El Habanero - I Love Surprises

We're getting down to the tail end of this thing. 11 left as of last count, 3 of whom may or may not actually have fish tacos on the menu. So I don't expect too many major shakeups on the rankings, but surprises do happen. Today was a good one, with a stop at El Habanero for lunch.

Presentation - The truck is usually in the parking lot over at the old Eddy's bakery on Five Mile. As far as ambiance, um, it's a food truck. You order through a window, push money through said window, and receive food from the same window. Kind of magic if you really think about it. Like a fish taco wishing well. Or something... Anyway, they gave us our order on real plates which was nice. Fancy for a food truck. 3/5

Aroma - Well rounded. Nothing really stood out, but it blended quite well. Just a bit of spice from the sauce. 4/5

Value - Hard to beat here. $2.25 a piece, and I didn't see the price on sodas but it was a buck or less. The total price for lunch for two with sodas was less than just one plate of tacos at Matador, and it's hard to tell from the picture, but those tacos are grande. No side needed. 8/10

Fish - No flaws that I could find. Fried, ample amounts, not sure exactly what it was but it was really mild. Nothing that made it stand out, batter was great and not too greasy, flavor blended nicely overall. 7/10

Not Fish - High point here. They start with the traditional recipe of 2 corn tortillas, cabbage, pico, and lime. Then they add avocado, jack and cotija cheese, and a really good sauce, I believe chipotle. Tortillas were lightly fried, not greasy. Portions were about perfect. Everything was fresh tasting. Just about perfect, I can't think of a way to top it. 10/10

Overall Taste - Man these were good. I had 3, which was a filling lunch. I believe they could be very slightly improved with a bit more seasoning or flavor to the fish. That'd be tricky though, personally I'd recommend they leave as is, very close to perfect. 8/10

Bonus Points - Almost a negative because I tried to go on May 5th, but the truck wasn't there. May 5th. Cinco de Mayo. Doubleyou tee effo? I'll let it slide though. +0

Overall Overall - 40/50

New tie for second place. Damn near a new tie for first place. And both cheap and close to work. I can get behind all of that. 10 to go!

The Matador - Not That Matador

There's a mexican restaurant in Fort Collins, CO called Matador. I love that restaurant with my whole heart. This is not that Matador. Oddly enough this is part of a small chain that has a restaurant called The Matador in Fort Collins. But still not that Matador. Confused yet? Don't worry, this one is just The Matador in downtown Boise.

I forgot to get a picture on the way in.

And on the way out.

Whoops.

Presentation - The restaurants on 8th street tend to be nice, and this is no exception. Nice clean decor, well laid out, and surprisingly kid friendly. We got a booth that both trapped the girls from getting in the way of servers and gave them ample room to goof around a bit. Service was good, they don't have a physical kids menu but offer kids sized portions of the staples, my only real gripe was they ran out of calamari. The plating was plain but fine. Good all around. 4/5

Aroma - About as good as I've experienced thus far, just a wonderful blend of chile, citrus, and garlic. Top of the heap. 5/5

Value - These are getting harder to judge. Two tacos with rice and beans for $14.50 is steep. Portions were large, so that helped, but still below average. 4/10

Fish - Chile rubbed, so pretty heavily seasoned. Or rather, perfectly seasoned. So good. Unique in that it was essentially one large piece per taco. Dead on all around, grilled fish doesn't get much better than this. 8/10

Not Fish - A good blend of unique (green chile sauce and garlic crema) and standard (cabbage and pico). They let you pick the tortilla type, though corn only comes with one per taco. No limes. Sides were decent enough. 7/10

Overall Taste - I wish there were three. They were super good. 8/10

Bonus Points - Kids meals, lack of menu and all, were great. Well above the normal fare we've come to expect, I stole a good 1/3 of Addie's burrito. I told Christine that if they were $6 or less they'd get a point (we weren't sure what they cost, see the lack of menu comment). The check came, $6 each. +1

Overall Overall - 37/50

Tied for 4th with Fresh Off The Hook and Tin Roof. Worth a trip. Half price fancy tequila on Tuesdays too! Ole!

