Los Taquitos de Puebla: Under the Radar?
Ever since our South Philly Taqueria Tour, I’ve been jonesin’ for another Mexican food fix. So when I learned that I missed out on Los Taquitos de 
Puebla’s Tacos al Pastor, I knew that I had to go back, even if it was for takeout.
Doing my best NASCAR impression as I looked for parking, I had to laugh as I saw throngs of people queued up for steaks from Genos. I could only hope that the restaurant didn’t have a “Spanish Only”policy!
Los Taquitos de Puebla doesn’t stand out in the mix of small shops on S. 9th Street, so it’s easy to miss. The dining room is small, yet clean and contains about eight tables. The menu was taco-rich, plus side dishes, quesadillas and alambres (Layers of Meat, Vegetables, Tortilla and/or Cheese). I was seated right away, but once my waitress returned, it was clear that we had a language barrier, so the manager stepped in. I went with Tacos al Pastor (pork tacos), Tacos de Pollo (chicken tacos) and Orden de Nopales Asados con Queso Fresco Aguacate (Grilled Cactus with Fresh Cheese and Avocado) to go. During my short wait, I enjoyed a Mexican Coke; at least I think that’s what Heche en Mexico means?
Once home, we busted out our Mexican feast. To start, the Tacos al Pastor were awesome. (Get more info. on “al Pastor”). The pork was spicy and flavorful, 
while lacking that oily quality that often accompanies pork. Wrapped in corn tortillas, the filling included onions, cilantro and pineapple, which gave the tacos a uniquely sweet twang. In addition to the side of condiments featuring radish, marinated radish, sliced lime wedges and cucumber, there were tasty red and a green salsas ready to be generously applied. Continuing our meal, we found that the chicken tacos were very good, but not distinctive. The Grilled Cactus, however, is unique. Served in 1/8″ strips, the cactus is marinated, grilled and accompanied by sauteed onions and fresh cheese. The texture is reminiscent of green pepper and the flavor offers a light tang of vinegar. We both really enjoyed it.
In summary, Los Taquitos de Puebla is a really good, lesser-known taqueria in the heart of the Italian Market. A PhillyFoodGuys reader introduced my to this spot (”Thanks Buckethead”) and it was most recently mentioned in Philadelphia Weekly. This is a great place for a quick bite, not an intimate dinner. If your friends are doing cheesesteaks, use this as a great alternative. The menu is fairly simple and has descriptions in English - just hope that the manager is available 
Both types of tacos we sampled were very good, but the Tacos al Pastor are exceptional. The Grilled Cactus is also delicious and unique. The meal was $25 with tip and worth every penny.
Los Taquitos de Peubla is located at 1149 S. 9th St. Philadelphia, PA (215) 334-0664
Check out more finds from the PhillyFoodGuys at http://phillyfoodguys.com
TAGS: Philadelphia, South Philly, Mexican Food, Los Taquitos de Puebla, Tacos al Pastor
seb on 28 Jun 2007 at 8:16 am #
The grilled cactus is not unique. It’s new to you, perhaps, but not unique to Philly’s Mexican scene, or to Mexican food in general.
mattohara on 13 Sep 2007 at 9:03 am #
This is another one you beat me to! I have been infatuated by this place since I first had the tacos al pastor during the last Italian Market Festival. The have the meat up on a vertical spit (like middle easter places do schwarma) and the pineapple is roasting above it. The green and red sauces are amazing as well. They just started at the Headhouse Square Farmer’s Market (Sundays) so you can stop there for your fix as well.
Angie on 07 Nov 2007 at 10:38 pm #
Actually the cactus (or nopal as we know it in mexico) is one of the easiest things to make…and healthy too!
1. peel the cactus leaves (spanish: pencas) and cut into the stripes you saw (my grandma used to chop them into 1/4″ cubes to make it easier on us, grandkids)
2. if freshly cut cacti (as mexican people tend to have them in their back yards if they have a yard…again, for example, my parents) then you can just stir them directly into a tiny bit of olive oil or corn oil (whatever you have in hand, in mexico it’s mostly likely corn).
3. “stir fry” until they’re tender. You can grill it and boil it too…the main goal is to get the nopal tender. In fact, my dad loooves just grilling them in a comal and eating them as a side.
4. Add onions, tomatoes, garlic (if you like it) to the pan that has the cacti…and (in my parent’s home) an egg.
5. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve with tortillas and chile puya (or serrano whatever you have) to add some spice!
Sorry, can’t say much about the cooked nopal from jars…i cooked them once, but they’re not as good (definitely not memorable, can’t remember what they tasted like) as when you get a freshly cut penca from the market…or your backyard! That’s when they’re the best…well, that could be me talking, I just like my Mexican food fresh.