America's Taco Shop (Tempe Location)

Almost every city has some restaurants known best for one specialty. Philadelphians debate the merits of Geno's versus Pat's for cheesesteaks. Residents of New Haven pledge allegiance to Pepe's "apizza." New Yorkers line up for Mamoun's falafel. What restaurants in Phoenix are known for concentrating on one particular food and pursuing it to perfection? America's Taco Shop (ATS), a small, local chain of restaurants, has built a reputation over the past two years as one of the region's go-to places for carne asada. With the opening of its latest outpost in Tempe, ATS has managed to reinforce its claim to excellent grilled beef without compromising the quality that has made its Central Phoenix restaurants so popular.

exterior and patio

The new location is on the southwest corner of University and Rural, almost adjacent to the ASU Main Campus. It's clearly visible from the light rail station near that corner, although the path from the platform to the restaurant's door is not obvious. A straight line route might involve walking along the tracks, crossing a ditch full of water, or maybe both. Play it safe and walk east to Rural Road, turn left and walk north along Rural, and then turn left again on to the pedestrian path that ASU students use to commute to and from class. The path meets University Drive near America's front door. Don't worry if the route sounds convoluted; it takes only a minute or two and involves no crossings of busy streets.

ceviche

While the original ATS in Phoenix's Coronado neighborhood occupies a restored bungalow, the Tempe site is much more ordinary. It's in a stucco building that previously housed a pizza place. The seating inside is tight because half the room is taken up by the open kitchen and the counter. There's more seating on the shaded, mist-cooled patio, which is comfortable even in the summer heat. Back inside, customers are greeted by aromas of grilled meat and the sight of beef cooking over an open flame and pork al pastor on a rotisserie. There's a little beach-style decor on the walls, and a fresh coat of paint on the outside brightens the place. Unfortunately, there are also some glaring apostrophe errors ("burrito's" and "taco's") on some of the window signs. Those are particularly frustrating right next to a college campus.

carne asada burrito

The carne asada, the restaurant's signature dish, and the pastor, a more recent addition, can be served in all sorts of ways: quesadillas, burritos, tortas, and, of course, tacos. The beef is chopped after grilling, allowing it to blend evenly with caramelized onions, lettuce, and cilantro when served. The tacos are street style -- served in soft corn tortillas, but another dish called the "Vampiro" places everything on a grilled tortilla to produce something closer to a tostada. The pork has a sight sweet fruitiness that comes from the pineapple used in the al pastor preparation. It comes in chunks that are nicely charred on the outside and tender in the interior. What's really nice is how the two meats are paired with appropriate salsas. All beef dishes come with a finely minced red version, and all the pork comes with a tomatillo-based salsa verde.

vampiro

With all the talk of beef and pork, ATS does a surprisingly good job with alternatives to red meat. There's no chicken at all on the menu, but America's prepares an excellent bean burrito. Smooth refritos made without lard but with plenty of flavor are combined with a bit of jack cheese inside a flour tortilla. Like all ATS burritos, it's a simple, moderately-sized creation rather than a mission-style stuffed behemoth. Pair it with an order of the elote, or grilled corn, and you'll have a filling meatless meal. On Fridays and Saturdays, ATS also serves a shrimp ceviche with minced, marinated crustaceans tossed with chopped onions, tomato, cucumber, and cilantro. It comes with a basket of chips and some of the same slightly tart red sauce as the corn. There’s also really good guacamole here in a thick, almost oatmeal-like texture. It's dense enough to test the strength of most chips.

carne asada taco

For dessert, there’s only one choice at America's. It's a flan about the size and shape of a hockey puck but with a considerably more appealing taste and texture. To drink, America's serves Mexican Coke, horchata, tamarindo, and jamaica. Those are all sugary choices, and currently the only alternatives are water or iced tea. Coming soon, however, ATS will add a liquor license at the Tempe location only, allowing it to sell bottled beer and margaritas. What could be better than drinking some of those while watching the trains go by from the patio? Service is quite helpful, but you may find yourself defending your unfinished food against overzealous efforts to clear the table. America's makes the ambitious claim to have the "greatest carne asada in the Valley?" It's a subjective claim that can't really be verified, but if ATS continues to grow without a loss of quality, it will definitely remain a destination for its signature dish.

elote

735 E. University Dr., Tempe AZ 85281
(480) 751-6250
http://www.americastacoshop.net/




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