Tap & Cask - Breastaurants LOL

As usual, some administrative detail up front. The menu at Barrelhouse (formerly a Crooked Stave property) has changed, no more fish tacos. Off the list they go! Additionally I checked with Fork as that was the first choice for the night. Their menu indicates a rotating protein in their street tacos, but the person I talked to said no fish. Or at least rarely fish. So I'm bumping them too. Down to a dozen left after tonight!

To the task at hand, Tap & Cask! This was a recent addition to the list, added after they took over the former Tilted Kilt location. Tilted kilt is similar to Twin Peaks, employing a certain kind of server, usually in ill fitting clothing. Tap & Cask seems to have done away with that, the servers were just...servers. There are some left over Tilted Kilt signs and whatnot, but it seems like they've put a decent enough effort into renovating the place. I feel like they want to be the local beer bar, and they made a decent attempt, but it doesn't seem like they're pushing quite enough through the lines to pull the super rare and desirable stuff. Their beer menu reminds me of Yardhouse, large but run of the mill without any standouts. But that's not why we're here.

Presentation - Awkwardly unused tap setup aside, the interior was nice enough. It kind of resembles a large barrel, which I can dig. Service was good with a very attentive server that never let a glass go dry and allowed me to get 1 blackened and 2 fried tacos so I could try both. They have a patio, which for some reason was occupied on this rather cold May day, and they didn't keep the door closed which was annoying. Minor ding for that. Presentation of the tacos was normal, not special. All around slightly above average. 3/5

Aroma - The chipotle cream and pico jived well. Good. That's all. 4/5

Value - I actually bumped this two points after eating. 3 tacos and a side for $10.95 is not bad, but not outstanding. However, it left me stuffed. They didn't skimp, especially with the fish. Good deal. 7/10

Fish - Pretty solid on both fronts. The fried was a bit lacking in a unique flavor and perhaps a bit salty, but still good. The blackened had a nice spice to it, didn't quite overtake the fried in tastiness, but put up a good fight. Can't go wrong with either choice, and you'll get plenty either way. I'd wager the volume of fish is larger than that of not fish. 7/10

Not Fish - I'll start with the bad; the side of rice and beans was super meh. Not bad, just super forgettable. I wish they offered a choice or something. Also flour tortillas, which are obviously not my favorite. However the filling was solid, chipotle sauce is a good choice with an appropriate amount of spice and the pico was fresh and tasty. Slaw was a tad sweet. 5/10

Overall Taste - Minor shortcomings aside I liked these. 7/10

Bonus Points - Solid enough kids meals but not an exceptional deal. Nothing quite worth of a point. +0

Overall Overall - 33/50

Tied up with the last stop, Lucky Fins, oddly enough. 21/42 so far, dead middle of the pack. Want tacos and on Broadway? Worth a stop. On we go!

Lucky Fins - What Defines a Taco?

First up, some administrative detail. I fully intended to knock out two taco stops today by hitting Rancherito's at lunch time. I drove all the way down there, downright giddy with anticipation of double tacos. I was gutted to find an empty building and a for rent sign out front. Dreams dashed, solo taco Friday it is. One more off the list, but not for the best reason.

Alright, that's out of the way. Luckily (pun intended) Christine had a Lucky Fins gift card so hope was not lost. There are two locations in the valley (and a couple in Colorado), we went downtown which was a bold choice on a Friday night. Probably less sketchy than Eagle road though. Yikes.

