Cheap, tasty Mexican food in SoCal

"That's $4.55."
"Are you sure you got everything?"
"Yes. $4.55."
"I ordered two tacos and two burritos. Did you get the burritos?"
"$4.55."
I was shocked by the prices at La Tiendita, a hole-in-the-wall taqueria in San Clemente.


My kids and I pulled off the I-5 on our way from Legoland back to our hotel in San Juan Capistrano. The eatery wasn't much different from the burrito places I frequent in San Francisco's Mission District--Cancun, La Taqueria, La Cornetta--with faded pictures on the walls, a refrigerator full of Jarritos, and counter service. But when I ordered, I noticed one big difference: the prices were unbelievably low. The tacos were 99 cents each and the humongous bean-and-cheese burritos for my kids were also 99 cents each. In the Mission, my kids and I can eat out for $10 if they split a bean-and-cheese burrito and if I order a burrito with only beans, rice, cheese, and salsa.

When I bit into my tacos (pictured above)--juicy grilled chicken, chopped onions, cilantro, and hot salsa verde piled onto fresh grainy corn tortillas--I noticed another difference. The food tasted better. The tacos were more flavorful than those dished out at my favorite San Francisco taco truck that parks in a lot on the corner of Hayes and Polk. The meat was moist, not at all gristly or greasy.



We also sought out Mexican food in San Diego. A huge plus to renting a car was that we could seek out neighborhood restaurants. On Chowhound, I read about Super Cocina, a family-run place in City Heights. The lady behind the counter gave us tastes of several stews. We decided on a fragrant fish soup and chicken cooked in a spicy pumpkin seed sauce. And then we ordered the sopes (pictured above), tender little masa boats spread with a layer of refried beans and topped with sweet boiled chicken, crunchy cabbage, and rich cream. My 6-year-old daughter and I were fighting over them. We also ordered two plates of beans, rice and tortillas for the kids; a coke; and two bottles of water. Everything cost $20. I now realize why so many people live in SoCal. It's not the weather. It's the Mexican food.