Day 23: Tacos El Nevado

I was experiencing the residual dyspepsia of the gratuitous La Cubana (see Day 22) well into this morning's 4-0 execution of Argentina at the hands of Germany. Argentina's defense hadn't been great this World Cup, but it really hadn't needed to be. Still...wow. I, for one, thought Maradona would've had a few more tricks up his mullet. Or maybe that he would've just gone ahead and shed that fat man suit, subbed himself in for Tevez, and joined beings with Messi to become the supernatural duality that all of Argentina knows is the only force allowing us 2 get through this thing called life. Electric life.

But after that didn't happen, I naturally had a hankering for some Cuban food, a cuisine yet to be explored by the likes of Goles y Frijoles. And because I’m unimaginative and lazy, I decided to make the first foray into Cuban at Cuban Pete’s, a relatively new restaurant next to Book Buyers in Plaza Midwood that I’ve already visited twice. I would tell you about the excellent ropa vieja and decent sandwich I once had, but it's all for naught--a succinct and appreciative note on the door informs would-be patrons that Cuban Pete's short life has already ended. Well, Wallace Stevens was right about a lot of things, and perhaps never more so than when he told us death was the mother of beauty. So I went to look for the flowers in the ashes in the most promising spot: just north of the intersection of Central Ave and Kilborne Dr. Though Linares looked inviting at 1:30 with a full parking lot, I needed something like a quick trio of tacos, so I could book it up to Huntersville for the 2:30 Spain game. Te presento Tacos El Nevado, a little taquería tucked into a short strip next to a small car dealership on the opposite side of the road from Linares.

I entered to find the fewer than ten tables filled, a sight that both eased my guilt for choosing not to dine in and juiced my anticipation for the food. During the time between ordering three tacos to go (beef tongue, chorizo, and chicken) from the teenage girl at the front counter, I was able to soak up the ambiance. While El Nevado seems primarily a taco and torta joint, the menu on the back wall is replete with burritos, quesadillas, soups, hamburgers, and hot dogs (Noooooooo!!). From a poster on the wall and a few of the other menu items, I was able to suss out that El Nevado specializes in Oaxacan food, such as the tlayuda (also spelled "clayuda"), a thin, cripsy tortilla spread with beans, veggies and a variety of meats. I also eyed the numerous bottles of sauce--two different verdes per table!-- in use by the patronage and half regretted ordering to go.

A good 45 minutes later, the tacos (soft corn tortilla...claro) didn't seem like they were much worse for the long drive. Also, like a doting mother, the girls at the counter had tied up two plastic baggies of the green stuff for me...and I hadn't even asked! One was a killer green chile sauce, the other avocado in lime juice. My styrofoam box also contained sliced radishes and a grilled onion and chile. Real vegetables too? A revelation.

Score: If you're the kind of person (bored) who's actually reading this blog, I'd wager a bet that neither you nor anyone you know nor anyone they know has eaten here. Let's change that. Truly a hidden jewel.