Presentation - Pretty unassuming entrance right off the grove. Parking sucked, but that'll happen. Pretty tiny waiting area, luckily the wait wasn't too long. The restaurant is a tad cramped, especially in the bar area, but our booth was fine. Good service and not a bad plating. More on that in a bit. 3/5

Aroma - Nice all around. The cilantro lime rice side was a solid addition. 4/5

Value - I went with the blackened fish tacos, as the title would suggest they are the de facto choice for this tour. It's hard to understand the quantities from the description, check the picture below for a better idea. $12.99 is on the pricier side of the tour thus far, but the portion size did not leave me wanting. 6/10

Fish - Cod tends to be a decent choice and this was well seasoned. Great texture, pretty solid flavor, and an average, but acceptable amount of it. Better than most grilled so far. 7/10

Not Fish - Alright, this has to go somewhere. Look at that pic. WTF are those? It's pretty much two wraps, or two small and awkward burritos. They are not tacos, nor do they contain normal filling for tacos. That said they were not at all bad, the ranchero sauce was super good and the side of rice was great. But I can't pretend they're tacos. It seems like the Mahi Mahi option on the menu may have been better. May be back to try that, may not, time will tell. I can't let the non-taconess of these tacos slide completely, so they had to lose a point here. 6/10

Overall Taste - Like I said above, solid all around. Nowhere near traditional for a fish taco, but that isn't a bad thing. If these were advertised as grilled fish wraps they'd make a lot more sense. 7/10

Bonus Points - $4.99 kids meals is almost worth one, but not quite. +0

Overall Overall - 33/50

Just above the midpoint. Could have gotten a couple more points if they were actually tacos. Like I said, I may be back for the Mahi Mahi. On we go.

El Torito - Authentic and Spicy

I think this place used to be some hippy dippy bologna restaurant. I remember pulling up to check out their menu, laughing out loud at prices, and returning to my car to drive elsewhere. Unsurprisingly, those guys are no longer around, replaced late last year by an apparently very successful taco truck, Taqueria El Torito. Upgrade!

Presentation - Not much too this place. Counter service with a few basic tables. Most of the food came on paper plates. One little knock for the service, which left a bit to be desired. It was quick, just not super friendly. 2/5

Aroma - Pretty solid. Nice and balanced with a bit of spice. 4/5

If you can't read that, check the link above, they have a clear menu pic

Value - The fish tacos are the most expensive a la carte tacos on the menu at a whopping $2.50 each. I had three, and a shrimp one for good measure. The really cheap ones ($1.25!) are smaller, but Christine was happy with 3. Nothing on this menu was expensive. 7/10

Fish - Grilled pollock with some seasoning. On point, super tasty and up there with the best grilled fish I've had thus far in the challenge. Not too salty, not spicy (see the next section), I couldn't pinpoint specifically what was in the seasoning but I was a fan. 8/10

Not Fish - A bit of a departure from the traditional (albeit pretty American) "standard". No white sauce, single corn tortillas, avocados, and a healthy dose of hot sauce by default. If you're not a fan of spicy, these aren't for you, they're up there between medium and hot. That said, the flavors come together great. I could have gone for a couple more lime slices. And the veggies on the side were weird. 8/10

Overall Taste - Up there with my favorites. Another instance where I wish they would make a fried option as well to compare. Next time we go I'm going to throw a few more sauces in the mix from their salsa bar, I imagine they'll also be great. 8/10

Bonus Points - I don't usually get beer with the tacos, but they had a helles lager I really wanted to try. They also had a happy hour, so I asked how much a pint cost. $1.88. Holy balls that's cheap for a draft beer. It's cheaper than I could get it at the store. Worth a point. +1

Overall Overall - 38/50

I had no idea what to expect going in, but I left with a new name in the top 3 and looking forward to returning and trying more of their tacos. Worth a stop if you're in the area.

Sockeye - Salmon Done...Meh

The Cole location of Sockeye Brewing is an odd one. It usually feels like a dying strip mall restaurant, a hangover of the 90's that will probably close down any day now. I've been to really weird car club meetings (Les Bois Miata Club anyone?) and some solid Bogus Basin Ski Patrol fundraisers. All in all it's still alive and kicking, but pretty dated.

