Al Pastor is the type of taco that we used to get at Taco Sabrosa. Now, when I drive past their location, all I see is a red blockade bar across the parking lot entrance, and a sign that says, "Closed for Renovation." Longest renovation ever, so I've been looking for a new Al Pastor taco place. A few months ago, I read about a place on East Riverside, close to where people get shot in Austin. Yes, people get shot in all parts of town, and we have a very low murder rate, but after midnight, I would not go to that area.

But the name of the restaurant is Al Pastor. So if you are looking for Al Pastor tacos, it's worth looking into. I went there with Julie and Ken when they were visiting Austin in April, and was impressed. The entire back page of the menu is full of their Al Pastor options, which means pork sliced off a slow cook rotisserie. The quesadillas were great, and the tacos were very good. The tacos came without cheese, an ingredient that made the quesadillas so tasty.
When I went in yesterday, I ordered the tacos with cheese, so this would be the true test. They were better than before, but still not perfect. The cheese wasn't fully melted, and there were bits of the pork that were too fatty to eat. So close. Close enough that I will get Carrie to try them, but really, the quest goes on.

In-store yesterday with Telegraph Canyon, which sounds like a wine label more than a band name. They had all the instruments I like (except the accordion), fiddle, mandolin, banjo, etc., but they never seemed to connect, and put it all together. Their sound was a little like Neil Young, but they had no stage presence or notable performance style. They had loaded in an enormous organ that the guitarist played some, but it did not help enough, nor did having a female fiddle player in boots and a skirt. Just something missing in all of it. Sadly, the most impressive thing was that someone loaded in that giant organ.

Peace,

JS4