[JLK]

Hello all,

I'm making my first trip to Taqueria Poblano tonight (Ballston location, near the home of a friend). I'm pretty excited about it quite frankly between my need for a beer (one Negra Modelo please!) and the inexpensive cuisine.

Looking at the online menu, I'm very interested in trying the tacos al pastor and, as always, I need to satisfy a craving for guacamole.

What are their other can't miss items?

[monavano]

The Oaxacan pork is very tasty. Got it in a taco. Also did the grilled steak taco, but there was way too much char on it for me. My husband got the duck, and loved it. Enjoy!!

[mdt]

JLK, on Jun 16 2005, 04:42 PM, said:

Hello all,

I'm making my first trip to Taqueria Poblano tonight (Ballston location, near the home of a friend).  I'm pretty excited about it quite frankly between my need for a beer (one Negra Modelo please!) and the inexpensive cuisine.

Looking at the online menu, I'm very interested in trying the tacos al pastor and, as always, I need to satisfy a craving for guacamole.

What are their other can't miss items?

I had lunch at the Del Ray location the other day and the special chorizo and potato tacos were great. If your friend digs the creatures that swim, the fish tacos are pretty good as well.

[Stretch]

Second the fish tacos. They're great. I didn't know TP had a place in Ballston. Is that new?

[Jill Cheese Lady]

I actually really like the chicken mole verde. The chicken is like butter and it's covered in a sublime green mole sauce. Fabu!

Also, if you're a margarita fan, I have found the ones at Taqueria to be the best I've had. Not too sweet. Made from only fresh lime juice. They go down EASY!

[hillvalley]

Not to mention the rumarita, a brilliant use of run in stead of tequila in the perfect sometime drink.

I too highly recommend the fish tacos. The fish was expertly fried in a beer batter without the hint of grease that is so common in other fish tacos around here. We also had the pork taquitos which were great and served as a perfect vehicle for guacamole. The braised shredded beef taco was fine, but not the highlight of the menu.

My only complaint is that non of the salsas or the hot sauce on the table provided my heat which would have made my fish taco perfect.

[JimRice]

We went to Cheesetique this evening, and then popped across the street to Taqueria Poblano for dinner. This was our first trip, but it won't be the last. Mrs. Rice had the burrito with beef, and I had a taco al pastor (carved adobo seasoned pork), a fish taco, and a duck carnitas taco. All were good, but the standout for me was the taco al pastor. Slightly spicy, earthy, smoky, and complemented nicely by the pineapple and cilantro on top. The fish taco was my second favorite, if nothing else because I've had several bad fish tacos before and this was excellent. The duck carnitas were slightly different than I expected but good too. One note-the tacos al pastor are only served after 5:30 PM.

It's definately a family-friendly place. I think we were one of the few tables that didn't have a little one in tow. All of the kids seemed well behaved though, perhaps because of the food being easy for them to eat. Our server was knowledgeable about the food, and extremely gracious when there was a minor service error.

For us, we know a good place when we start planning to come back before we finish dinner. We'll definately be back.

[Sthitch]

The only thing other than the raw crap in the chip basket that I have not liked is the duck taco. The meat was tough and not flavorful, half of the meat fell out when I took my first bite, and the toppings did not do much to enhance it.
On the other hand, I agree about the Taco el Pastor, and the fish taco being quite good. The fish taco being my favorite and the Pastor being my wife's. I would also avoid the shrimp taco, it is edible, but not the best thing on the menu.

[Walrus]

If by "raw crap" you mean the jicama pieces provided along with the standard chips, I have to say that I really enjoy it -- sprinkle with a little lime juice from the slice provided and dip it in the salsa. Yum.

[Sthitch]

I do mean the Jicama, my wife likes it, I can't stand the stuff. But I would be happy to eat around it. The main issue I have with it in the basket is that it makes the chips that it touches soggy, and very unpleasent.

[ScotteeM]

Mr. S and I just had brunch at the North Arlington restaurant. My "Virgin Mary" was very nice, spicy and smoky (chipotles?). I'm not a tee-totaller, just lots to do today in the heat.

No Jicama in the basket--just chips. I think I remember having Jicama at the Del Ray branch--maybe it's just there?

