It's a sunny Tuesday afternoon in May, and it could not be nicer in Santa Cruz: 73 degrees without a cloud in the sky. A gentle breeze rustles the city's palm trees. Teenagers yelp as they chug along the pavement on trick bikes, and parents lazily wander back from the beach, their sunburnt toddlers already sound asleep in their strollers. There's nothing I'd love more than to read my book by the ocean, but my growling stomach leads me through the robin's-egg blue doors of a building in the shadow of the boardwalk.
This beloved taqueria, led and owned by Chef Victor Villa, was put on the map for its tacos with a signature queso taco base, though the rest of its menu isn't half bad either. Ordering a taco with the queso taco base means you can expect the restaurant's handmade blue corn masa tortillas (here's the difference between masa and masa harina by the way) made from a crispy cheese skirt of Monterey Jack with toppings like crema, cotija cheese, onion, cilantro, and guacamole.
Sometimes the best meals come from unconventional pairings, and filling taco shells with Caesar salad ingredients can yield seriously delicious results. Just as Caesar salad fuses delightful components, these tacos bring together the fresh flavors of lettuce, dressing, and savory elements like bacon or anchovies for a unique and satisfying meal.
The acid in salsa is perfect for balancing out the savory flavors of most taco fillings and brightening everything up so you can more easily down one of the world's great culinary creations.