Taco Hut

December 10, 2014

Rancho Cucamonga, California – I actually do not remember how I found out about this place. I do, though, remember planning a visit after reading about it. Today I was in the mood for Mexican food and decided to stop in.

Taco Hut has four locations around the Inland Empire, with two in Rancho Cucamonga. Today’s visit was to the Foothill Blvd. location at Rochester Blvd. It sits in an outdoor mall at the end of the pad with Popeye’s anchoring it.

As you walk up, you’ll pass the small patio first. Open the door and you’ll find the hostess station immediately in front of you. Off to the left is the waiting area with a long counter and chairs. It is usually a very short wait and most of the time you can choose where you’d like to sit.

A small bar is straight ahead. A couple of flat-screen TVs are on, almost always showing sports. There are probably a dozen or so tables and chairs in the main section, plus a few bar stools at the round tables. The tables have serapes draped over them, covered by a pane of glass. Near the back of room are a couple of booths for larger or private groups.

Taco Hut seems to a spot for regulars after work. I’ve noticed that several of the customers know the servers and bartender by name. Quite sure the friendliness of the staff has a lot to do with that.

Looking around, I saw banners advertising different beers. The selection seems to change often; they’ve had a different selection each time I’ve gone in. When my server came to take my order, I decided to try a Helles Lager ($6). I wasn’t really fond of this one. It had a taste I did not really care for in a beer. I would’ve left it unfinished but wasting beer is, you know… I also ordered a Montejo, which I get each time I’m there. The Montejo is part of the permanent selection. That one I do enjoy. Nice and light. It goes well with everything on the menu.

Let’s talk for a moment about chips and salsa. These are brought to your table after you are seated. It is worth coming here to Taco Hut just for their chips and salsa. Hearty chips that really stand up to the salsa. And the salsa has a special ingredient – I think its oregano – that just takes it up a notch or two. I bet you’ll ask for a refill before you finish your meal.

Taco Hut features daily specials. Since today is Whetto Wednesday (look it up), street tacos are just $1 each. I ordered one chicken and
one carnitas. Hope you like fresh cilantro and onions because they come with plenty of both. Even though it is a street taco, they do not hold back on the meat. Both the chicken and the carnitas were tasty and juicy. I did prefer the carnitas to the chicken.

For the main part of my meal, I ordered the Meat Burrito ($6.99), wet (add $3). I selected carne asada for my meat. ‘Wet’ is enchilada sauce. Inside the burrito is just meat, beans, cilantro, and onion. You can taste both the cilantro and onions in the burrito; both make themselves known without overpowering the burrito. It is similar to when the lesser-known members of the team play well, the entire team plays well. The beans had the most muted taste of the group but still made a delicious contribution to the party.

The carne asada itself was chipped, well marinated, and cooked well done. Even with the other ingredients in and on the burrito, you can still taste the flavor of the carne asada. The enchilada sauce has the classic flavor. As you would expect, the enchilada sauce added a slight kick to the burrito. This is all topped by shredded cheddar (I think) cheese. (Thank you, Taco Hut, for not going overboard on the cheese.)

On a subsequent visit, I ordered the Two Taco Combo, king size ($10). As you’d expect, sides for the combo are rice and beans. Taco Hut serves a Spanish style rice. It comes in a plastic mortar-like container. Moist, fluffy, and has good flavor. Likewise, the beans were delicious. Perfect consistency. And they have some special ingredient that I cannot identify that elevates the taste way above any ordinary refried beans. I asked one of the cooks what that secret ingredient was. He said, “we put looooove in them.” Normally beans and rice are nothing special, but Taco Hut scores well in both areas.

Taco Hut has become crave-worthy. If I am in the Inland Empire and I’m jonesing for a fat, delicious burrito, or even just chips and salsa, I’ll make a stop here.

This is a pretty cool place to dine for lunch or dinner. I haven’t tried their breakfast. It is also the perfect place to unwind after work. On the occasional evening, it can get a bit crowded, though.

Taco Hut – 4.5 forks. Highly recommended. I’m serious about the chips and salsa!