I was disappointed that the grill wasn't on for brunch, after reading all of the posts in this thread, but I tried the special Mexican Tamales. I haven't had a lot to compare them to, but they were very good, second only to the ones that a coworker makes at home and brings in for lunch sometimes.

Mr. S had the Crab Quesadilla, and he said it was very good. The guacamole that came with both platters was delicious, as were the refried beans. I'm not much for their rice, but my husband enjoyed it.

I'll have to go back sometime when the grill is on and try the Oaxacan pork and the grilled steak taco. I have had the fish and duck tacos on previous visits, and I enjoyed them.

How is their mole?

Scottee

[DC in DC]

We were very excited to check out Taqueria Poblano (Del Ray location), and it really hit the spot after a leisurely afternoon at the Alexandria arts festival. We started with the margaritas, which were made with fresh lime juice and were great. Perfect for sitting outside and having a casual meal. We started with a dish whose name escapes me, but was grilled or roasted green peppers, onions, and cheese served with tortillas. It sounds pedestrian, from its appearance, looked the part, but was in fact quite tasty. There was some fresh herbs mixed in too.
We had the duck taco and the fish taco, and were as advertised-- fabulous. I believe the duck taco had a dollop of guacamole on top and was very good. As others have noted, the fish taco was not soggy.

Overall, I added it to the list of places I wish were down the street so I could dash in once a week for a quick dinner.

[zoramargolis]

DC in DC, on Sep 17 2005, 05:37 PM, said:

  We started with a dish whose name escapes me, but was grilled or roasted green peppers, onions, and cheese served with tortillas.  It sounds pedestrian, from its appearance, looked the part, but was in fact quite tasty.  There was some fresh herbs mixed in too.

Rajas de poblanos, is my guess.

[brr]

hmm, stopped by here yesterday afternoon prior to a Cheesetique expedition

maybe we got it on a bad day but we left feeling a little underwhelmed

The chicken taquitos were good but neither my duck nor fish tacos had much flavor - my wifes shrimp taco was a little better

pity, as we really wanted to like this place

[Chris W]

Ate here Sunday night (Arlington) Great steak Tacos El Carbon, and a Tacos El Pastor. I always say I'm going to try the mole and then get sucked back into the tacos....

[xdcx]

Chris W, on Sep 27 2005, 11:58 AM, said:

Ate here Sunday night (Arlington) Great steak Tacos El Carbon, and a Tacos El Pastor.  I always say I'm going to try the mole and then get sucked back into the tacos....

the mole verde is insanely good.

[DanielK]

Ate here tonight after a tasting at Cheesetique. I can't say that I completely understand the fuss.

I agree with the previous comments about the chips and salsa. The chips seemed a bit soggy, and the salsa nothing to write home about.

The fish tacos were good, but not great. The fish was very good, and the breading started crispy, but they were not served hot enough. So the ICE COLD slaw and toppings quickly made a cold, soggy mess of the taco. I also thought the ratio of stuff-to-fish was a bit high. And I've been in Baja before, and had just-off-the-boat fish tacos. Not to compare TP to Baja, but my wife opined that when we get stuck at Cheesecake Factory (not by choice), THEIR fish tacos are better than TP's.

The duck was very very tasty, not dry at all, and wonderfully seasoned. However, that was only after picking off most of the very strong pickled onions, which completely overwhelmed the duck.

The tacos al pastor were a disaster, because the pork was very very dry, and the taco had been sitting under the heat lamp long enough to make the tortilla brittle.

Total for 5 tacos and 2 iced teas with tax and tip: $30.

We find ourselves at El Tapatio or La Sirenita in Little Mexico about once a month on the way to DC United games. I usually pay about $30 for dinner for us AND the kids, which includes 6 tacos, a table full of rice and beans, and 4 drinks. And I think that the food there is much better than at TP.

[Joe H]

La Sirenita is entirely different from Taqueria Poblano. For one thing it has the loudest juke box of any restaurant I have ever been into as well as awesome chili rellanos. It is also "authentic," cutting no corners for the occasional gringo who wanders in. Very good mole, too and really interesting soups and stews.

My wife loves Taqueria Poblano favoring the one off of Lee Highway to Alexandria. She has not been to the Riverdale places but I have a feeling that she would not like them as much. Poblano fills a vey different "need" as they do in their own way.

