Midtown Lunch

My last University City taco trip at Coup de Taco was a great success, so I headed back to that area for more. An ML Philly reader praised Taco Don Memo as the best Mexican food around. Unlike Coup de Taco, Tacos Don Memo’s fare is all traditional, no Thai or Indian flavors here. The small truck serves only 4 dishes:  burritos ($6), tacos ($2), tortas($6), and tostadas ($3).

I tried the steak torta and each of the 4 taco options- steak, chicken, carnitas (roasted pork), and al pastor (pork with pineapples).  Don Memo’s Mexican food made me feel a lot less jealous about Zach’s taco fest in L.A.

The equation for a not-sucky taco is simple- cover it up in cilantro, onion, and salsa. A great taco takes something more. Don Memo’s tacos rise to the category of great because of the char on the meat. Each of the taco filling options had a solid sear on each chunk/shred.  The steak and al pastor were the juiciest and my clear favorites. 3 or 4 tacos would be enough for a filling lunch. I was impressed that Don Memo keeps the price down to $2 a piece, it is rare to find a cheaper taco.

Don Memo’s torta is the kind of lunch that makes you want to pass out while guiltily imagining a long trip to the gym. They come with lettuce, tomato, and the meat filling of your choice but the sour cream and avocado slightly overshadow the rest of the sandwich. Still, the salty steak punctuated the creamy accouterments nicely.

This is not a neat sandwich, the bread on the bottom gets a bit soggy from all of that above-mentioned sour cream and avocado along with a slathering of mayo. To better maneuver the torta, my lunch companion, a Don Memo’s expert, suggests flipping the whole thing  over at the half-way mark to get the less soggy top bread on the bottom to support the fully loaded sandwich. It’s all about strategy to get the most out of your lunch.

THE + (What somebody who likes this place would say)

• Fresh ingredients and excellent sear on the meat
• You can order ahead to save time
• Fanta and Jarritos in glass bottles to add to the authentic taco experience

THE – (What somebody who doesn’t like this place would say)

• It can sometimes be a long wait for the food
• The food can get really messy, ask for extra napkins

Tacos Don Memo, 38 St (at Sansom), 610-529-2039