Just a few days ago, 24SEP2022, my much better half and I were attending another fantastic El Paso Symphony with two good library friends, M.H. & A. This was also the first time we agreed to carpool from their home on the near-West side. Our intent was to begin this excellent evening with an excellent meal here at this eatery. Actually, because this cursed COVID is still killing ~400 people/day in the USA, we got our food “to go”. Not knowing any specific dish, A. highly recommended the shrimp taco, which was A-OK with me because I am a “shrimpaholic”. After obtaining our take out, we enjoyed our mask-free meals in the lovely San Jacinto Plaza. I was amazed at the quality & quantity of the delicious/grilled to moist perfection medium sized shrimp. And, yes, there were some corn or flour tortillas/sour cream/snappy salsa as well, but the main feature was absolutely dominant/tasty/worth every dollar! This eatery/shrimp tacos certainly had my coveted “¡Wheel of Approval!”

Fast forward a few days to today, Tuesday, 27SEP2022, and I was back downtown carrying out spousal obligations, but I was really looking forward to another amazing Shrimp taco from this amazing eatery. Arriving there about (12:30), the server/host/waitstaff was again just as efficient as before, even filling my now-empty Pilot coffee mug with chipped ice. Soon enough, a plastic take-away bag arrived with a recycled cardboard cuboid filled with steaming gastronomical satisfaction, and I was Gimpwalking my way back the county courthouse parking garage for a feast. Once back inside the (motor)vehicle cocoon, I carefully emptied the sour cream & salsa cups onto the gooey food, salivating with the anticipation. I attacked it with the plastic fork and sawed the smothered flour tortilla into bite size portions. This was going to be great! I forked a mouthful between my lips and, wait, where are all the shrimp? There were some in unrecognizable form of being extremely overcooked mush, kind of close to “wet bread”. It definitely was nothing like what I had enjoyed before—no whole grilled shrimp dominating the dish, just bits and pieces. It was as if these were the last leftovers from the box of healthy shrimps; I certainly don’t mind licking my plate clean, but if it’s going to be remnants, at least use from a new box, too. Everything else was quite alright, especially the ice. But the main course—SHRIMP tacos—was sorely disappointing, and definitely does NOT get any praise from me!

SO, it’s now 50-50.

It seems obvious that I must return at some point to learn if the wonderful Shrimp taco on the 24th the truth, or is the dreadful Shrimp taco on the 27th is the truth. Only time will tell, and it may be next month prior to another El Paso Symphony (Harry Potter) concert!