This post has been edited by Joe H: 10 October 2005 - 08:52 AM

[Walrus]

I've never been to the Del Ray version of TP, but we do enjoy the one on Lee Highway. In Alexandria, we head straight for Los Tios...mmmmm...

[The Doctor]

Note to all: The Del Ray location is closed on Tuesdays, as I found out last night to my disappointment. I knew in the back of my head that the Dreamery was too, but forgot that as well. So my trip to the hood last night was a dismal failure. However, their loss was Cheesetique's gain!

[NCPinDC]

Having had many yummy meals at Los Tios in Del Ray, I switched to TP this weekend. I have some questions: 1) how is this place on the cheap eats lists? 2) shouldn't salsa that is not free be insanely good or at least above average? 3) how much salt is used in the verde mole?

Hmmmmm....

[JLK]

Seems cheap to me. What did you order?

[Meaghan]

NCPinDC, on Oct 16 2005, 06:52 PM, said:

Having had many yummy meals at Los Tios in Del Ray, I switched to TP this weekend.  I have some questions:  1) how is this place on the cheap eats lists?  2) shouldn't salsa that is not free be insanely good or at least above average?  3) how much salt is used in the verde mole? 

Hmmmmm....

Why, Taqueria Poblano is cheap. Margaritas, granted they aren't the best in town, are impossible to beat at $5.95. And you can have a few fish tacos or a duck carnita, etc. as a meal, the total cost way less than a middle of the road place in town. I'm very familiar with Guajillo since it's really close to where I live, and I know that Taqueria Poblano is about half the price and at this point, twice as satisfying. One of the most expensive meals I know at Poblano was with just one other, a scarfing mavin, a desperately hungry gastronome...and still, after eight margaritas between us two and many refills of chips, the bill was shy $80 bucks . Go anywhere else and order 80% of the menu and 7 or 8 cocktails and enjoy for under $ 100.

[NCPinDC]

Perhaps because I don't really drink that much or that often, inexpensive margaritas don't make a place a good deal for me. I think close to $4 per taco is expensive even for fish tacos. Granted, we had an egg dish and the chicken mole, an order of chips and sodas. The bill was close to $30 not including tip. Still, didn't seem like a bargain for Tex-Mex. Nor did I think it that impressive. I like Los Tios much better. But that is just my personal preference.

[bookluvingbabe]

I tried to go today for lunch. No luck--they just put in a new floor and were closed.

For the love all things holy, can't a restaurant put something on their website when this comes up? I looked at the website just this morning to confirm what I wanted to order.

The trip was not a total waste--I bought many lovely cheeses but...

Sigh...

[mdt]

bookluvingbabe, on Oct 28 2005, 01:09 PM, said:

I tried to go today for lunch.  No luck--they just put in a new floor and were closed.

For the love all things holy, can't a restaurant put something on their website when this comes up?  I looked at the website just this morning to confirm what  I wanted to order.

The trip was not a total waste--I bought many lovely cheeses but...

Sigh...

Right up the street was Los Tios or you could have switched cuisine and gone to Bombay Curry Company or Del Merei...

[shogun]

Man, so that's Taqueria Poblano! Went for the first time today as part of a nice afternoon in Del Ray (Coffee at St. Elmo's while planning something culinarily devious, and naturally, picking up meats and cheeses at Cheesetique)

Went with three tacos: The beef L.A-Style, fried fish, and duck carnitas. Of the three, I think beef LA-style and fish would have to fight it out amongst themselves for my favorite of the day. The duck was good too, and I'd get it again in a second, but it had a lot of guacamole, something I'm not historically that crazy about. On the other hand, all the guac and onions (DanielK was right, there are a lot but I like them!) that fell out was eagerly scooped up with chips once the taco itself was finished! The fish was perfectly crispy and was complemented nicely by the slaw on top. I think now in the end the beef taco was my favorite. The beef was juicy and flavorful, and the toppings were very fresh and crunchy to go with the fried taco shell. These were not wimpy tacos, either. Three were more than ample for me as dinner. In fact, I had origonally intended to sample all four (the fourth being shrimp) as a good intro for my first trip to TP, but was disuaded when I asked if that would be too much food, and indeed it would have been!

[hillvalley]

bump

Anyone know if they have stopped serving the pieces of jicama altogether or do I just have bad timing? I have been there twice in the past 6 weeks and they didn't have my beloved jicama either time.

