If there’s a famous taco joint in town, it’s probably Los Guachos. The Food Network put it on the map when it celebrated the top five tacos in the nation, and Los Guachos made that list, earning kudos for its al pastor version of the classic. Unsurprisingly, the place is popular with local eaters too.
Tacos Fogoncito is not Los Guachos, but internet scuttlebutt says the two establishments are related somehow… perhaps by virtue of historical business partnerships that appear to no longer exist. Whatever the state of the non-relationship, Tacos Fogoncito offers some solid fare out of a strip mall stop in Whitehall.
You could say Fogoncito looks like the original Guacho joint, but then, so do lots of places: ethnic decor, tile flooring, shiny wood chairs. You order at the counter from a menu board on the wall; it’s familiar.
As you’d expect, the menu offers tacos too: that’s a good place to start. They come in all the flavors you see everywhere (chicken, pork, steak), as well as some you might not (tongue and tripe). Petite tortillas are loaded with ample meat and sprinkled with bits of finely chopped onion and cilantro. Between the Steak and Chorizo filling options (both $1.50), the chorizo was more lovable — it has more seasoning. That said, there is a dark red salsa/sauce that can zip up just about anything with its intensely smoky heat.
It’s the pork, though, right? That’s the famous thing, the al pastor: pork cooked vertically on a spit with pineapple. You can get it in just about anything, and Huaraches ($6) is as good a vehicle as any: at the base is a thick, dense crust, something like an double-fat tortilla. It’s topped with a pile of thinly sliced pork drizzled with sour cream, shredded lettuce and big chunks of avocado. The thing about the thinly sliced pork is really not the pork; it’s the pineapple. Those moments of sweetness tempered with a meaty accent are sublime. It creates a drive for more pineapple, even at the expense of culinary balance.
Skip the Tortas ($6). Thy are what they are; a giant grilled bun, with a tomato, iceberg, avocado and chunks of meat under melted cheese. Balance-wise, there’s a lot of bread, and not as much flavor.
Instead, get the priciest thing on the menu (it’s only $11.50, big spender). There are several reasons, one is because it’s called a “Chupacabra“, and there are truly not enough foods named after mythical monsters. Second, it scores big on presentation: there’s a giant cactus paddle slit up like an octopus that rests atop a mountain of steak chunks, al pastor, mushrooms, onions, and a little cheese. There’s a roasted pepper on the side too. Third, because “mountain” was only a slight overstatement. It will easily make two meals, if not three. It’s a giant meat salad you can eat with tortilla shovels.
Regardless of whether it has a fancy heritage, Tacos Fogoncito can stand on its own. You can give it a try at 51 S. Hamilton Road.
For more information, visit www.facebook.com/tacosfogoncitocolumbus/.
All photos by Walker Evans.
