It is rare to cross north of the border for tacos. Much more to cross just to San Ysidro for tacos…
But south of San Diego has been having a slow revival. Breweries and restaurants opening up where there was nothing but chain crap and abandoned businesses.
I crossed the border for work. No pictures of burgers this time. It was pictures of other stories. My job is not always as great as just take pictures of burgers and get to eat them.
Nah.
I had to drive far.
It was still fun. Had to take pictures at a concert. But that’s another story and another job.
Before I did the drive, I stopped by Tuétano Taquería, the new taco place in San Ysidro.
It’s a far walk from the border, but I was craving this place since I first heard of it at the beginning of the year…
I met Priscilla, the owner, earlier in the year in a private dinner at Toshi Toshi with a group of foodies. I’ve been following her on Instagram before but I have no idea how it started. Oh wow. She has 21k followers. Follow her HERE @VainillaMXNA
Priscilla is an accomplished chef with the dream of opening a taquería in San Ysidro. After years and years of planning and working to make it happen, she finally opened the doors to Tuétano Taquería a couple weeks ago.
TUETANO is BONE MARROW for those who that didn’t know.
And some of you don’t even know what bone marrow is…
If you never had it… think of it as steak flavored butter. It’s the goopy inside part of the bone which is all fat and nutritious. It’s not for everyone, but I enjoy it.
The first taco I ordered was the one I saw trending online… birria taco with bone marrow on top.
You grab the bone marrow.
And poke the delicious goop meat.
Through the hole. 
BAM!
Delicious.
But the taste of the birria overpowered it that I felt like I rather have just marrow…
Great greasy taco. Small. Better than some birria in Tijuana. Great tortilla. Wish it was double.
$2.50 for the taco $2.50 goes for the extra bone marrow.
The menu is a mix and match whatever you want.
There’s birria, arrachera, quesadillas, cochinita, rajas, and several others. You can top it all with a bone marrow.
The place is a small location in San Ysidro and as of now, it feels sort of empty. It needs to be lived in a bit more. The kitchen is tuck away in the corner and you see all Mexican señoras working the comal and making tortillas and the rest.
Next thing I got.
And… that’s a no for me.
Much better.
If you don’t get it. You don’t know me.
Delicious arrachera. Delicious spicy salsa. Ok cheese.
One more.
Dirty cochinita!
Let’s add some limon to that.
Again, small and delicious.
I thought I was ready to eat 7 more. But I oddly fell satisfied. Both the cochinita and the birria are greasy disasters. Add to that more fat with the bone marrow. And you have deceiving tiny tacos.
Cochinita could use more of that acidic cochinita kick. My neighbor’s mom used to make cochinita and memories might betray me, but that was some really great cochinita. And the flavor lingers in your mouth forever.
This one did. But softly. I tasted the taco later while I was working at the concert.
All in all, some of the best simple tacos you’ll find north of the border at a more than decent price. It hurts when you are used to Tijuana prices, but for San Diego it should be considered cheap.
My suggestion for myself for next time. Get two tortillas ($1) and two bone marrows (for $5) and ask for a cup of frijoles puercos that SHOULD BE IN THE MENU.
Priscilla told me how she makes the beans with marrow and they sound so fatty and delicious…
So that’s my idea.
Make two beans and marrow tacos. Sprinkle some salt. Go to town.
Arrachera, pibil, or birria also great choices.
And I’m sure the vegetarian choices are great as well.
I’M SO HUNGRY NOW!
Another not so exciting photography gig took me to Mission Hills a few days later. I took the trolley.
Near the Washington Trolley Station is the old Mission Brewery, San Diego’s oldest brewery.
Except it is not.
After doing the gig, I walked back to the trolley and decided to check it out.
The old brewery changed to other brands a few times and since April (I think) of this year, it has become Latchkey Brewery.
The main brewer is old Ballast Point brewer, which is fucking PROMISING AS FUCK!
Oh.
And Latchkey delivers.
Oh boy! Do they deliver!
First.
All pints are $6
Just that. $6.
And a flight of four?
$6
I got me a pint of their “It’s My Jam” Berliner Weisse with raspberries and black currants. Fucking fresh red pinkish sour with a 6%
Refreshing and deceiving.
They had around 8 IPA or IPA similar tasting beers (NEIPA APA ETCIPA). I had a flight of four.
I didn’t take notes because I’m lazy. So I’ll tell you what I remember.
They all had a unique taste. I think it was the hops used that I never had before. Cashmere and Ella. Especially Cashmere. It has a funky unique taste to it. They were all tasty but not like other IPAs. Couldn’t quite figure out why.
I got a crowler of the Berliner Weisse and went to catch the trolley.
Except I missed it so I decided to kill 10 more minutes at the brewery.
Ordered two more samples of I forgot which ones and same uniqueness to it. Chugged them and went back to the trolley happy with my crowler.
I opened the crowler three days later. I might have been a day too late. It wasn’t as fresh and lively as poured directly from the tap.
Still delicious. But it gave it a more soda-like quality.
And now I head out to a Tijuana Saturday.
The city is changing A FUCKING LOT that it is TOO MUCH TO FUCKING KEEP UP!
Norte is celebrating their third anniversary. They are opening a kitchen and two new beers.
I’m going to go try that right now before the city gets all wild.
Also.
Because I’m hungry right now.