Last nights dinner was a good as I expect it to be. I had the LA style pork taco for the first time and it was okay, but I wasn't overly impressed. The fish tacos continue to be the standout for me. The last time I was there they had a grilled fish option (instead of their usual fried fish) and I liked that one better. Last night my mom got chile relenios (sp?) and declared it better than the one she had last week in Sonoma. I think our only major complaint was that the salsa was one the sweet side and even the addition of hot sauce didn't provide the heat we were looking for.

The rumaritas were fantastic and provided the necessary lubricant to get my sister to dish out stuff we didn't necessarily needed to hear

[zoramargolis]

hillvalley, on May 29 2006, 10:52 AM, said:

bump

Anyone know if they have stopped serving the pieces of jicama altogether or do I just have bad timing? I have been there twice in the past 6 weeks and they didn't have my beloved jicama either time.

Last nights dinner was a good as I expect it to be. I had the LA style pork taco for the first time and it was okay, but I wasn't overly impressed. The fish tacos continue to be the standout for me. The last time I was there they had a grilled fish option (instead of their usual fried fish) and I liked that one better. Last night my mom got chile relenios (sp?) and declared it better than the one she had last week in Sonoma. I think our only major complaint was that the salsa was one the sweet side and even the addition of hot sauce didn't provide the heat we were looking for.

The rumaritas were fantastic and provided the necessary lubricant to get my sister to dish out stuff we didn't necessarily needed to hear

I was at the Arlington branch yesterday for a late lunch. Too early for tacos al pastor, which is my favorite dish there, but which is not available before 5 p.m. I also had the crispy pork taco, which was so-so, and my daughter had a chile relleno, which was quite good. No jicama. I don't eat there very often, so I am unable to identify this as a trend. In general, though, it is just okay.

Then again, I am one of those snobbish, sniff-y Southern Californians. To quote Todd Kliman, in his new Cheap Eats issue revue of La Sirenita: "...we're now getting our first tastes of authentic Mexican cooking. Southern Californians may sniff at the results, but it's a promising development."

[Meaghan]

Drew and I had that chocolate sorbet tonight with the candied lime zest, floating in that moat of tequia. Who elses loves that stuff? We asked for shots of tequia on the side so that we could go home and prank call people drunk and watch dirty television. Dinner was middling (a chili braised beef burrito and a fish taco), but I still thoroughly enjoy this place for an emotional scarf here and there.

[mdt]

After an interesting class in Ancient & Historical cheeses at Cheesetique we stopped in for dinner at TP. We had a couple of the tacos al pastor and I was not impressed. The tasteless and dry pork strips with toppings that really did not integrate well. The only flavors I could detect were pineapple and chili sauce. I should have stuck with the regular fish tacos which seem to be a reliable quantity.

Oh well, the margaritas before and the custard from the DG (caramel heath bar crunch) were good.

[DanielK]

mdt, on Aug 28 2006, 11:24 AM, said:

...with toppings that really did not integrate well...

This has always been my chief complaint at TP - when they deviate from "traditional" recipes, they always go astray. You have to order things unadorned, and it's not a real bargain.

That said, we almost always land up here after a Cheesetique class, because there's nothing better within a block or two.

[mktye]

mdt, on Aug 28 2006, 11:24 AM, said:

After an interesting class in Ancient & Historical cheeses at Cheesetique we stopped in for dinner at TP. We had a couple of the tacos al pastor and I was not impressed. The tasteless and dry pork strips with toppings that really did not integrate well. The only flavors I could detect were pineapple and chili sauce. I should have stuck with the regular fish tacos which seem to be a reliable quantity.

Oh well, the margaritas before and the custard from the DG (caramel heath bar crunch) were good.

