Taqueria Throwdown: El Norte

We're back with another edition of the Taqueria Throwdown. A feature so popular that you probably don't even remember it existed! So strap on your gluttony sacks, grease up your mullet and get ready to get taco punched in the babymaker!*

*I have no idea what any of that sentence means.

Round 2: El Norte, 5600 N. Ridge Ave, Chicago

Background: El Norte, located about 3 blocks from our place and a block from Lily's daycare, is our latest 'go to' takeout restaurant on the weekdays, replacing Thai stalwart Ben's (no relation) as our most frequented dive. With it's tattered awning, 24 hour service and aura of El stop seediness surrounding it, you'd think this place would be public enemy #1 of health inspectors everywhere, but oh muchacho, you would be oh so wrong (and racist!). El Norte is a damn gem of a place. A place that serves up steak tortas that will make you curse your boring Caucasian ethnicity and a chicken taco salad that would challenge the Amercanized (and bastardized) version to a old fashioned cock fight (Chickens people! Chickens!). Viva El Norte!

Tacos: Though the torta is our fallback, for the purposes of this column, we sampled three of their tacos. Steak, chicken and al pastor (pork).

Steak: You can NOT go wrong with a steak taco from this place. Not quite on the level of their steak torta, but GED. Good enough dude. And then some. Served with pico de gallo, lettuce and invisible high fives. 4 orders of fries.

Chicken: This too was very good, although with chicken, you pretty much know what you're gonna get. This was that good, pulled chicken...nice and tender like my affections. A solid choice for the safe crowd. 3.5 orders of fries.

Al Pastor: This was one was served with cilantro, a HHH arch rival. Despite it's soapy presence, I enjoyed this taco and found it's taste to be different and charming. Katy, on the other hand, was in no mood for this sort of ethnic explosion and immediately expressed her distaste. While I disagreed, I appreciated her candor and honesty. She's a woman of principle and while I may not agree with her here, dammit if I don't respect that. 4 orders of fries (Ben). 1 order of fries (Katy).

The taco trio, from the top: Steak, the divisive al pastor and chicken (bawk bawk).

For the uninitiated, ladies and gentlemen, I give to you the steak......TORTAAAAAAA!