Cermak Steak Taco el Carbon-a-Thon Saturday 1/24 at 1:00 pm

Based on some interest on this thread I think it would be fun to give a few places a try.

Panther in the Den wrote:

Santander wrote:

seebee wrote:Panther In The Den. If you ever need company on a taco tasting around the western town, hit me.
I'm all kinds of down.

Count me in as well! We're overdue for a 'thon.

Well... I've done some preliminary Google work.

Next step... Drive the strip with the list in hand weeding out the places that might be closed and add the places that do not appear.

With the list up to 17 so far, and I figure we might be able to hit 8 to 10 at the max, we will have to weed some out.

... or make it a two day affair.

This is still a work in progress as we will have to narrow the list down to a manageable size (perhaps about 10 places). Perhaps concentrate on places that flame grill the meat.

I'm in! It will likely be slushy; I'm happy to be one of the drivers. Thanks for all of the fine research and work.

PITD & Co. - with great gratitude again for the organization, I'd now have to start later if we were making hay on the 24th (maybe 1 PM) due to a family event. I'll watch to see who else latches on in the next week, and perhaps some flexibility will pay off in a larger crowd.

Santander wrote:PITD & Co. - with great gratitude again for the organization, I'd now have to start later if we were making hay on the 24th (maybe 1 PM) due to a family event. I'll watch to see who else latches on in the next week, and perhaps some flexibility will pay off in a larger crowd.

I'm easy and have the entire day free.

1:00 pm could work.

Well, I had been planning to post that I was a DEFINITE for this one. The only thing holding me back was that I like to be 100% sure. So, after getting “final clearance” from wife 1.0, about an hour later, the phone rang. Bad news. One of her family members passed away.
Not sure what will really happen yet, all I know is that I’ll be on the shores of Lake Superior sometime later this evening. I’d assume that coming home on Saturday would be out of the question for me. Not 100% sure, but I would bet on it if I were a wagering man. This will probably be an ongoing ‘a-thon’ with so many joints, so I totally understand that the show must go on. <Charlie Brown sigh>Murphy’s Law. (not to trivialize someone passing away) The wife was almost as happy as I was when I told her about the taco thon. “That is SO right up your alley – you should do it.”

Might I suggest rating salsas as you go? Also, Char grilling might be hard to come by – there might only be a small handful of em out of that great big list.

Sorry to hear about your loss!

Actually the A-Thon will be a week from Saturday on the 24th as I am out of town this weekend.

Hope everything will be OK by then.

Oh wow. My Bad.
I guess it really IS a skill. NOt sure how I got it into my head it was this Sat.
I should be in, and I have 4wd, and enough room for three others.

seebee wrote::oops:
Oh wow. My Bad.
I guess it really IS a skill. NOt sure how I got it into my head it was this Sat.
I should be in, and I have 4wd, and enough room for three others.

Heck!

With 4WD and room for 4 we could goto Mexico and get some real taco's!

Don't tempt me unless you've got alternate transportation for your return. I haven't had a kitchen since before Thanksgiving (complete gut.) We've been living in our living room on the first floor, and the bedrooms/bathroom on the second floor. Everything else is plastic sheeted off, and completely covered in dust. Probably have another month to go.

Mexico?

Dare me .

Panther in the Den wrote:Well... I've done some preliminary Google work.

Next step... Drive the strip with the list in hand weeding out the places that might be closed and add the places that do not appear.

Perhaps concentrate on places that flame grill the meat.

Started driving the strip today.

Found a few other places and added them to the list
Visited a few places and found out if they flame grill the steak for the tacos (4 do and 3 don't so far).

Check the updated map.

Also I have some ideas...

1) 1:00 pm Meet at Familia Foods‎ in Cermak Plaza to park cars and pick up a case of 1/2 liter Mexican Cokes (just sugar on the label) $25

2) I figure we need to set a benchmark and while out of the way, visit Las Fuentes on south Harlem has some of the best in the area.