You almost got it right:

Step 1: Cheesetique -- something smelly, something runny, something blue, something hard
Step 2: Taqueria Poblano -- 1 fish taco, 1 duck taco (alternate bites between the two)
Step 3: The Dairy Godmother -- 1 medium frozen custard (the small size melts too fast)

[cucas87]

I've wanted to try this place for a long time and last night seemed like the perfect time to do so: a little cold, rainy, I didn't want to think about "cooking," and my recently-graduated-from-college cousin called for suggestions of a(nother) cheap place to eat. So we headed to the Arlington (Lee Harrison shopping center) location. When we arrived there at 6 we were some of the only people in the restaurant, but by 6:30 it was hopping. We each had a margarita (tasty and a relief that they are not made from a mix) and then we each ordered one of the day's specials: my cousin ordered the sirloin tacos and I ordered the grilled salmon (dr.com fit for summer challenge in my mind). The salmon was nicely grilled but the portion was pretty small. It came with rice, pickled onions, tomatoes and some slaw as well as corn tortillas. My cousin said the sirloin tacos were good and they came with rice. The food was good, not great, and we spent, including the tip, $49.00. Had we ordered off of the regular menu we would have spent much less, which is something I'll keep in mind for the future. The Arlington location is close to me and just for the drinks alone I'll go back, but I don't know that I'd bump Sushi Zen -- my usual Lee-Harrison hangout-- out of rotation for a trip to Taqueria Poblano.

[monavano]

It's been a while since I've been to TP, so we stopped by today for lunch after the market across the street. I have to say, this visit left us feeling more positive than we ever been have about a meal. Perhaps it's that the food is fresher, and just cooked at the beginning of the day, but the chili braised beef was excellent. Mr. MV had this in his obscenly large burrito. For $8.75, it could feed two, and was filled with good proportion of meat to bean to cheese.
I had 2 L.A. style crispy tacos which came out perfectly crunchy however did not fall apart after the first bite. Nice. One had the chili braised beef and I opted for adobo pork for the other. The beef was so delicious today, I wished I'd had orderd 2. Not that the pork was not good. It was.
They still have a free basket of warm chips with homemade salsa to start. No jicama as I seem to recall before. Another basket is only a buck, and I think that's a ncie bargain.
The lime cooler was puckerlicious.

[Joe H]

Taqueria Poblano was seemingly empty (yes, empty!) on a recent Friday night. Probably about half full. Next door was a mobbed pizza joint with a wood burning oven that was new. We didn't go there so we don't know exactly how good their pizza was. Still, given my obsession with coal oven pizza, it's just a matter of time until I "discover" it. But TP was not as good as it has been in the past. Frankly, in combination with a less than half full dining room on a Friday night this was not, well, encouraging. I've liked this place in the past and now, with competition from the adjacent family friendly pizzaria it seems to be fading. I would like to believe that TP will return to what it served for several years before the pizza chain's opening and recapture my heart and stomach. BUT, based on what we were served on a recent Friday night, some one seems to have thrown in the towel! For myself and for the neighborhood this is NOT an encouraging development...

[pizza man]

Sthitch, on Aug 14 2005, 09:29 AM, said:

I do mean the Jicama, my wife likes it, I can't stand the stuff. But I would be happy to eat around it. The main issue I have with it in the basket is that it makes the chips that it touches soggy, and very unpleasent.

No jicama in the chip basket last night. I kind of miss it now.

The rest of the meal was good, and cheap. Great place to take the kids.

At 8:30 the place was full except for the final table where we were seated.

[DonRocks]

Don't let the two Pennsylvania locations of Faccia Luna throw you off ... certainly not when there are two New Zealand locations of Taqueria Poblano. No, really ... there are! Click, and scroll to the bottom. Who knew?

Cheers,
Rocks.

[Joe H]

Sounds like an amicable dissolution of a divorce. And, one needed to move as far away from the other as possible!

[lperry]

I had a nice lunch/brunch in Del Ray yesterday. Two of us had the egg and cheese enchiladas which were very nicely done and just delicious. The other plate was the pork tamales which were pronounced very good, but they would have been excellent if they had been heated up a little more before serving.

[DannyNoonan]

Another weeknight dinner TP in Arlington last night. I ordered my usual Pacifico, shrimp tacos al carbon and my wife had fish taco & shrimp taco with side of refried beans. Our 2yr old had guacamole and cheese quesadilla. As usual, the food was quite good, service was friendly & attentive. The guacamole could use a little more punch - maybe lime or jalapeno but overall it's a nice effort. Fish tacos and shrimp tacos are very good. Nice soft tortillas, good fillings. Overall, nice neighborhood place that we are fortunate to have nearby.

