Rasta Taco - Review #1

Date of Visit: March 15, 2008

Rasta Taco 26881 Camino de Estrella Capistrano Beach, CA 92624 (949) 496-TACO Listing on Google Maps Official Site

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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:

Rasta Taco Opens Restaurant

Satisfy My Soul

I've written about Rasta Taco before and their taco cart catering services but they have now opened a bona fide walk-in restaurant. I'll write more about it once I make a visit there but for now their official press release follows:

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For Immediate Release

Rasta Taco Holding Inc. announces the opening of the inaugural
Rasta Taco in Capistrano Beach (Dana Point) at:

26881 Camino De Estrella
Capistrano Beach, CA 92624
(949) 496-TACO
Open 7 days a week
7:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
Yahoo! Maps

Following on the heels of the tremendous success of its mobile taco cart operation, Rasta Taco launches its first reggae-inspired restaurant location idealizing Rasta Taco's founder Mario Melendez' dream. Rasta Taco Catering is still Southern California's premiere mobile taco cart catering company.

"We have a full menu for the entire family," says Founder Mario Melendez. "Our fast-take-out style restaurant combined with the Rasta Taco style motif will certainly please the palate as well as the senses."

The store, maintaining a very focused look true to both Jamaica/Rasta and Mexico, combines elements of Mexico and Jamaica culinary plates.

From the "Lee Scratch Breakfast Burrito" to the "Peter Burrito" to the "Pato Potato Taco" to the "Halie Salise Taco Salad," all are original plates made with Rasta Taco's signature blend of secret spices and marinades. Michael DeSimone, Partner and Head Chef, has over 10 years experience in the kitchen and his original recipes can be eaten at the Restaurant or enjoyed at home.

For more information, contact Rasta Taco at (949) 496-TACO or visit us at rastataco.com/capistranobeach for more information or rastataco.com/shop/catalog/ for our online menu. To book a catering party please visit us at rastataco.com.

Rasta Tacos Report

Here's some pictures from when I went to the free Rasta Tacos tasting at Salt Creek Beach a couple weeks ago. This'll give you an idea of what's in store if you use their catering service for your party or business lunch or any other special event.

At the taco stand you ask the cook for the kind of meat you want (Carne asada, al pastor, chicken, or vegetarian) and then you top it off however you like with the toppings available (onions, cilantro, salsa, guacamole) etc. I tried one of each flavor and enjoyed them all. They tell me they consider 6-8 tacos to be the average per person when they do catering.

Rasta Tacos is also set to open a "stationary" restaurant in Capistrano Beach at the end of this month with more menu items such as burritos and tortas in addition to their tacos.

Stay tuned for details on another Rasta Taco Tasting coming up.

Rasta Taco Tasting #2

Redemption Song

If you missed the last Rasta Taco Tasting a couple weeks ago you can assuage your guilt by participating in their second free taste test this Wednesday:

Back again by popular demand...Come on down to Salt Creek Beach Wednesday, August 29th, for a free RASTA TACO TASTING. We'll be cooking up Jamaican-style Chicken, Caribbean Carne Asada and other favorites just like we do at our Rasta Taco parties. Enjoy the California sunset with a taste of the Caribbean. It's BYOB. The reggae music will be on tap. Our Event Coordinator, Lovalee, will be there to reserve your private Rasta Taco party date.

Grillin' and jammin' from 5 til 8 on August 29th.
We'll be down at the picnic benches and basketball courts near the waterfront. Look for the signature cart!

Rasta Taco Tasting

No More "Waiting In Vain"

Received word from Rasta Taco that they are holding a free taste test party tomorrow night:

Come on down to Dana Point Harbor this Wednesday, August 8th, for a free Rasta Taco Tasting. We'll be cooking up Jamaican-style Chicken, Caribbean Carne Asada and other favorites just like we do at our Rasta Taco parties. It's BYOB and we'll have the reggae music on tap.

We'll be at the north area of Dana Island, over by the Richard Henry Dan statue. Our Sales Manager, Lovalee, will be there to book your next party. Grillin' and jammin' at 7:00PM.

I'm not sure if I'll be able to make it or not but if anybody goes please try to report on it.

Rasta Tacos

No Tacos, No Cry

Reading through the OC Weekly recently I found out about a fairly new Mexican food enterprise in the county called Rasta Taco. According to HB Magazine, right now they provide "Rosarito-style taco cart" catering services but may be opening an actual restaurant location in Dana Point sometime in the future. Despite the word "rasta" in their name their food is basically Mexican in nature, but they do feature Caribbean Carne Asada® and Jamaican Chicken as meat choices for their tacos, so you don't have to sport dreadlocks to enjoy their food but it might help. And, like Chronic Tacos, they are organizing their own surf team.

Keep an eye out, they could be the next big thing. (BTW, the guy named "Christian" who left a testimonial on their site is not moí.) If you've tried their food please leave a comment and tell us about it.