Cinco de Mayo, Fruitvale

(Already eaten) Cabeza tacos topped with red onion, cilantro, pickled radish & habanero (plus lime and salt) at Cinco de Mayo in Fruitvale.

CINCO DE MAYO: Alyssa’s 6^th visit, Di’s 4^th; Mary & Wesley: virgins. What did Mary & Wesley think of their first time? Fan-tastic. Di & Alyssa’s review: good as evaaaa.

Episode 1:
So, how did we discover this little taqueria? Well, as you may know, one good thing can only lead to another. We were checking out the (sadly) annual White Elephant rummage sale in Fruitvale when, dissatisfied with the $5 DOLLAR (wahhhhhh?) fried plaintains (they had, like, weird crap on them), we wandered a mere block from the BART station and, lo’ & behold, we spied abuelita in the midst of taco-makingselling. This joint had 3 auspicious signs: no english, no ambience, and no utensils (she fondled the meat with her hands). We decided to give one a try, just one. Oh, but one was not enough! Shredded beef (or so we thought, see below. . .) with just the right amount of fatty flavor, chopped red onion, cilantro, pickled radish & habanero, bathed in red & green salsas, plus lime and, (most importantly --A.) salt. VOILA, the BEST TACO EVAAAA (even though neither of us had “authentic” tacos before nor since). So spicy and, in the words of Alyssa Marianne Young, “sooooooooo goood!”

Episode 2:
Us: 8 tacos por favor.
Outside Taco Guy: Asada?
Us: Si (assuming this was what we had been eating the past 3 months).
[Outside Taco Guy starts to pass plate of tortillas to Inside Counterpartner.]
Us: Wahhhhhh?!
Outside Taco Guy (points to meat before him): Cabeza?

So, for non-Spanish speakers, what is cabeza? Alternately defined as “brains,” “brains & tongue,” “cheek meat,” or everything that comes out when the head is boiled (eyes, brains, tongue, meat. . .). EW? NO F-ing (on Thomas’ account, we don’t like to swear) WAY! Anyone with a brain knows that brain is yum-ee! All we have to say is that, if you’re brave, forget CHICKEN (pussies: Nathan & Taz), forget CARNE ASADA (Wesley), always opt for the REAL THING (ask for extra fat on the side: Tammy!).