I got a tip from a fellow taco hound named Moose to check out Tacos El Zorro at Sherman Way and Colderwater Canyon in Van Nuys. Tacos El Zorro with three locations in Van Nuys are big players in the Valley where there is no big name taco establishment.
The mariscos get top billing at Tacos El Zorro, the large chalices of seafood cocktails are monuments of excess, the largest sold in a goblet made for a king and priced at $21. But I didn't come for the seafood as enticing as it looked, I came for the tacos. After a quick glance of the taco options I knew what I wanted, un taco de asada, y un de pastor.
When my tacos were ready a nice mamasita brought a tray with my tacos and two squirt bottles of salsa, a chile arbol salsa roja and a complex orange colored tomatillo salsa. I went with the roja for the carne asada and the orange on my pork taco.
al pastor
The al pastor, seasoned with cumin and lime was not your traditional al pastor but it was excellent. The chunks of pork so tender , so different yet so delicious. The sweetness from the orange salsa was the perfect compliment to the seasoned pork.
carne asada
The carne asada was top notch as well. The marinated skirt steak on top of thick homemade corn tortillas with a pico de gallo and a salsa roja took me to that special taco place I only go to for the finest of tacos. The beef was tender with a hint of garlic and the taste of citrus marinade in every juicy bite. The tomatoes and salsa roja provided a perfect balance to the salted beef, the juices soaking into the thick fresh toasted corn tortillas.
Very often a great salsa can hide the weakness of a taco. But these tacos had no weakness. The homemade corn tortillas and the artfully prepared meats didn’t hide behind a great salsa. The salsas added extra juice to already delicious tacos.
These may be the best tacos in the valley and as far as Van Nuys is concerned Tacos El Zorro has no equal.
Tacos El Zorro
13710 Sherman Way (Sherman Way and Coldwater Cnyn)
Van Nuys
Tacos $1.70
Dang 4 and a 1/2 tacos. I'm there!
ReplyDeleteI know where I'm going when I go to pick up my car from Galpin this week.
ReplyDeleteSounds great . . . and not far from my 'hood. Its on! Thanks.
ReplyDeleteDamn, I was just up there and couldn't find it--mostly because I was looking at Victory and Woodman, not Victory and Coldwater.
ReplyDeleteSounds amazing...finally, some good tacos in the valley!
ReplyDeleteHoly mole, 4.5 tacos? Feet, don't fail me now! Gotta see how this baby stacks up to my current favorite, El Taurino.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the work, bandini! I've enjoyed so many great tacos since discovering your blog. Thank you!
I'm so EXCITED to see Tacos El Zorro on the blog! I work around the block and get tacos here often & have thought of emailing it to you but another Taco Hunter beat me to the punch. Taco-on, fellow taco devotee.
ReplyDeleteHelp! Have any friends in the Denver area who recommend a good place? Just returned from Santa Barbara and we're desperate for a good taco. P.S. La Super Rica was excellent both times we went!
ReplyDeleteHey, think outside the taco. Go for chappathis.
ReplyDeleteAlso, visit me at my new advice column. Maybe I can help you out with recipes, regardless of whether or not they're taco-related. I can cook up a fabulous carrot cake, for instance.
correct address: 12849 Sherman Way, at Coldwater Canyon, NE corner.
ReplyDeleteand...I dunno...it was good, but not great. wonderful hecho a mano tortillas, yah, but the carnes were a little too moist. as in wet, making 'em a little on the messy side. good flavor on both the asada and carnitas, though. points off for tomatoes added--while I likes my tomatoes, I prefer the simple onion/cilantro garnish of the classic taco.
I also don't really understand the 4.5 tacos rating. I got the pastor and asada tacos today. They weren't too wet, because I asket them to just give me cilantro and onions, not tomato.
ReplyDeleteThe pastor was okay. You could definitely taste the citrus marinade. The asada was pretty bland. The salsa rojo didn't add that much. The tortillas, however were great.
Still, I don't think these tacos come close to either El Taco Llama (for pastor or asada and incredible salsa rojo) or Casitas Tacos (for very flavorful asada). While El Zorro's tacos are bigger than the ones at both those places, they are more expensive ($1.85 per taco).
maybe I got carried away with the 4 1/2. I'll have to try them again.
ReplyDeletethey aren't the standard LA taco(small taco with onions, cilantro, salsa) but they really hit the spot that night.
I thought you were right on with the 4 1/2 - Me and my husband had to go back the next day for more. Especially the Carnitas. Thank you so much for this blog we have become TACO crazy and its your fault ;-) !
ReplyDeleteBandini--if they're not 4.5 by my lights, they were a good solid 4. like I said, just not my LA ideal of carne, cilantro, onion and salsa. (I know...sometimes stepping outside of the box can yield tasty results! Casita's, for example, isn't "classic" by any stretch, but dang! I crave those things once in a while!)
