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Business & Tech

Rojelio's Taco Shop: Good and Inexpensive Mexican Fare

This restaurant offers many tasty choices at bargain prices.

Tacos have been with us for a long time. The Europeans got their first taste in 1519 when Spaniard Hernán Cortés and his conquistadors arrived in what is now modern-day Mexico. They found the natives eating a thin, flat bread with a variety of toppings. The Aztecs and other locals had been eating tlaxcalli, made from maize plants, for thousands of years.

The Spaniards did not really like the traditional toppings of small fish, live insects, and snails. The conquistadors quickly changed the name of the flatbread to tortilla, slapped some pork meat on it, and called it a taco. I think this was one of the better decisions the Spanish made in the “New World.” Today, we have a cuisine based on the mixture of these two cultures.

My choice for Mexican food this week in Lemon Grove was . The place is small with only six tables, and you order at the counter. There is a large menu board with many choices, including a number of daily specials. I made two visits to Rojelio’s this week for sampling.

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I was solo on my first visit, and ordered the sope special for $4.99 with a medium horchata (no ice) for $1.69. The service was friendly and fast. My drink was ready immediately, and a complimentary small basket of homemade chips with salsa was brought to the table. The tortilla chips were fresh (they offer bags to go at the counter) and the salsa was fiery. Good start.

The plate, with two pollo sopes, rice and refried beans, arrived quickly. The thick corn tortilla base had a thin slathering of beans and a mound of shredded chicken. It was further dressed with chopped lettuce, tomato chunks, red salsa, and cotija cheese. The sope had a nice combination of flavors and was quite tasty. The refried beans had the nutty flavor I like, and the rice was of the fluffy/moist variety. My horchata drink also hit the mark.

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For meal number two I had a friend with me. It was early enough (1 p.m.) for me to order breakfast. Of course it does not matter at Rojelio’s, because breakfast is served all day long. I had to go for the chilaquiles in the red sauce for $5.50, which was not on the menu but listed on a small chalkboard. My dining partner chose the chile relleno and cheese enchilada combo plate, with rice and beans, for $5.99. Again the service was super friendly, and the food was soon ready to pick up at the counter.

I could have ordered the milder green sauce for my chilaquiles … not wanting to be viewed as a wimp, yours truly went for the hotter red. It did not disappoint—far from it. It was a three-alarm fire in my mouth, but it was too delicious to stop eating. Soon I devised a method of taking a forkful of the hot stuff with alternating bites of sour cream, rice or beans to cool it down. It was a very good heat to beat, and I would order it again.

My partner was nice enough to share a bit of her chile relleno and cheese enchilada with me. I thought the relleno was a standout, and the enchilada was not far behind. She enjoyed both, and we agreed that each had a very fresh taste.

Rojelio’s Taco Shop offers an extensive menu with very good value for the money. They are located at 6914 Federal Boulevard, at the corner of College Avenue. They take credit cards, and are open seven days a week for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The hours are Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m.–midnight; Sunday, 10 a.m.–10 p.m. Food to go is available, and you can call in your order to 619-697-2113.

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