3) Hit the strip working the south side of the street and then back along the north side visiting about 10 places that flame broil the steak for the tacos.

I will come up with a report card so we can judge...

Taste
Texture
Freshness
Value

... on a scale from 1 to 5

Any guesses on when this Thon might end by? Had agreed to host friends at our place later on the 24th before remembering that this was on the same day, and now I'm trying to figure out how feasible it would be to do both that day... Definitely would like to make it for this if possible though.

ucjames wrote:Any guesses on when this Thon might end by? Had agreed to host friends at our place later on the 24th before remembering that this was on the same day, and now I'm trying to figure out how feasible it would be to do both that day... Definitely would like to make it for this if possible though.

In my mind it shouldn't take more than 3 hours. The restaurants are pretty tightly clustered and we will be hitting and running as best as we can. We will be close to your car so we can drop you off if you need to leave before the end.

We might end up the day with some dessert at a favorite spot (to be chosen during the day).

fwiw -

Flamingo's is on Cermak just E of Oak Park Ave.
I do know for a fact that I'll be grabbing some coco cremoso for Mrs. Seebee when we're done.

Alright, sounds like the timing works ok, so the wife and I will both be tagging along

She loves the idea - she tends to go for tacos a little more often than I do, but hasn't tried many joints in this area other than Dos Compadres on Roosevelt. She usually just hits De Pasada near UIC or one of the Lake St. spots in Melrose depending on where she's coming from work. It'll be nice to sample some more local possibilities.

Well, I went out and visited the rest of the restaurants today and the list is down to 11 not counting the tastebud setting Las Fuentes.

Meet at 1:00 pm at the doorway for...

Familia Foods‎
7065 Cermak Rd Berwyn
Grab a case of 1/2 liter Mexican Coke

Las Fuentes
4101 Harlem Ave Berwyn
Set the tastebuds

Start the A-Thon

El Chimbombo
6725 Cermak Rd Berwyn

La Lupita
6539 Cermak Rd Berwyn

Z de Oro
6241 Cermak Rd Berwyn
Ask for flame broiled

Costa Azul Restaurant
6139 W Cermak Rd Cicero

Serenata Restaurant
6007 W Cermak Rd Cicero

Alteno
5639 W Cermak Rd Cicero

Jardin Guadalajara
5503 W Cermak Rd Cicero

Taqueria Aguascalientes
2106 S Cicero Ave Cicero
Turn Around Point

Taqueria & Birreria Tototlan
5630 W Cermak Rd Cicero

Camaleon
6150 W Cermak Rd Cicero

Zacatacos
6224 Cermak Rd Berwyn

seebee wrote:fwiw -

Flamingo's is on Cermak just E of Oak Park Ave.
I do know for a fact that I'll be grabbing some coco cremoso for Mrs. Seebee when we're done.

Sounds like a great place to grab the end of A-Thon dessert.

See ya Saturday!

Link to the Map.

Looking forward to this, thanks for the brilliant planning!

I'll PM my cellphone number so we can connect if I'm running behind. I'll bring a decent camera and will have my pencils ready for the scorecard!

Doh!

Updated the topic title to reflect the actual start time.

Shouldn't be an issue as the following schedules had the actual time.

If you guys still have room, would you mind me tagging along? It'll be my first LTH meet-'n-greet and I can't think of a better way to celebrate my recent triumph over triglycerides and cholesterol (just got my blood work back)!

titus wong wrote:If you guys still have room, would you mind me tagging along? It'll be my first LTH meet-'n-greet and I can't think of a better way to celebrate my recent triumph over triglycerides and cholesterol (just got my blood work back)!

Sure! We can take two cars if we have to.

Glad to have you along.

