Aqui Es Texcoco — Restaurant in Chula Vista

I had a 200+ guest wedding reception at my home last weekend and Francisco and his crew catered it. This review is for the catering.

First a little background: I am a vegetarian and have many friends who are either strict vegetarians or like to eat vegetarian foods. I searched high and low here in San Diego to find a taco truck or other taco based caterer to provide tasty meat AND vegetarian tacos. I got luke warm to no responses around town until I met Francisco. He is a very nice man and seemed to understand that I wanted both meat and meatless options available to my guests. We agreed upon six tacos to be served; three meat and three meatless. Sides and starters of chips and guacamole were also included.

On the morning of my reception, Francisco called to confirm how many vegetarians would be at the reception. I thought this a strange question because I thought I had made it clear that all options would be available to all guests but didn't think too much about it as it was a busy morning. With such a huge reception, I was very busy with guests during the reception but managed to grab a plate of food for myself. I was surprised to find that there were only the potato rolled tacos being offered up for a vegetarian option. I asked the gentleman working the catering where the vegetarian tacos were and he offered to make me an enfrijolada, which was one of the other two vegetarian options that were supposed to be available. Because I was so busy I didn't ask any questions right then and there but I knew something didn't seem right. Later in the evening I asked one of my VIP guest (who eats vegetarian and I told would have plenty of options) how the veggie tacos were. He said there were no vegetarian options and had eaten the meat tacos. I was embarrassed that I had assured him that he would enjoy the great meatless tacos that I had sampled at Francisco's restaurant.

The next day, I spoke with several guests who informed me that there were no vegetarian tacos offered other than the potato rolled tacos which didn't last long before they were all out. I checked the contract I had agreed to and it included the enfrijoladas and mushroom/poblano tacos along with the potato tacos. The enfrijolada that was made for me was the only enfrijolada consumed and there were zero mushroom/poblano tacos. Several vegetarian guests made due with the sides that were offered since it was the only vegetarian option for them. I emailed Francisco to express my disappointment about not getting the food that we agreed upon and which I paid for. I have not heard any response from him. I paid cash for the catering to avoid Francisco having to pay credit card fees and I gave the four people who worked the catering a $50 tip each.

To be fair, all of my guests who ate the food raved about how delicious it was. Francisco was professional throughout the planning process and provided food for us to taste for free when deciding about the dishes we wanted to order.

My poor rating comes from not receiving all of the food that I paid for and not receiving any response from Francisco about this situation when I tried to contact him. I feel like this restaurant got their money and now don't care that they didn't provide what they agreed to serve. I am open to revising this review if I am contacted...

Before opening Aqui es Texcoco, owner Francisco "Paco" Perez had been preparing barbacoa ("barbecue" from Spanish) in fire-filled pits in the mountain town of Texcoco since he was 12, mastering the art of slow-cooking marinated lamb underground in the outskirts of Mexico City. In 2007, he found what he believed to be a more efficient way that also complied with California law - in using a stainless steel oven, Perez claims he is able to mostly replicate the results he got from the traditional methods which are not allowed for restaurants on this side of the border.

I'm not sure what I was expecting out of the "Lamb Barbacoa" -- but here it was very, very tender and had the consistency of braised veal shank removed from a simmer at that perfect time when it still has a somewhat firm softness, but before it gets stringy. It very much tastes like lamb, but without being very musky or grassy. I felt like I wanted something more - perhaps some smokiness given the simulation of an underground preparation? But no, no smokiness. I'm reminded of what another San Diegan purveyor of barbacoa had told me about barbacoa cooked in Mexico takes on some of the flavor of the earth it is buried in. Obviously, that wasn't in play here either.

Despite its tenderness, the meat was quite lean due to my request - so perhaps thereinlies the magic of Perez's preparation - finding a way to tenderize lean meat from the lamb's ribs, head, and various organs. The barbacoa is served with corn tortillas, pickled onions, as well as fresh onions and cilantro. I enjoyed with the golden "Consommé," a meaty broth made from barbacoa drippings, loaded with garbanzo beans and rice. I've ordered it "con pata" (i.e., with a lamb's foot), which adds collagen and heft to the broth.

Aqui es Texcoco offers smaller portions of their barbacoa in "Barbacoa Tacos," made with tortillas they make in-house, as well as in "Barbacoa Quesatacos," which feature a tortilla made of crispy and melted grilled cheese wrapped around the barbacoa. A "Huitlacoche Quesataco" consists of the same "cheese tortilla," but with a filling of sweet corn and funky "corn smut." If these "quesatacos" sound rich, they most definitely are, so you'll want to leverage the curtido (a habanero onion salad) on the side, which is excellent at cutting through the grease, but may also melt a hole through your stomach. Surprisingly, my favorite taco on the menu has not contained barbacoa, but rather is the "Chicharrón Prensado Taco," which features pressed pork belly and crispy chicharrón bits. Think "bacon taco" without the smoke and you're close. Combining fantastically-flavored meat with well-made corn tortillas will always yield a great taco, and Aqui es Texcoco is worth checking out just for their tacos, even though they offer...

I had been wanting to go to this place for years and just hadn't happened. Finally this norning we decided to make the drive from clairemont to chula Vista (we're not big on commuting 25 minutes to a restaurant!) And I can't believe we didn't come here earlier! This place is fantastic, authentic and delicious! It really made me feel like I was in my hometown of Mexico city. As soon as you walk through the door you can smell the delicious barbacoa steaming, the café de la olla and the various other scents of a good mexican street food stall. We ordered the lamb's head, which you should only do if you're an adventurous eater. It comes as is, with eyes and brains and tongue, and you can either dig into it yourself or the kitchen can put all of the parts on a plate. We also had the consomé, which was rich and comforting. One order of three sopes, one grilles quail and one huitlacoche quesataco. Everything seasoned perfectly. The salsas were fantastic as well and spicy, like they should be. E The café de la olla was sweet and aromatic. Service was prompt and friendly. There were even a couple of guys with guitars singing Mexican folk songs. I absolutely loved this place and would recommend to anyone who wants to try a bit of Mexican cuisine...