| Rasta Taco 26881 Camino de Estrella Capistrano Beach, CA 92624 (949) 496-TACO Listing on Google Maps Official Site |  |
UPDATE: The Capo Beach location of Rasta Taco has closed down. It is scheduled to re-open on June 1, 2009, at The Camp across from the Anti-Mall in Costa Mesa. Stay tuned for further updates.
Question: How do you make food from a Mexican taco cart even more laid back? Answer: Add a reggae influence just as Rasta Taco has done. Rasta Taco started out as a taco cart catering company (and it still is one) but recently opened up a stationary, non-mobile restaurant in Capistrano Beach.
I had mentioned it here on the blog before but finally got to go down there last Saturday with my brother Gary to sample the wares. Ironically, neither of us got tacos. I had tried their tacos before at a taco tasting at Salt Creek Beach and wanted to try some other menu items this time.
The whole place is done up in the red, yellow, green reggae theme and when we pulled up there was a guy coming out who had obviously been growing his dreadlocks since long before Rasta Taco came on the scene.
We noted the posters for different reggae concerts on the wall including one for Lee "Scratch" Perry. Gary saw it and said, "I have his CD in the car. We can listen to it on the way back."
Most of the menu items are named after reggae artists, such as the Lee Scratch Breakfast Burrito, the Yellowman Breakfast Burrito (I'm sure the cheese on it is "yellow like cheese"), the Pato Taco (not a duck taco, but named after Pato Banton), and Ziggy's Medley Taco Platter.
Gary got the "Peter Fish Burrito" which we strongly suspect is named after Peter Tosh. It looked like it was loaded "to the gills" with fish and beans and rice.
I went for the Eek-A-Mouse Quesadilla and a Toot's Pork Tamale. The tamale was the best I've had in a long while, with the masa being moist through and through and the pork nice and tender. And I used plenty of their mild verde salsa on both my items.
And for Vanilla Coke lovers, this is the only other Mexican place I know of in addition to Rubio's that has Vanilla Coke.
Also, you can view their menu online (see link to their official site above) and call in your order ahead of time and they have a full line of Rasta merchandise at the store: stickers, shirts and more.
I loved the laid back ambiance of the place. Come for the food and soak up the atmosphere. I'll be back there for breakfast for sure. Four Speedy Gonzaleses:
great pictures! my car hasn't let me get back down there yet but hopefully soon!
ReplyDeleteTell us how it goes when your car lets you get back down there.
ReplyDeleteAre you saying you canceled or they canceled?
ReplyDeleteThat's my old hood, where I grew up 10,000 years ago.
ReplyDeleteIt's a good thing you mentioned the address, because their website sure doesn't give up any location info.
Too much ganja on the brain over there?
Yeah, you're supposed to follow your nose.
ReplyDeleteSo, are they out of business altogether?
ReplyDeleteChristian, the place is now called Island Style Tacos - I've driven by it a couple of times. So yes, the old Rasta Tacos is gone.
ReplyDeleteThanks. With a name like that it sounds like somebody else bought the place and kept the food the same.
ReplyDeleteI went there. Its not the same. Good Luck Island.... I liked Rasta better. Sorry... but, as a local SC resident, I was happy to be at Rasta.
ReplyDeleteMy husband and I had Rasta this past weekend for a hpre-holiday bash.... they were great. I did read the negative comments, but after talking to the sales rep... she was great. The food was without a doubt, the BEST I have ever had. I recommend them HIGHLY.. Very Nice. Very sweet.
ReplyDeleteHmm, I didn't even know they were open for business now.
ReplyDeleteyes.. they are. They opened a new kitchen in Anaheim I belive. The food was great. They had a new menu. I was happy with the service. We already booked then for our hoilday company party.
ReplyDeleteHmm . . . interesting.
ReplyDeleteWe Rasta for our super bowl party, and then again for our sons first bday party (in Feb). We did the tasting in Santa Ana at their shop... the food was the best. Period. Javier was great. They said they are opening at the Camp off Bristol? I love Rasta. They were so sweet and kind...
ReplyDeleteMeh... We hired them for a party & were really uninpressed. They forgot our ceviche appetizer. The meat was frozen - not fresh. The guys even complained about leaving the leftover food for us. Won't be hiring them again soon...
ReplyDelete