It’s difficult to articulate, having lived exclusively in Minnesota and Virginia, just how little I knew about Mexican food before moving to Phoenix this summer. I’ve eaten at Chipotle at least twice a week for the past couple years, but have never mustered the courage to order anything there beyond a basic chicken burrito. Sometimes, when feeling especially adventurous, I’d substitute barbacoa for chicken. Then I went to a local farmer’s market last week, and had a tamale for the first time. Though I had to be told to unwrap the food from its cornhusk shell, I was pleased with what I finally discovered:
Seeking to recreate that apparently euphoric sensation, I headed up 7th Street this afternoon to try the carne asada at America’s Taco Shop. The carne asada (or “roast,” according to Google’s curiously minimalist translator) was recently cited by Phoenix magazine as a primary factor in its decision to include America’s Taco Shop on its list of the best new restaurants in town. Once my order of an extra-large carne asada burrito arrived, it was easy to see why.
Upon first inspection, my meal didn’t look all that different from a Chipotle burrito; it was only after I sliced it in half to more thoroughly examine its contents that I realized what made it so special. The tortilla was thicker and moister than what I’d become accustomed to at Chipotle, and the salsa more fresh and aromatic. What made it a memorable lunch, however, was the carne asada. I learned later that the chefs at America’s Taco Shop take choice grade beef, grill and shred it on location, and then marinate it in a citrus mix that not only tenderizes the meat but infuses it with a tangy spice. It was the best “roast” I’ve ever had, and I can’t wait to go back for more.