I'll definitely be drivin' with room for at least two others (possibly three). I'm still staggering slightly from a re-injury to a knee I had worked on in the fall, but am getting around, and of course, tacos heal all.

lol -
I had a very serious knee surgery a few years ago, and have a theory about eating "gristly parts" to heal "gristly parts."

Anyway, barring nuclear war, I'll be in front of "The Egg Store*" at 1pm. I'm bold enough to park my car in the fire lane right in front. It'll be the gold suv blocking the door. You might think to yourself "That can't be seebee" at first, but yes, it'll be me.

Also, I am NOT a picky eater in the slightest, but I do have like five steadfast rules. One of them involves caffeine.
I just don't drink caffenated beverages. I have no interest in the coke. But I do wanna see the inside of the store.

So, we've got 12 places to hit. Are we gonna like split tacos? I just don't know what to expect. I would assume, however, that there will be a few places where it will be one bite and done. No need to waste tummy real estate on garbage.


I'm also happy to drive- no big deal at all. Just say the word if I can help out with anything.
And oh yeah....bundle up.

*Sorry, it might be called Familia Foods" now, but it will always be "The Egg Store" to me. Used to LOVE that place for "in season" produce. Used to go once a week at LEAST during California Navel season. 39 cents a pound REGULARLY for the bestest oranges ever.

seebee wrote:So, we've got 12 places to hit. Are we gonna like split tacos? I just don't know what to expect.

Heh, this is the part where I am once again grateful that my wife is coming and made it clear from the beginning that she and I would be splitting tacos at each spot

6 tacos is something she and I can both handle comfortably over a few hours. 12 would be "Danger, Will Robinson!" time.

We hit half that many places on the Vuelta a Tacos last September and by the time we got to the 5th stop, we could hardly finish 2 tacos between all of us. Definitely pace yourselves.

seebee wrote:lol -
I had a very serious knee surgery a few years ago, and have a theory about eating "gristly parts" to heal "gristly parts."

Anyway, barring nuclear war, I'll be in front of "The Egg Store*" at 1pm. I'm bold enough to park my car in the fire lane right in front. It'll be the gold suv blocking the door. You might think to yourself "That can't be seebee" at first, but yes, it'll be me.

Also, I am NOT a picky eater in the slightest, but I do have like five steadfast rules. One of them involves caffeine.
I just don't drink caffeinated beverages. I have no interest in the coke. But I do wanna see the inside of the store.

So, we've got 12 places to hit. Are we gonna like split tacos? I just don't know what to expect. I would assume, however, that there will be a few places where it will be one bite and done. No need to waste tummy real estate on garbage.


I'm also happy to drive- no big deal at all. Just say the word if I can help out with anything.
And oh yeah....bundle up.

*Sorry, it might be called Familia Foods" now, but it will always be "The Egg Store" to me. Used to LOVE that place for "in season" produce. Used to go once a week at LEAST during California Navel season. 39 cents a pound REGULARLY for the bestest oranges ever.

Yup. Splitting taco's is the plan. Also if we get to the point that we just can't eat anymore we can always head for dessert.

Also when I stopped by Familia Foods today to be sure they had the Mexican Coke (with real sugar) the owner insisted I take it then. It is a very nice store and we will still take a visit.

I fear for Panther In the Den's free time after today's 'thon, which was so expertly executed that he could be in demand to organize all future LTH-West events. Bravo. My favorite element was his chipper check-ins to make sure we all "had enough [Mexican cane sugar] Coke" between stops, which made me feel like the junkie I truly am.

I can't wait to see the scorecard totals and comments (this should be a great thread) from the extremely friendly and open-minded group, which included many first-time event attendees who, if they aren't in taco detox for the next six months, I reckon will be drawn to future bacchanalia. I heard conspiratorial musings on everything from burgerthons to tamalethons, though we'll have to remember to just sit and enjoy a long comfortable meal where we can savor the flavors (and booze). Props to Titus for encouraging the Bohemia at Aguascalientes, where I'm returning soon for pork-cheek gorditas and nopales, even if the liver wasn't quite so savory today.

