was fine. It was closer to lukewarm than it was to the perfect temperature of the chicken. It did not retain as much flavor as the chicken did, but it was by no means bad. Someone had to be in third place.
Saving the best for last; the chorizo taco was the pièce de résistance. The natural seasonings of chorizo mixed with whatever magic mix was used in the kitchen made for the most vibrant flavor profile of the three tacos. The chorizo was like a chocolate meltaway, touching my tongue and immediately rendering down to its most base flavors, painting my tongue like a mural.
There are plenty of $1 taco deals around Meadville and the surrounding area, but for those willing to dish out just a few dollars more, you can get a significantly improved upon experience at SoCal Tacos.
They have more than the three tacos I tried, boasting a menu that features items such as vegan chorizo tacos, beef tongue tacos, carne asada fries and more. For those eager to give the place a try, they can be found at 405 Water St Conneaut Lake, PA 16316.