ReplyDeleteand I'm looking forward to trying La Fonda soon! love your blog! :)
anna,
ReplyDeleteyeah they aren't the ideal LA taco
I hope to try cheos soon :)
I thought the Carne Asada taco was the best taco I've had since I discovered this blog. It was unique, with a bomb ass tortilla, deliciously flavored meat and medium hot but delicious salsa. I agree with the 4.5 rating.
ReplyDeleteBomb-Ass Tamarindo agua fresca as well.
The carnitas and al pastor were pretty good, but the carne asada made it all worth the drive.
Went here on 4/4/07. Tacos are $2.05 each.
ReplyDeleteThe tortillas stuck to the paper each time and the tacos fell apart without fail. The tacos were ok, but nothing special. The original review is crazy.
work right down the street from Tacos El Zorro, so i decided to give this place a try today, 8-20-07. i ordered the carne asada + al pastor. not really impressed. the steak was sort of chewy, didn't seem that fresh. while the flavor of the al pastor was interesting, it didn't blow me away. maybe it's gone downhill since the original review a year ago? i'd give it a 3.
ReplyDeleteAbout a month ago, I started going on 10 mile runs on the weekends, only I would stop at every taco place I passed and ordered one taco de asada. I have since discovered this glorious website which has introduced me to the likes of Rincon Taurino and today I look foward to trying El Parian which is only a few blocks away from where I work. One of the stops on my run (pre-website discovery) was the Tacos El Zorro at the intersection of Sherman Way and Van Nuys. I have to say it was one of the most disappointing tacos I have ever eaten. A large $2 taco with greyish flavorless meat and salsa that was more like Pace than anything else. But I can't wait for all my future discoveries!
ReplyDeleteThis is the best taco spot in L.A. I am a Chicago girl, just recently moved to L.A. and up until I discovered Tacos el Zorro all the tacos I've tried around these parts suck. The 'steak' used at the other 10+ taco joints that I've tried were poor excuses for steak tacos, so I thought maybe it's just an L.A. thing. Thank God for Tacos el Zorro b/c my husband was fed up w/ me dragging him to bad taco spots. I'll give it 5 stars by L.A. standards in Chicago it would probably fare at around a 3.5 to 4 stars, so since I live in L.A. now this is hands down my favorite taco place!!!
ReplyDeletejust got back from eating there (sherman way & woodman location). we got carne asada super nachos, carne asada tacos, and al pastor tacos. must say that the food was disappointing- would rate it above average at best. the carne asada was tough and completely lacked flavor. the al pastor was mediocre. the highlight of the meal was their hot sauce. living in sherman oaks, we orig wanted to go to tacos por favor but wanted to save the commute. completely regret it!
ReplyDeleteawesome review!
ReplyDeletei'm in arleta so i usually default to el rincon taurino on van nuys blvd and nordhoff. i will definitely have to give it a try.
i will point out though, that the sherman way and coldwater cyn locale is in North Hollywood and NOT Van Nuys.
keep up the good work though!
Went to a different location, Van Nuys and Sherman Way, for a burro de lengua pura carne and it was easily the worst burrito I've ever had/ No taste, bland meat. Some red salsa and some salt didn't help either.
ReplyDeleteThe lengua burrito that I got from Rincon Taurino, Parthenia and Van Nuys Location was way better. Made me close my eyes when I bit into it. Needed a cigarette after and I don't smoke!
awesome review!
ReplyDeletei'm in arleta so i usually default to el rincon taurino on van nuys blvd and nordhoff. i will definitely have to give it a try.
i will point out though, that the sherman way and coldwater cyn locale is in North Hollywood and NOT Van Nuys.
keep up the good work though!
Went to a different location, Van Nuys and Sherman Way, for a burro de lengua pura carne and it was easily the worst burrito I've ever had/ No taste, bland meat. Some red salsa and some salt didn't help either.
ReplyDeleteThe lengua burrito that I got from Rincon Taurino, Parthenia and Van Nuys Location was way better. Made me close my eyes when I bit into it. Needed a cigarette after and I don't smoke!
I thought you were right on with the 4 1/2 - Me and my husband had to go back the next day for more. Especially the Carnitas. Thank you so much for this blog we have become TACO crazy and its your fault ;-) !
ReplyDeleteBandini--if they're not 4.5 by my lights, they were a good solid 4. like I said, just not my LA ideal of carne, cilantro, onion and salsa. (I know...sometimes stepping outside of the box can yield tasty results! Casita's, for example, isn't "classic" by any stretch, but dang! I crave those things once in a while!)
ReplyDeleteand I'm looking forward to trying La Fonda soon! love your blog! :)
Help! Have any friends in the Denver area who recommend a good place? Just returned from Santa Barbara and we're desperate for a good taco. P.S. La Super Rica was excellent both times we went!
ReplyDeleteSounds great . . . and not far from my 'hood. Its on! Thanks.
ReplyDelete