If you’re not a habitue of hole-in-the-wall taquerias, you may never have encountered tacos al pastor, a staple of places serving humble Mexican fare. They’re made of meat cut from a rotating vertical cone—cooked by a central heating element—in the style of Greek gyros or Middle Eastern shawarma, sometimes crowned with a hunk of pineapple or onion. The meat’s sliced rather than ground, and unlike shawarma, it’s usually pork, marinated in vinegar, spices, and orange red achiote.
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The origins of tacos al pastor are uncertain. Some theorize the dish arrived in Mexico with Lebanese immigrants who originally used lamb. El Tizoncito, a quick-service chain based in Mexico City, claims to have invented it about 30 years ago. Wherever it came from, getting it right isn’t easy. A restaurant requires substantial traffic to keep the spit turning and the meat fresh. And the simplicity of shepherd-style tacos may be a touch declasse for upscale places that serve them, like Adobo Grill (1610 N. Wells, 312-266-7999), though Rick Bayless is on record as loving them.
The sign in front of Taqueria El Pastor (4418 W. 63rd, 773-284-1003) shows a hand slicing meat from a flaming cone, but before you enter, peek in the front window and make sure the spit is spinning. To have your taco al pastor carved fresh, ask for it that way; standard operating procedure here again seems to be to griddle the meat before serving. On a recent visit I got several tacos of excellently broiled meat, tender yet well textured, and requiring just a squirt of hot sauce for extra piquancy—perhaps not perfection, but damn close.
For more on food and drink, see our blog The Food Chain at chicagoreader.com.
