Daily Loaf

“Tampa misses so much cool shit,” my friend Brian Repetto of Insect Joy turns to me and whispers through a cigarette smoke exhale. New World Brewery, Thursday, August 6. One of those nights in Y-bore that turn out really fun because you conned a few friends to hang out and support local music.

“Oh well, I’m glad I made it out, man. This is a really great lineup tonight.” No joke. Insect Joy interestingly spliced record dj-ing and spinning with their usual weird electronic sounds whirling into the atmosphere. Flexxehawk blasted through their spidery, angular, intricate yet minimalist songs with true enthusiasm and purity reserved for bands willing to play their damnist whether the crowd consists of five people or 500.

Huge musical buildups and crescendos with very few but very meaningful words flesh out the Flexxehawk sound into something original, in the vein of Polvo’s kind of math rock mixed with textured vocal harmonies. Historically members and contributors of several local and national acts including Ima, Dumbwaiters, Meringue, etc. All this not even mentioning the touring headliner, ST37.

Out of this world, psychedelic, noisy, punk and weird, references to J.G. Ballard and Twin Peaks, all in one four-piece from Austin …

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The lady making the tortillas

Excited by Chef Rene Valenzuela’s expansion of his empire, and because I ‘ve been a taco zealot since CL’s Tournament of Tacos in March, I ran right to Taqueria Monterrey on the first day open.

Taqueria Monterrey Day 1:  An artist is still painting signs on the walls.  He asks me to verify his spelling of the word ’Also’ and says the design is inspired by old world Spain.

In keeping with CL’s Beef Week, I ordered Read the rest of this entry »

This week, Brian and Taylor just drink and chat about whatever comes to mind, like Taco Bus owner Rene Valenzuela’s new restaurant, or St. Pete’s Buona Vita, or how to chill your wine consumption this summer.

Downland the episode here.

Taco Bus owner Rene Valenzuela has bought the former Malena’s space on 2320 Fletcher Ave. and plans to open an outpost of his Taqueria Monterrey, which has another location in Plant City. According to Valenzuela, “we’ll have a lady in front making tortillas fresh, and all the items that are difficult to do in the Taco Bus.” There will be a larger menu of vegetarian and vegan items, a salsa bar, and more complex food at the new spot, and the prices will be slightly higher than the Taco Bus’ incredibly inexpensive fare.

Sounds like good news, but Read the rest of this entry »

El Taconazo may be the most well-known taco joint in the Bay area, but it can’t rest on its laurels in this fight against Mekenita. In previous rounds, the Taco Bus hasn’t mustered nearly as much fan support as the Lutz-based Mekenita. Which restaurant will get out the vote?

Which taco deserves to move on to the Final Four?

Vote after the break –

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Wha huh? Were all the Taco Bus supporters on vacation, or too busy noshing on El Taconazo take-out and watching college basketball to log on and vote? This was a close one, folks, with the Taco Bus barely eking out a win over Don Pancho Villa thanks to a last-minute push.

Don’t forget to vote in today’s match: Peg’s Cantina vs. Zurritos, and for all results check out the Tournament of Tacos Readers’ Poll info page.

Updated bracket after the break:

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Is this a competition even worth having? Is it remotely possible that a dreary Mexican restaurant with mediocre tacos could summon the devoted fanbase necessary to unseat the Taco Bus? Nope. Click for Taconazo and go back to your basketball game.

Which taco deserves to move on to the Edible Eight?

Vote after the break –

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The second day of CL’s Tournament of Tacos featured the undisputed popular favorite — El Taconazo, the Taco Bus — up against a newcomer hawking San Diego-style fare off the beaten path. Day 2 also gave me some of the best tacos I’ve tasted so far — and they weren’t from Taconazo.

First seeded El Taconazo vs. California Tacos To Go in Tampa North and La Cabana del Tio vs. Carambas Restaurante in Pinellas North.

Who advances to the Savory Sixteen? Which taco took the popular vote?

Find out after the break:

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El Taconazo is the end all, be all of Tampa’s taco world, the undisputed popular favorite in this tournament. California Tacos To Go is a dark horse that recently received a warm — if not glowing — write-up over at Laura Reiley’s blog. Can the little Baja taco stand upset the Taco Bus? Which taco deserves to move up to the Savory Sixteen?

I’ll reveal my pick tomorrow, but you still have a say. Vote below for your favorite in this taco-a-taco showdown and we’ll track the results in our readers’ poll. And if you haven’t tasted these two worthy competitors, this is a perfect excuse for an extended, taco-tasting lunch.

Check out all of CL’s Tournament of Tacos coverage here for both future matchups and daily results, until the tournament ends April 1. And you’ll find contact and location info here for all of the competitors.

So who wins: El Taconazo or California Tacos To Go? (And don’t forget to vote in today’s other matchup!)

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Check out the full Tournament of Tacos bracket after the break: Read the rest of this entry »

Sure, a plane crashes, a man gets ready for the biggest job in the land, and Gruden gets a pink slip. All big stories, but where’s the love for a pot of beans and greens, or a jab at Jasmine Thai? Here’s your chance to relive the week that was, without all that pesky news in the way:

• Creative Loafing debuts its new food section! World celebrates!
• Brian reviews Jasmine Thai’s new location and pronounces it “a safety date.”
• Taylor pens a sonnet of middling quality on the pros and cons of oak. She’s well versed on the subject.
• A waiter rants about customers — “If you were to say hello to me in your office I wouldn’t say: ‘pro forma balance sheet!’ or ‘digital rectal exam!’”
• Grapefruit Avocado Salad, plus more great grapefruit recipes.
• How do West Indian ex-pats spend a Christmas in Miami? Like everyone else, but with better food.
• Tampa wins caffeine trifecta — Most Caffeinated City, Least Addicted, Most Pain Killers!
• People get drunk at Tom Pritchard’s charity roast!
• Impromptu pasta: easy Spinach and Gorgonzola Pasta.
• North Coast Scrimshaw Pilsner helps a dark beer girl remember lighter days.
• Taco Bus to host cookbook author and Mexican food maven Diana Kennedy.
• White Bean and Kale Stew will, apparently, “warm your nubbies.”
• CL announces the first of many Monthly Recipe Contests.
• Capital Grille hires new sommelier.

Renowned cookbook author and Mexican cuisine authority Diana Kennedy will be at Seminole Heights’ favorite Mexican food diner — El Taconazo (affectionately known at the Taco Bus) — Friday, February 13. She’ll be signing books at 5:30 and teach a cooking class at 6:30.

I’m a huge fan of Kennedy’s. The first cookbook I ever owned was her The Art of Mexican Cooking, which is due for anew printing this March.

While she’s visiting Tampa she’ll also do a book signing at Inkwood Saturday the 14th and offer a cooking class at the Rolling Pin Kitchen in Brandon on Thursday the 12th. Her schedule is posted below.

Rene Valenzuela, owner and chef of the Taco Bus writes: Read the rest of this entry »