The Mexican Fast Casual Sweepstakes
By Mark Fefer in The Food Section
Monday, May. 12 2008 @ 4:38PM
Most of us who are not at-home graphic designers in Wallingford, or Rainier Valley schoolteachers, do not have easy access to taco trucks during the workday. We're stuck in neighborhoods with nothing but faux burritos. And for us, there is a standard face-off in what the industry calls the Mexican Fast Casual category: Taco Del Mar vs. Blue Water Taco Grill. Both of these are locally-grown chains--TDL now much bigger, with franchises all over the country; Blue Water run by longtime local restaurateur Dave deVarona, whose previous stab at this business ended up selling out to the wretched World Wrapps).
I'm a diehard Blue Water man myself. TDL makes me wretch. But what about you, the discriminating Voracious readers?
7 comment(s)
SunshineGrrrl says:
I can eat TDM but I\'m rarely happy about it. But I come from a state of good fast food mexican and tex-mex at that so it just really doesn\'t hold a candle. TDM falls into the same category as Taco Bell as far as I\'m concerned. It\'s one saving grace is an edible but still canned nacho cheese sauce, a rarity in these parts and something I get a craving for, though I\'d just sooner make my own. To be honest, there is no reason to go to these burrito barns when you can do the same thing at home for the same price and it will be tastier. Also, their salsa are awful. I can\'t bear to eat any of them and would rather just grab some taco sauce or something off the shelf or better yet, some salsa from my favorite tiny taco restaurant which has salsa rivaling my home favorites.
Posted On: Tuesday, May. 13 2008 @ 1:07AM
Lil Jen. says:
I like Blue Water Taco Grill primarily because they have some good sauces and their ingredients are fresher none of this fried shrimp that\'s been sitting under a heating lamp for an hour like Taco Del Mar. They have real shrimp and LOTS OF CILANTRO which is my favorite. They don\'t used canned nacho cheese...because I stroll up there about once a month for those bad boys and that\'s a handful of shredded cheese. The portions are always so big that I can\'t finish and I have to eat the other half later in the day which is also a plus =).
I\'m surprised you didn\'t throw Qdoba in the mix here.
Posted On: Tuesday, May. 13 2008 @ 9:19AM
Seely says:
I used to swear by TDM back when it was in its infancy. I still prefer it to Blue Water, but I must say, yesterday\'s trip there (and I haven\'t been in awhile) really let me down. Sometimes their fish is pretty low caliber. But that white sauce is still heaven, so they still get my nod.
Posted On: Tuesday, May. 13 2008 @ 10:09AM
Troy says:
Go to Chipotle. Be happy.
Posted On: Wednesday, May. 14 2008 @ 9:54AM
Ben says:
Why does this blog eat my comments? :-(
Regardless, I mentioned I like Jack in the Box owned Qdoba, mostly for the loyalty card that gets an 11th burrito free and a free entree on your birthday.
Posted On: Wednesday, May. 14 2008 @ 4:15PM
Denise says:
You West-siders lose big-time. Better than both TDM and BWT are 2 little Eastside-only chains: Acapulco Fresh (Issaquah, Sammamish, Redmond) and Ooba Tooba (Redmond, Woodinville, Bellevue). I\'d sooner go hungry than eat at BlLue Water Taco or Taco del Mar.
Posted On: Wednesday, May. 14 2008 @ 9:19PM
elswinger says:
I don\'t go to TDM for Mexican Food. I go for the burritos.
Posted On: Sunday, May. 18 2008 @ 11:03AM