The Charlottesville 29

Where to eat in Charlottesville

Tag: Tacos Gomez

04/12/2024

Five Finds on Friday: Lorena Aparicio

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Lorena Aparicio, who this week celebrates her tenth anniversary of work at Sultan Kebab. Originally from Puebla, Mexico, Aparicio has been a key reason for Sultan Kebab’s decade of excellence and success. In addition to her picks, below are words of appreciation from Sultan Kebab’s owners. Aparicio’s picks:

1) Carnitas at El Puerto. “I like the carnitas because they are made with the flavor of my country.”

2) Enchiladas Verdes at El Comalito. “The sauce is delicious.”

3) Sopa de Gallina at El Ciruelo.”It is good quality chicken from Honduras, and has a unique flavor.”

4) Tacos de Carne Asada at Tacos Gómez. “I like their carne asada tacos because the tortillas are freshly made.”

5) Pupusas at Mi Casita. “I like their pupusas because they are soft with well-melted cheese.”

Sultan Kebab’s tribute to Aparicio:

We celebrate a remarkable milestone at Sultan Kebab restaurant – 10 incredible years with our dedicated team member, Lorena!

Lorena, your hard work and unwavering loyalty have been instrumental in our journey to becoming the thriving restaurant we are today.

We are forever grateful for your dedication, expertise, and kindness. Your presence has been a cornerstone of our success, and we cannot imagine Sultan Kebab without you.

As we mark this decade-long journey together, we want to express our heartfelt appreciation for all that you do. You are more than just a team member – you are family.

Here’s to many more years of delicious food, warm smiles, and unforgettable experiences together! Cheers, Lorena, and thank you for being an integral part of our Sultan Kebab family!

03/22/2024

Five Finds on Friday: Travis Burgess

Photo by Eze Amos

Today’s Five Finds on Friday come from Travis Burgess, who is now a co-owner of the restaurant group his father helped build, which includes Bizou, Bang!, Crush Pad, and The Space. Read here about the unsurpassed legacy of his father Tim Burgess, and what’s next. Travis’ picks:

1) English Muffins from Cou Cou Rachou. “This is actually the best thing in Charlottesville. So light and fluffy, perfectly buttery and acidic. I stop by weekly to pick these up for the restaurants. The highlight of my week is seeing how many of these I can eat in the car during the three minute drive back to work. Cou Cou is the perfect vibe. Step in and you quickly forget you are on Preston Ave. A slice of Paris right here in Charlottesville with the friendliest staff in town. Pro tip: grab a 6 pack to go, freeze what you don’t eat instantly, and wake up on a weekend morning and make your significant other the best and easiest breakfast egg sandwich in town.”

2) Cabeza Quesadilla from Tacos Gomez. “Worked my way through the Tacos Gomez menu before realizing this. Quesadillas are the move here. And I get it that cabeza can be a little intimidating for us gringos, but these beef cheek quesadillas are incredible. Still can’t figure out what kind of cheese they use but you’ll get some iconic cheese pulls and the meat is so tender. Red sauce is a little too spicy for me. Extra green sauce always. Tortillas are made fresh right there. It is no wonder that the parking lot always has a line in it.”

3) Kouign Amann at Crush Pad Wines “V needs a shoutout here. A true culinary genius – like actually a genius – and the best mentor, godfather, and friend I could ask for. His kouign amann is the best thing he makes. It disappeared after Covid but rumor has it it is on the dessert menu at Crush Pad. Flaky, buttery, caramel croissant dough perfection. But be aware, it is dangerous. Took an extra home last week to surprise the wife and bake off at home. I ended up eating 80% of it. Apparently it’s just like they make in Brittany, but I wouldn’t know because I am still waiting on him to go on our boys’ trip to Brittany.”

4) Porchetta Sandwich from Petite Mariebette. “The other porchetta sandwich in this town. This one deserves some love too. They mix it up every year (currently, Porchella), and it is typically only on the menu for a few months, so get it while you can. It’s the best sandwich they make. Fresh ciabatta soaks up all the porchetta drippings, so much melty gruyere holding the broccoli rabe and everything all together. Just the right amount of pickled veg. The kind of sandwich you finish and immediately crave another. Treat yourself and splurge on a caramel latte while you are at it.”

5) Double Bacon Cheeseburger at the Riverside Lunch bar by myself without my wife. “I can’t be the only one with this routine. But apparently some consider Riverside not to be light and healthy, so we can’t eat there. This one is a real treat for me. Some Sundays when she double books yoga classes around lunch time, I’ll sneak up the street. Double bacon cheeseburger, lettuce, grilled onion, mayo, a side of fries and a cola. Sitting at the bar, NASCAR on one TV, NFL on the other. If you see me there alone at the bar don’t worry. I’m in my happy place.”

05/29/2022

#9: Torta de Lengua y Chorizo – Tacos Gomez

The Torta

Sometimes it feels like tortas are fate’s way of atoning for the blows she has dealt us over the years. Not long ago, tortas were almost impossible to find in Charlottesville. But at the same time that our community has seemed to face one challenge after another, it has also seen an explosion in tortas. Delicious tortas.

A torta is a Mexican sandwich typically served on either a crunchy roll (un bolillo) or a soft one (una telera), and stuffed with lots of meat, cheese, and garnishes. While ordering an American sandwich might prompt the question: “What do you want on it?”, tortas often come with everything, no questions asked. “More is more” is the common approach.

Different eateries excel at different fillings, but almost all of Charlottesville’s tortas are worth ordering, nowhere more so than Tacos Gomez. Winner of 2002 Best Food Truck, Tacos Gomez loads a telera with cheese, tomato, onions, pickled jalapenos, avocado, and mayonnaise. From there, it’s just a matter of choosing a protein from options like ham, pork, steak, chicken, and more. You can even mix and match fillings, and it’s hard to beat the food truck’s own lengua combined with chorizo: chunks of tender beef tongue with house-made Mexican pork sausage.

#9 – Torta de Lengua y Chorizo – Tacos Gomez
The Charlottesville 29 of Sandwiches

Others of Note: Al Pastor y Chorizo Torta at Super Amanacer, Chorizo Torta at Taqueria San Pedro Limon, Torta de Milanesa at The Bebedero, Chorizo Torta at 5th Street Deli, Al Pastor Torta at Taqueria Chaparro, Torta de Asada at El Tio, Torta Michoacana at La Michoacana, Al Pastor y Chorizo Torta at El Comalito,  Steak Torta Tradicional at Mi Casita, Lengua Torta at Cactus, Birria Torta at Taqueria ElChavo. Vegetarian Alternative: Vegetarian Torta at Tacos Gomez.