Jump southwest about 4 miles and you'll be at their new production facility, which feels quite different. Bright, open, it's generally the one I prefer, and still just within the Boise city limits. So technically either one was fair game for the tour.

We went to Cole. Traffic and all that.

Presentation - See above. Interior is...dated. Service wasn't bad, one less soda than I'd have preferred, but probably better for me. Super simple plating. I should have gone with soup, the fries were pretty run of the mill. Also, they offer both grilled and fried, but only allow you to choose one, not get one of each. Had to trade a fried to my dad for a grilled to get a taste of both. 2/5

Aroma - The fried smelled pretty greasy, which isn't necessarily a bad thing, but does overpower anything else. The grilled allowed some of the other scents to come through. A bit of spice from the baja sauce. Middle of the road. 3/5

Value - $12 for two tacos and a side. On the not side of great. Salmon is a "premium" fish, so I'll give them a bit of a break, but not enough to get to average. 4/10

Fish - It's no secret that salmon isn't my favorite. This is the first time I've had it fried, and it wasn't bad, but I think that's because it was heavily battered. The grilled version was pretty forgettable. Fairly mild flavor on both really, which isn't necessarily bad. I'll give them an average. 5/10

Not Fish - I liked the baja sauce and the slaw was pretty solid. However, I'm just now realizing that there's something missing. Check that menu. See it? The distinct lack of guacamole is now taunting me. That plus flour tortillas makes me angry. 4/10

Overall Taste - Definitely not as good as the Bier:Thirty salmon, but plenty palatable. Just not remotely memorable. Maybe some guac would have helped... 5/10

Bonus Points - $5.99 kids meals does not bode well... +0

Overall Overall - 23/50

With a name like Sockeye, salmon tacos were a given. With a location like the restaurant on Cole, mediocrity was as well. On we go.

Bier:Thirty - Salmon Done Right

It was destiny. Or maybe laziness. I woke up this morning knowing I wanted tacos. And I did not want to cook them. Also I added 3 more stops to the tour this week after some research, Rancheritos, Jalapeno's, and El Torito. Time makes fools of us all, or something like that.

Anyway, tacos tonight! I had a Facebook nudge from my friend Chris, so we ended up at Bier:Thirty. Eventually. It is really far east, always takes longer to get there than I expect. Bown Crossing is rad, but a hoof. Still, Bier:Thirty is a favorite of mine, for both beer and food, always happy to go out there for a meal.

Presentation - My main gripe here is family seating, which is sparse. Most tables are high tops, but to be fair the clientele is primarily adult. We got a nice corner table which allowed the girls to spread out a tad. Counter service and a hell of a tap list today. The plating was as simple and without fault. Average all around. 3/5

Aroma - The first hint at something different, I got a good whiff of dill. Chipotle was evident too, and some vinegar. Pretty solid. 4/5

Value - $9 for 2 big tacos and a hefty side of chips and salsa. Above average deal. 7/10

Fish - Salmon was a hard start. Grilled was no help. However, these were not overly fishy, despite having ample fish chunks. Not up there with a nice fried cod or tilapia, but my favorite take on salmon so far. 6/10

Not Fish - Starts getting real good here. They don't explicitly say what's on them, but I believe it's pickled onions, cotija cheese, and a nice saucy cole slaw (with the aforementioned dill). Definitely a bold take, and a unique one. Not a lot of citrus, flour tortillas. I dig it. 8/10

Overall Taste - The risk of an oddball recipe pays off. Super good and memorable. I can see fried fish improving these, but not by a lot. 8/10

Bonus Points - Good beer selection, but that's becoming decently common. +0

Overall Overall - 36/50

Tied for fourth, solid performance. If you want salmon, this is my current recommendation. Get a sour beer too, goes great with the tacos. Cheers.