Taqueria del Sol

          Taqueria del Sol is an icon for Decatur.  There are two other locations, but in Decatur it is the place to go.  My family and I like it so much that for about two years now, we’ve gone to Taqueria every single Saturday for lunch. 

          The atmosphere at Taqueria is awesome.  No matter what time of year, it always makes being outdoors feel nice.  The majority of the restaurant is a long covered patio, but there’s indoor seating also.  The patio is nice because in the winter, they close up the plastic sides and turn on the overhead heaters, making it warm but open.  Then, in the summer, they open up the sides and turn on the fans.  Taqueria emotes the fun feeling of breezy summertime.  Unfortunately, all of the restaurant’s customers must wait in one very long line to get to the one cash register.  The line usually moves quick, but sometimes it can feel like forever before you finally reach the front.  Sitting at the bar is the easy way to avoid the intimidating line. 

My usual plate (Two fish tacos and the shrimp corn chowder)

          Taqueria’s menu consists of tacos, enchiladas, sides, soups, and dips.  To start the meal, we get the cheese dip and the guacamole dip every time.  The cheese dip is great because it’s got just the right amount of jalapeno spiciness, but still the gooey creaminess everyone loves.  The guacamole is hands-down the best I’ve ever had, and my mom goes on and on about it when we bring people with us to eat.  The avocados are chunky, as are the tomatoes, and there’s tons of lime and cilantro in the dip.  It most definitely is NOT just mushy green gunk.  The tacos on the menu are all delicious, and honestly I wouldn’t bother with the enchiladas.  My favorite tacos are the Memphis, the Fried Chicken, and the Fish.  The Memphis is an entire barbeque meal put into one tortilla.  The fried chicken is good for picky eaters because it’s kind of like chicken fingers in a taco.  The fish taco is probably what Taqueria is most known for.  It’s simple fried tilapia with a delicious jalapeno tartar sauce, but the flavors that come out of it are incomparable.  I like to dip mine in the leftover cheese dip.  The other item that most Taqueria fanatics gab about is the shrimp corn chowder.  That chowder is truly food for the soul; that’s really all I can say.  Meal portions are a little difficult to determine, but two tacos and a side or chowder is a safe amount to order, especially if you’re getting chips and a dip.  What better thing to wash down a meal than a heaping glass of sweet tea? Taqueria has the best sweet tea in Decatur, and I know good sweet tea.  I’m Southern.

          Now, since my blog is The Teenage Foodie, I do have to stand up for my peers.  Taqueria hates teenagers, and they aren’t subtle about showing it.  Maybe it’s because we don’t tip well enough, maybe it’s because they think we make a mess, maybe it’s because we aren’t the crowd they want to target, but this is my only negative comment about the restaurant.  I’ve been there with my friends, and the waiters will snatch up my plate as I’m taking my last bite just to get us out of there fast enough.  They’ve never done anything like that when I go with my parents, so I can only think that there’s some age bias going on.  So, teenagers, y’all need to tip better, and Taqueria, y’all need to lighten up.  There.  Problem solved.

          To conclude, if you haven’t been to Taqueria del Sol you need to go.  It’s just a Decatur experience that you should have.  You’ll leave feeling much happier than when you arrived, and I guarantee you’ll want to return.

The Teenage Foodie