Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be going back to basics—one man, one restaurant, one review—because my wife is recovering from minor surgery. Don’t worry, things are going to be just fine, but I’ll be handling the next few reviews by my lonesome.
Get well, darling.
Riding solo on this shining path to untethered glory, I headed straight for my main vein, the humble local taqueria, to try out a “classic” taco shop on the Southside, Tacos el Milagro, 2534 S. Robinson Ave.
Not to be associated with the vaunted Casa de los Milagros on the Northside, I went to Tacos el Milagro for a lazy lunch on a sleepy afternoon last Saturday, and I got to say, it is quite different from the urban atmosphere around it.
The interior of Milagro is a Mexican cinephile's dream, with painted pictures of Cantinflas, Pedro Fernandez, and other bygone matinee idols, all on the back of their customized chairs. The aesthetics really took my breath away!
I sat down and was brought a menu. Looking over the voluminous tome, I immediately ordered an agua fresca, my go-to horchata ($4.00) to be precise. Wetting my whistle like only a horchata can, I was prepared to order.
With most of the wall plastered with color pictures of all their dishes, it was easy to pick out the two meals I would like to try. Even better, they were quickly prepared by the small staff, bringing them out posthaste.
I started with the patriotic Mexican Flag Style Flautas ($13.75). Four freshly fried flautas are topped with red salsa, sour cream, and avocado salsa. Though the menu warned that the meal didn't come with “rice or beans,” a salad was served on the side for additional roughage.
Already, the flautas were totally banging. Crunchy on the outside, chickeny on the inside, this is already something I would order. But the trio of sauces arranged like a Mexican flag? Well, that gave me a moment where I had to stand up and give a saucy salute.
But it was the second meal I was truly waiting for, Milagro’s amazingly gargantuan Beef Steak Torta ($13.75). Set on a large bolillo roll that almost looked like a midsize baguette, the torta had grilled steak, beans, lettuce, tomato, and avocado, with a healthy smattering of French fries on the side.
As you probably know, I absolutely love tortas—small or big, thin or thick, stocky or emaciated, I love them all—but this one perfectly, deliciously, tore out my heart. It all came from the charred steak, wondrously toasted bread, and gratuitous avocados, making this a lunch for the books.
And did I mention how big it was?
While they didn’t have desserts per se, they had a counter of prepared novelties, like bags of Mexican sugar cookies and wrapped chocolate treats. I had a hard sugar goodie inspired by Spider-Man’s torso and, much like the wall-crawler, it really got my hands sticky.
So, this coming weekend, if the threat of sheer loneliness is calling out and you desperately need some Mexican-based culinary loving, try Tacos el Milagro and their tortas, any of them, and take them out for a spin around the old neighborhood.
Sometimes—and I truly believe this—a torta like this is all you need in the world.
Cómpralo ya!
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Follow Louis Fowler on Instagram at @louisfowler78.
