Many of us have our go-to restaurants. They’re the places you visit after a long day at work, when you realize there’s nothing at home to eat, or when you simply don’t feel like thinking too hard about dinner. The food is consistently good, the price point is right, and the taste hits the spot every single time.
You’re lucky if you have one go-to restaurant. You’re blessed beyond measure if you have more than a couple. I have a few, and I was recently lucky enough to add a small Mexican taco stand in Pasadena to my rolodex.
I found out about this stand after visiting a similar one only a few blocks away. While that restaurant was good, I somehow found myself going to this one more and more. I wasn’t alone. Every now and then, a line would form with people who apparently thought, and ate, the same way I did. By this point, I’ve been here more times than I can count and each visit has been just as good as the one before.
But there’s one small problem: I don’t know their name.
As a small stand with a team of four or five people working beneath the navy-colored pop-up tents, the focus seems to be on the food rather than the branding. And honestly, I understand it. When the food is this good, maybe a fancy sign isn’t necessary. At least not right now.
For the purpose of this post, we’ll call them Apolinar Tacos. On the corner of Marengo Avenue and Woodbury Road in Pasadena, Apolinar is the name attached to the Zelle account when it’s time to pay. Whatever their official name may be, the food is what keeps me coming back.
You can smell Apolinar before you even reach the stand. The scent of grilled meat, cheese, and beans carries through the air as you walk from your car, and my excitement starts building before I’ve even placed an order. Then there’s the added pleasure of watching the food being prepared right in front of you. By now, I already know what I want. Honestly, I always know what I want.
I ordered two Carne Asada Tacos (price unavailable). Sure, carne asada may be one of the most common taco choices, but there’s a reason it’s so common and popular. The asada here is lightly seasoned and cooked with a subtle char that brings out the flavor without overpowering it. Then there’s the tortillas, made right in front of you and serving as the perfect little envelope for everything that comes next. Onions. Cilantro. A creamy avocado sauce. That’s it.
Simple and to the point, and somehow, it’s everything. The tacos are flavorful and they’re exactly what I want after a long day. They’re also the reason I’ve gone from trying this stand once to returning more times than I can count.
My boyfriend had his usual hunger to satisfy as well. His plate came with three Al Pastor Tacos and two Chorizo Tacos (prices unavailable). Each was topped with chopped onions, cilantro, red onion and avocado crema. The tacos were vibrant, filling and just as satisfying as mine. Looking across at his plate, I could tell he was having the same experience I was.
Good food doesn’t need much explaining and that’s probably what I love most about this little Pasadena taco stand. I don’t know its official name. I don’t know how long it has been on its corner. I don’t know if there’s a website or a carefully curated Instagram account telling me its story.
What I do know is that the food is good. Really good. And when you find a place close to home that you can visit again and again, order what you love, and leave satisfied every single time, that’s worth remembering. Apolinar, or whatever their real name is, has officially earned a spot in my Pasadena food rolodex and I’ll be going back. As often as I can.
Follow Them.
Address: Intersection of Marengo Avenue and Woodbury Road in Pasadena, CA
Phone: N/A
Hours: Sunday through Thursday – 5:00 pm to 12:00 am and Friday and Saturday – 5:00 pm to 1:00 am
Social: N/A
