Rocoto Chicken [85] (moved)
Important: At the time of our visit in early August (yes, I’m really late on this post) the owner told us that it would be moving soon. Sounded like it would be within a mile or two either east or west of its current location. As soon as we get an updated address, we’ll share it, because this place is worth hunting down. Oh, hey, spoiler alert: we liked it a lot.
Friend-of-52L Chuck recommended Rocoto Chicken (located in El Jardin Latin Market), purely by word of mouth. We didn’t know if would be good, if we would be able to order without feeling like illiterate gringos, or even if they had seating. Chuck’s exact words were, “See you at noon, hopefully we won’t be eating tacos seated on a curb in the parking lot.” We needlessly worried on all counts and found a third authentic Mexican eatery that outshines the Mexicos or Plaza Aztecas of the West End.
As with Bodega Latina, Rocoto Chicken’s food counter is found in the back of a bodega. We were greeted with a friendly smile and a reminder that the chicken would come off the rotisserie at noon. (Signs outside clearly stated that chicken is freshly cooked at noon and 5pm). The three of us ordered combination of tacos and pupusas. Adam and I were a dangerous mix of hungry and foolish and ordered three tacos each a pupusa to go with our Mexican Cokes. Chuck was smart and substituted a pupusa for a taco. The three of us ordered an assortment of pork, beef, and chicken tacos. The tacos were the same style we have seen and enjoyed at Habaneros and Bodega Latina, “authentic Mexican”. [I have to put that in quotes because the two of us, combined, have spent one afternoon in Mexico and are not an authority]. We can tell you they are fantastic, and good enough for El Jardin to immediately crack the Top-3 in our Hall of Fame. The pupusa was overkill for both of us, leaving us with that painful feel of having eaten way too much, because it was just too good to stop.
Lunch topics: SDCC, Fieldrunners 2 and other Tower Defense games, A Song of Ice and Fire, Magic deckbuilding, DND Next, Codeacademy, Untitled RPG, the beach
Edited 8/21 with a more accurate restaurant name and Urbanspoon link
