It’s become apparent to people in my life that I really do love tacos. It may have taken some time, but finally the people around me see that I don’t keep this blog just for kicks, or out of some strange sense of irony. I love tacos.

But, really, who doesn’t? No one. Everybody loves tacos. Er’body loves to talk tacos.

Which is why people are always suggesting new taco restaurants to me. Most recently, a friend suggested a new taco place over in St. Paul – The Rusty Taco, which just opened in April.

It’s a terrible name that conjures visions of (in sillier moments) disgusting sex acts  – or, at the very least, a mouthful of  Tetanus.

However, once focused on the menu rather than the name, all grotesque visions disappear and are replaced with sweet imaginings of a heaven where they serve things like breakfast tacos, and fried chicken tacos, beer (Fulton in the house!) and, I think on their specials board they even had a drink called the Rusty Rita, a margarita made with wine. Sigh.

I know, I know – I’ve said time and time again that I’m really into authentic, Mexican tacos, piled high with nothing but spicy meat, onions, and cilantro. But, hey, is there anything America hasn’t improved?

All joking aside, I knew before I went that I wasn’t going to be able to get the standard, delicious, authentic tacos of El Taco Riendo, or La Hacienda. Sure, Rusty Taco has some traditional-sounding goods like Beef Fajita tacos, and Chicken Ranchero tacos (two items that although deemed to be Mexican food, are not really tacos, but here have been taco-ized). But, I wasn’t there for those items. Hell no. I wanted some Fried Chicken Tacos, or FCTs.

*On a side note, I would have definitely gotten the Breakfast Tacos if they were available in the afternoon. However, a friend of mine got them and said they were good, but had too much cheese. This leads me to believe that the breakfast burrito, in all it’s glory, might be as good as it can ever get for a mexican hand-held breakfast. I say it that way because huevos rancheros is a fucking delicious Mexican breakfast, and does not come in a hand-held fashion.*

So, I lived my week-long dream of getting Fried Chicken tacos, and you know what? They were pretty darn good. They even had coleslaw all up in there. But, here’s the thing, they were good, but I don’t know if they had any real merit as tacos. I mean, they could have been anything stuffed with fried chicken and coleslaw and they would have been tasty. So, what’s the point other than to say,  ”I had some FCTs”?

In addition to those taco-not-tacos, I tried the Picadillo tacos. Picadillo is a type of beef-hash that is served in all kinds of Latin American countries, and also in the Philippines.  From what I understand (read on Wikipedia) the beef and potato combination that Rusty Taco chose for their tacos is mainly the sort of picadillo served in the Philippines. Anyway, those were super delicious.

Finally, I had to choose the Rusty Taco’s own Rusty Taco – a pork taco with pineapple. Honestly, I was a little disappointed in this taco. The pork was dry, and it seemed like the pineapple pieces were just chunks of canned pineapple, which didn’t leave me wanting more.

On the whole, Rusty Taco has the right kind of prices, and the right kind of novel, ironic appeal that is going to make it a popular place, but I wouldn’t consider it a “great place for tacos in the Twin Cities.” It’s definitely one of a kind, and I will definitely be back to try their other offerings, and drink up all of their Fulton. Who knows, maybe if they get a taco truck for the summer, and shop their taco wares around the Whittier neighborhood, I’ll get all fat from their cheap, tasty taco-not-tacos, and change my tune.

All tacos: $2.50

Rusty Taco, 508 Lexington Parkway South, Saint Paul, MN 55105