[DonRocks]

Here's what happens when a restaurant owner spends her 25th anniversary working, and cheerful customers walk in thirty minutes before closing time:

Happy Anniversary, Lindsay!

[ktmoomau]

I am very happy to have Taqueria Poblano near our house, and while the condo was being renovated it was a nice affordable meal. Went recently ate there and I got the shrimp tacos al carbon, which were very good, might have to get them again next time. Not tough, but a good flavor and I can't lie that I like the melted cheese part. Hubby gets the crispy LA tacos, but recently he got the enchiladas and those were really good, as well, I kept stealing bites. And they have a good breakfast burrito.

They now have ads now and then in the Clipper magazine for a buy one entree get the second half off deal, which makes it a very tasty bargain.

[lperry]

I want to send out kudos to Taquerîa Poblano for staying open as late as possible during recent snow events, and having excellent food and service despite being run by what was clearly a fraction of the usual staff. Both of us work from home quite a bit, and lunches out in Del Ray sometimes happen five days a week. Poblano has become a favorite because we can always count on consistently good food and service. Favorites include shrimp tacos, veggie tacos, and whatever fish is on the special menu, particularly mahi mahi. The margaritas are pretty good too.

[DonRocks]

lperry, on 16 February 2010 - 04:19 PM, said:

I want to send out kudos to Taquerîa Poblano for staying open as late as possible during recent snow events, and having excellent food and service despite being run by what was clearly a fraction of the usual staff. Both of us work from home quite a bit, and lunches out in Del Ray sometimes happen five days a week. Poblano has become a favorite because we can always count on consistently good food and service. Favorites include shrimp tacos, veggie tacos, and whatever fish is on the special menu, particularly mahi mahi. The margaritas are pretty good too.

I had brunch at Taqueria Poblano this past Sunday. A large pint glass of fresh-squeezed orange juice was $2.75 and worth every penny. Huevos Motuleños (Motul is a town in the northern Yucatán) was a nice change of pace (for me) from Huevos Rancheros. Tacqueria Poblano's version uses tomatillo sauce and chorizo to accompany two runny fried eggs, refried beans, and tortillas. Their salsa, which comes gratis with a basket of chips, has really improved over the years - the flawed fruity overtones have evolved into subtle fruity undertones.

Cheers,
Rocks.

[wendydb22]

I love the Poblano! My husband and I eat at the Harrison St. location about once every two weeks.
The food is always consistent and the margaritas hit the spot after a particularly rough week/end.

I order the pork tacos or tostada probably the most. Yum.

[DannyNoonan]

wendydb22, on 18 February 2010 - 04:37 PM, said:

I love the Poblano! My husband and I eat at the Harrison St. location about once every two weeks.
The food is always consistent and the margaritas hit the spot after a particularly rough week/end.

I order the pork tacos or tostada probably the most. Yum.

I wholeheartedly concur about the margaritas. I live nearby the Harrison St location so we frequent that spot on Fridays. A couple margaritas and shrimp tacos al carbon are a comforting elixir no matter what kind of week I have had.

[DonRocks]

Calorically deprived, I was in the mood for a good, old-fashioned gooey Bean and Cheese Burrito ($6.75) yesterday. Ordered carryout, it came with everything I needed - including three types of sauce. Everything, that is, except napkins. Ouch.

Nevertheless ... scarfed with gusto in the car. It was exquisite.

Cheers,
Rocks

[monavano]

DonRocks, on 06 May 2010 - 10:50 AM, said:

Calorically deprived, I was in the mood for a good, old-fashioned gooey Bean and Cheese Burrito ($6.75) yesterday. Ordered carryout, it came with everything I needed - including three types of sauce. Everything, that is, except napkins. Ouch.

Nevertheless ... scarfed with gusto in the car. It was exquisite.

Cheers,
Rocks

Mr. MV loves their burritos-they're about the size of a cruise missile.

[ktmoomau]

Went to the Lee-Harrison location last night and just felt like things weren't entirely on. Tres Enchiladas were lacking the flavor they have had in the past, and seemed to be missing a flavor component while they had a decent amount of heat. Salsa seemed not quite as good, chips not quite as fresh as normal. Perhaps it was an off night, or maybe I was just grumpy. It was ok, just not up to normal.

The live guitar music was really nice though. And hubby seemed as happy as normal with his tacos.