{"id":35698,"date":"2018-01-15T20:47:05","date_gmt":"2018-01-16T02:47:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=35698"},"modified":"2026-04-03T12:38:07","modified_gmt":"2026-04-03T18:38:07","slug":"taqueria-el-paisa-albuquerque-new-mexico","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nmgastronome.com\/?p=35698","title":{"rendered":"Taqueria El Paisa – Albuquerque, New Mexico"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Taqueria El Paisa, Maybe New Mexico’s Very Best and Most Authentic Mexican Taqueria<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

“The immediacy of a taco, handed to you hot from grill and comal, can\u2019t be equaled. <\/em>
\nYou can stand there and eat yourself silly with one taco after another, <\/em>
\neach made fresh for you and consumed within seconds. <\/em>
\nA great taco rocks with distinct tastes that roll on and on, <\/em>
\nlike a little party on your tongue, with layers of flavor and textures:<\/em>
\njuicy, delicious fillings, perfectly seasoned; the taste of the soft corn tortilla; <\/em>
\na morsel of salty cheese and finally, best of all, <\/em>
\nthe bright explosion of a freshly-made salsa that suddenly ignites and unites everything on your palate. <\/em>
\nAt the end of our two or three-bite taco you just want to repeat the experience until you are sated<\/em>.”
\n~Deborah Schneider, 1000 Tacos | Mexico, One Bite At A Time<\/strong><\/p>\n

If you’re wondering why such a heartfelt expression of sheer appreciation and unfettered love has been so eloquently conveyed about something as humble and–some would say pedestrian–as the taco, perhaps you’ve haven’t heard about the taco evolution-slash-revolution taking America by storm. And no, I’m not talking about Taco Bell’s Doritos Locos Taco Supreme (that’s a mutation, not an evolution). Nor am I talking about artisan cooks exploiting the limitless possibilities of what is essentially a rather simple concept–a corn or flour tortilla stuffed with sundry and delicious ingredients.<\/p>\n

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The small dining room at Taqueria El Paisa<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To be sure, a paean could be written about the creative use of multi-ethnic ingredients in constructing tacos bursting with flavor profiles heretofore unexplored. Judges and guests alike certainly waxed poetic about the fusion evolution vividly on display at the 2015 Taste of Rio Rancho where Street Food Blvd<\/a><\/strong> earned three first place awards (best appetizer, best entree and People’s Choice) by showcasing its unique tacos. Over the years we\u2019ve also been enthralled by temptingly toothsome tacos at such exemplars of cutting edge cooking as Pasion Latin Fusion<\/a><\/strong>, Sophia\u2019s Place<\/a><\/strong> and others, but none of them exemplify the taco evolution\/revolution of which I write.<\/p>\n

No, my friends, the taco evolution\/revolution of which I write is the widespread availability of the humble Mexican taquerias which have exploded across the culinary landscape over the past two decades or so. Though not nearly as ubiquitous as Taco Bell (which Anthony Bourdain would probably say is as widespread as herpes), the number of quality Mexican taquerias across the fruited plain might surprise you. These taquerias have introduced teeming masses yearning to eat well to the concept that sometimes simple, fresh and relatively unadorned is best. Most of these taquerias are the antithesis of fancy, but they\u2019re paragons of deliciousness.<\/p>\n

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The exterior patio (now enclosed) at Taqueria El Paisa<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For many savvy taco aficionados across the Duke City, the taco trek begins and ends on the west side of Bridge Boulevard scant yards from where it crosses the Rio Grande. That\u2019s where you\u2019ll find Taqueria El Paisa, a delicious little slice of Mexico in the Land of Enchantment. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week, El Paisa maintains an operating schedule that would exhaust many of us. It opens its doors when some of us are still sleeping (7AM) and closes at midnight, long after we\u2019ve gone to bed.<\/p>\n

Despite its diminutive digs, El Paisa is heavily trafficked, its Lilliputian dining room accommodating only a few diners while a sprawling covered porch handles the overflow crowds. And they do overflow! Just how good is this taqueria?<\/p>\n