This week the search for the best tacos in Chatt town took me to Main Street, to a brand-new place, right next to Scottie B’s Burgers – Restaurante El Sol.
The restaurant, owned by a Guatemalan family, opened just two months ago. They are open daily from 11 a.m. until 10 p.m. and have a hefty menu.
Of course, my first visit was to sample their tacos. I ordered an asada, al pastor, pollo, and a barbacoa, each priced under $3.
Guess what?
As I ordered my tacos, the server asked if I wanted the onions on my tacos raw or grilled.
Ha!
This is the first place that has given me the choice.
I went for the raw onions and ordered their guacamole casero – basically the house chunky version of guacamole. As I waited for my order, the server brought over some chips and salsa. Since I started my journey, this is the first of the smaller mom-and-pop diners that automatically bring chips and salsa to your table. Their red salsa was mild but bold in flavor.
The guacamole came out next and it was chunky with only a tiny amount of cilantro. Instead, it had more chopped jalapenos, without being too spicy, onions and tomatoes with a small hint of lime.
El Sol also has a guacamole dip on their appetizer menu which also features a bean dip, cheese dip and a cheese dip topped with chorizo.
I have yet to be disappointed in the ratio of meat to tortilla on the tacos I’ve ordered. This place was no different. You couldn’t stuff anymore meat into these tacos shells without upgrading them from taco status to burritos!
Unlike the guacamole casero, the tacos were topped with plenty of cilantro and onions. The tortillas shells were still hot to the touch, all were delicious.
On a subsequent visit I opted for the Bistec Encebollado. It’s a thin skirt steak covered in grilled onions, served with rice, beans and a house salad, with sliced avocados, and a scoop of guacamole dip and pico-de-gallo. It also came with lime wedges and a side of tortillas. I noticed sweet plantains were listed on the menu as an appetizer. I ordered it, not knowing just how MASSIVE a plate a food was about to be set before me.
Mind you – I was already into my 12th or 20th or who is keeping count of chips and salsa! The server walked over to me with a square plate the size of my Lenovo laptop and placed it down on the table.
That’s all for one person? I asked. She nodded and walked back toward the kitchen. Less than a minute later, she walks over with another plate LOADED with sweet plantains with a side of sour cream.
I knew immediately I wasn’t going to be able to finish this meal. And I must have had a look of instant defeat in my eyes. My server walked away to tend to another table and later returned to see how I was doing. She brought a to-go container, knowing I was going to ask for one eventually.
Gracias!
Now skirt steak can be tough if not cooked right. My steak was easy to cut and chew and well marinated. Combining a bite of steak, onions and sweet plantain was the perfect forkful and an explosion of umami in my mouth.
As a kid mom would cook the Cuban Palomiila steak, thinly sliced top sirloin. She topped it with grilled onions and served it with a side of sweet plantains. So, this was like a homecoming treat with just a different cut of meat.
I noticed another appetizer on the menu – chuchitos. These are a small type of Guatemalan tamales filled with meat, in this case, chicken and a tomato-based recado or sauce and wrapped in corn husks.
Two of my neighbors are Guatemalan and have brought chuchitos over for my mom frequently. They are delicious. So, I trekked out one night to El Sol to give their version a try. Alas, they had sold out for the day. That tells me, they must be good, and I’ll need to try and order these at lunchtime soon.
This place has nachos, tortas, sopes, gorditas, fajitas, Birria taco and Birria quesadilla, lunch specials, salads, chimichangas, burritos empanadas, pupusas and a variety of steak, seafood and chicken platters. The lunch special includes flautas, different egg platters, their stew of the day, and enchiladas. They have soups on the menu for the weekends and occasionally as a daily special.
They have five different flavors of aqua frescas, a variety of Mexican Jarritos and bottled Coca-Cola and Sprite from Mexico. They also have iced tea.
El Sol has a kid’s menu featuring cheeseburgers, chicken tenders and cheese quesadillas all served with French fries as well as a taco plate with rice and beans and a grilled chicken plate with rice and topped with cheese.
Restaurante El Sol
- 1818 E Main Street
- Chattanooga, TN 37404
- (423) 386-5812
- Open seven days a week, 11 a.m. until 10 p.m.
- $-$$
What’s your favorite taco place and why? Send me an email at Pattyl@brewermediagroup.com