La Victoria Taqueria
Today I went to San Jose State University for our Resident Advisors Northern California conference. When we got a break in our activities, some of my friends and I crossed the street to grab some Mexican food at La Victoria Taqueria.
I've heard some great things about this place from some of my USF friends who grew up in San Jose. They're always raving about the food there and the special Orange Sauce. Needless to say, my expectations were high. The restaurant is built in what looks like an old two-story Victorian home. The first floor is converted into the restaurant's kitchen and dining room.
The small dining room was full of college-aged kids and a few older adults with their young children. Right away, I noticed that the prices seemed reasonable. I ordered a carnita supreme taco ($3.15 pre-tax) and a horchata to drink. I grabbed my ticket stub and sat down to wait for my order. I had never had horchata before, but I got it today because I was feeling adventurous. It tasted like a toothpaste milkshake. Yuck. Seriously. My friend, Kim, who is an experienced foodie said that she grew up drinking horchatas at special occassions only. Fine horchatas, according to her, are supposed to be subtly sweet and and light brown in color. Mine was minty and white.
Then, my order number was called. They politely informed me that they were out of carnitas, so I switched my order to a chicken taco instead. One thing I'll say about the staff, they're really fast. I only had to wait a few minutes for my order. I happily grabbed my chicken taco and took a bite. Pretty good. It wasn't life altering or anything, like some of my other friends claimed. But still, not bad. I did dip my finger in a side of orange sauce. Hot. I can tolerate some spiciness in my food, but not that hot. And I didn't want to take my chances today--not when my only drink was toothpaste milkshake.
So the verdict: it was ok. The place was quaint. The atmosphere was cheery. The prices were reasonable. The service was polite and prompt. The food was mediocre. It was an ok experience, but I wouldn't go out of my way to eat there again.
I've heard some great things about this place from some of my USF friends who grew up in San Jose. They're always raving about the food there and the special Orange Sauce. Needless to say, my expectations were high. The restaurant is built in what looks like an old two-story Victorian home. The first floor is converted into the restaurant's kitchen and dining room.
The small dining room was full of college-aged kids and a few older adults with their young children. Right away, I noticed that the prices seemed reasonable. I ordered a carnita supreme taco ($3.15 pre-tax) and a horchata to drink. I grabbed my ticket stub and sat down to wait for my order. I had never had horchata before, but I got it today because I was feeling adventurous. It tasted like a toothpaste milkshake. Yuck. Seriously. My friend, Kim, who is an experienced foodie said that she grew up drinking horchatas at special occassions only. Fine horchatas, according to her, are supposed to be subtly sweet and and light brown in color. Mine was minty and white.
Then, my order number was called. They politely informed me that they were out of carnitas, so I switched my order to a chicken taco instead. One thing I'll say about the staff, they're really fast. I only had to wait a few minutes for my order. I happily grabbed my chicken taco and took a bite. Pretty good. It wasn't life altering or anything, like some of my other friends claimed. But still, not bad. I did dip my finger in a side of orange sauce. Hot. I can tolerate some spiciness in my food, but not that hot. And I didn't want to take my chances today--not when my only drink was toothpaste milkshake.
So the verdict: it was ok. The place was quaint. The atmosphere was cheery. The prices were reasonable. The service was polite and prompt. The food was mediocre. It was an ok experience, but I wouldn't go out of my way to eat there again.