s you'll come.The menu is small: a handful of taco options, a few salads, and some sides, along with a daily special that always seems out of place to me (it is rightly labeled, however "platos tipico America"). The tacos come in six varities: steak, chicken, pork, bean, chorizo, and fish. They are all topped with a onion and cilantro mixture, and only the chorizo also has cheese. They also have a daily taco special, which has ranged from tounge to brisket to a tostada (pictured below).
The ingredients on all, but the steak, impress me everytime I go in there. The pork is tender and flavorful. It tastes as if it has been marinated for hours, and then slow roasted to tender perfection. A touch less salt, and it would be divine. The chicken is similarly flavorful, and has a slightly spicy kick which accents the fresh corn tortillas that all tacos are served on. The chorizo, although on several occasions a bit too greasy, lays on a bed of mexican cheeses, and is perfectly seasoned. The fish is fried perfectly, and not at all greasy. It makes for a wonderfully light meal to satisfy a taco craving without resorting to meat. It also replaces the onion and cilantro mixture with fresh cabbage and a tangy white sauce. The steak has repeatedly been fatty and grisly, which has suprised me given the high quality of the other ingredients.
The tacos ar
e small, but at 1.95-2.95 a pop, ordering two or three of them won't break the bank. They recently changed the packaging from a bulky container, to a little paper dish and a bag with a stamp indicating what animal you are about to enjoy.Taqueria National's sides have also proven to be delicious, their yucca fries need a touch of salt, but they are a crunchy and, suprisingly healthier option to traditional potato fries. The guacomole is delicious, made in house, and served with fresh fried chips. The beverage selection is also as authentic as you can find, offering aqua refrescas; water flavored with fresh fruit. They are a delicious and refreshing addition to a meal of tacos. The selection of coke products are served in the small bottles you find in many areas around the world, and are made with real sugar, not corn syrup.
Finally, be sure to try the mini salsa bar, where you fill up little plastic containers with your choice of three homemade salsas. The chile salsa has a smoky, slightly spicy bite that tops any of the tacos, but especially the pork, wonderfully.
I said in the last review that if you are craving Mexican on the hill, your options are rather limited, but while you won't find a cheesy enchilada or giant burrito at Taqueria National, you will find a delicious and authentic alternative to Americanized Mexican at suprisingly affordable prices.
Taqueria National
400 N. Capitol Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20001
(202)737-7070
http://www.taquerianational.com
Breakfast: 7-9am daily
Lunch: 11am-3pm daily