West Side, represent. Dicksond, let's work to bridge the Forest Park:Lombard event gap sometime soon.

Santander wrote:I fear for Panther In the Den's free time after today's 'thon, which was so expertly executed that he could be in demand to organize all future LTH-West events. Bravo.

Bravo indeed.
Ps. Hate to tell the 'thoners who left before we went to Zacatacos. It was ON tonight. Salsa verde had a decently strong sizzlin finish, and the meat was, well, a high B on my scale.

It was great to meet everyone, and I got to try all of these joints that I pass by pretty often. PITD did a top notch job indeed.

Santander wrote:...if they aren't in taco detox for the next six months...

Um, I could, in 100% honesty, do another taco thon tommorrow. Hell, I had tacos for dinner on Friday night.

Bravo indeed.
Ps. Hate to tell the 'thoners who left before we went to Zacatacos. It was ON tonight. Salsa verde had a decently strong sizzlin finish, and the meat was, well, a high B on my scale.

Good deal! That location has been reliable for me. I need to try the Harlem one more often to compare. Was there room for ice cream afterward?

Had a great a-thon today! A knowledgeable and diverse group.



ucjames and his bride, Santander, seebee, titus wong and My Bride. PiD behind the camera.

We all had scorecards judging on Taste, Char, Freshness and Value. These are the results from those scores.

We had a tie for first place! With the next restaurant coming in just a hair behind.

1st Place Winner (tie) - 3.71 combined score

La Lupita
6539 Cermak Rd, Berwyn
(708) 788-8226‎


Darn! Over exposed.

This taco won top honors in Value as well as consistently high scores in other categories from most of the judges. The excellent home-made Oaxacan tamales must of had some influence on the judges.

The owner spent some time talking with us and seemed genuinely interested in our forum and our quest.



A small mom and pop type of place. A few tables with a counter with a few stools. A chalkboard was marked with menu.

1st Place Winner (tie) - 3.71 combined score

Las Fuentes
4101 S Harlem Ave, Berwyn
(708) 788-2002‎



This taco won top honors in Taste and Freshness with a below average score pulling it down a bit. The service was great with extras being brought to the table even though we were just hitting and running.



A full blown restaurant with a full bar. This place used to be The Dumpling House in a former life and the conversion to a Mexican restaurant works well.

A fun feature in the bar was a low pass thru.



2nd Place Winner (tie) - 3.70 combined score Wow! Close!

Zacatacos
6224 Cermak Rd, Berwyn
(708) 484-8443‎
(708) 484-8460‎

This was our last stop before stopping for dessert. Another round of beers and I forgot to grab any photos. I will grab some soon.

While not grabbing top honors it did score a 2nd in Taste, Freshness and Value and Char was above average.

The restaurant is a part of a chain that has been a perennial favorite in Chicago that proudly proclaims it is 'The Home of Taco's El Carbon' on it's signage and also has gotten it's share of share of love here.

More data to follow.

One advantage to being an event organizer was we had a sack full of 1/2 tacos leftover from the event. My Bride was able to add a little more char, mix in some eggs and top with some cheese. On the side was some toasted Lithuanian Rye we had picked up last week.

Was that a hint of liver I tasted?



The half case of Mexican Coke in the fridge is another added bonus.

Into everybody's life a little rain must fall.

Last Place Winner! - 1.64 combined score

While the scoring system was from 1 to 5 this place managed to garner a few 0's.

Z de Oro
6241 Cermak Rd, Berwyn
(708) 788-7602‎



This taco won bottom honors overall with bottom scores in Taste and Char. The other scores were near the bottom of the charts as well.

I had met the owner while checking the restaurants and he seemed genuinely nice and interested in our quest. He promised that we could get the taco's El Carbon if we asked but the waitstaff flatly denied our request. The owner was not in at the time of our visit.