Tortillaphilia

Taqueria La Original 2—The Original Taqueria 2? A paradoxical name, for sure, and I can’t help but admire the chutzpah of calling yourself the original taqueria in the first place.

Yet, be it the cradle or not, I’m not sure Taqueria La Original can be called a top-tier taco truck, at least not within Tortillaphilia’s purview. It’s good—good-plus, even—but not quite great, and it’s hard to quantify exactly why that is. I don’t have any huge quibbles with the tacos, and even though I don’t downright love them, I at least have an infatuation with them, foibles aside.

The chorizo is spicy enough not to need any additional salsa, which is good—chorizo should have enough of a punch to stand on its own. Yet, it’s not enough to make up for the over-generous use of salt which robs us of what could have been a great chorizo experience.

The tortillas themselves are fine vessels for the toppings, no problem. That’s not a given—we’ve all been victims of soggy tortillas falling apart in our hands. Solid as they are, I do wish they had a pinch more flavor, as they’re fairly bland.

Finally, and weirdly: While four tacos for $11 is a good deal, getting them out of the container is difficult. The box clearly was not designed to hold that much food, and for a hot second, I was afraid I would tear asunder the tacos. Treat them gingerly, and you’ll be OK.

I really don’t want to come out sounding too negative about Taqueria La Original 2, as they’re perfectly good. And they should be visited by every tortillaphile. Make them part of a taco crawl down Rainier, and they will hold their own against many others.

What To Order: The vegetarian quesadilla was incredibly fresh, and probably better than the tacos.

— Remi A. Olsen