Every Taco Shack Should Have an Octopus Merry-Go-Round

1207 First St. 512-326-4996

As we’ve travelled from trailer to trailer, we’ve noticed certain things that stand out: tremendous outdoor service and ambiance (G’Raj Mahal), outstanding dining selections (Odd Duck), and…in this case, cephalopaedic children’s rides.

...to the poison you just drank!

In the midst of noshing some handmade-three-minutes-ago guac, I (Sharmonica) got this great idea that we should make a recreation of the opening scene from “Temple of Doom” using children dressed appropriately and using the octopus spinny-mobile as the Lazy-Susan-like-thing that Jones and Lao Che negotiate with.  I’m brilliant; if you steal this idea, Kali will get you.

Moving on: Izzoz Tacos has been recommended on numerous occasions when we mention we blog trailers.  Franzia and I took a jaunt over to South First to check it out, as Coot was taking care of No Cancer Joe and therefore was unavailable.  The guacamole came highly lauded, as they make it fresh when you order it.  It is fresh, green, and highly garlicky.  I felt it could have used more lime.  Franzia informed me that Laura Bush makes terrible guac (she puts lemons in it.)   You can’t just assume one citrus fruit is as good as another!  You don’t squeeze grapefruit into your guac and call it a day!  Sheesh.

I'm still burping garlic and it's been, like, three hours.

The chips were awesome and served warm, which was really nice.  It took longer than usual for us to get our chips’n’guac because the first order didn’t meet the “boss man’s” expectations, so it’s nice there are standards set.  Actually, this boss man came out to check on all his patrons periodically to see how they were liking their food, and we found that appealing and congenial.  Or maybe he was just bored, I don’t know.

I ordered a fried avocado taco ($3) and a tempura shrimp taco ($4), and I now realize that I don’t think I like fried avocado because no matter where I try it, it’s a greasy, mushy, flavorless mess.  At least here, it was a more contained mess.  I didn’t really like it, but that’s not for lack of trying.  The shrimp was great: plump, sweet, and surrounded by crunchy veggies.  Franzia got the Old School Crispy ($2) which is the goodness of Friday night Taco Night at your house without all the Old El Paso crap, and the Bob Bowman ($3) which is roasted chicken and she not only ate both of them BUT she also ate almost the entire order of guacamole and I should have made the bitch walk home.

Notice both corn and flour tortillas, made in house!!

So, yeah, I’m nice and full and so is Franzia and our food was pretty good – a solid “meh.”  I perused a couple of other reviews, and apparently the Lone Star beef torta ($5.50) is to die for, so if I end up here again, I’m totally trying that;  this burping garlic thing is totally unsexy.

Pros: great places to sit, affordable fare, friendly proprietors, fresh guacamole, miniscule merry-go-round in the shape of an octopus

Cons: the fried stuff was too greasy, the guacamole really garlicky (and Franzia ate it all.  If you go, don’t take her.)

Location: 1207 First St.

Phone: 512-326-4996