First visit: Feb 2025
I'm once again in the southern part of Colorado Springs near lunchtime. It's Friday and the weather is similar to the day before: Sunny and very warm for this time of year. Just the way my Colorado Springs digging routine goes, the south is where I'll often be during lunch. I'd hoped to make it back to downtown, but I was running behind.
I was up for a hamburger or tacos and was hoping to try someplace new. Right across the street from where I was lies Las Tortugas, and their street tacos looked good in the images I saw. OK, let's try it. Las Tortugas sits in a strip center that I had never been to before. Most of it is empty, but one segment is still hopping and that's where the restaurant is. Looks like my 2017 Acura SUV, affectionately known as "Zippy" due to its excellent ability to zip in and out of insane traffic, makes a cameo (bottom right). Mrs. RJG drives a fancy schmancy 2024 Lexus SUV, but I still prefer my Zippy. Besides it has a CD player. Can't get those anymore either...
Walk in, and you'll see a gigantic place, some of it allocated to arcade, pinball, and parlor games. Las Tortugas have the ninos in mind, and they want you to bring the whole family. It's a modern place and the menu is bright and large. Order at the counter. Tortas (Mexican sandwiches) is their primary offering, and next time I'll insist on having one. But I had tacos on the brain, and I asked if they were good. "Oh yes!" proudly said the friendly lady at the counter in accented English. I went for a taco plate that gets you two tacos, rice, and beans. Sounds bueno. For the tacos I settled on pollo and al pastor.
To your right is what I received. I started in on the beans. Not hot enough temperature but a good flavor. They were almost like chili (thinking Hormel or something similar) rather than the traditional refried beans offering. I went next to the rice. Here the temperature was perfect. This isn't really my kind of rice - sort of flaky and oftentimes mushy. For this style, however, I thought it was very good. Next time though I'll lay off both. Now to try the main course. Tacos were wrapped in double corn tortillas and served "street style" with cilantro and onions. Very hot to the touch (hooray). The counter lady said the chicken wasn't that "asado-y" (word of the day). But I was pleasantly surprised. Excellent grilled chicken flavor. Even better was the al pastor, and I had the option of getting pineapple, but I passed. It's been a long time since I enjoyed pastor this good. Heavily seasoned and not a hint of the porky flavor that oftentimes ruins the dish. Both tacos were great. Also worth noting the salsas that you see. The green is a creamy lime, with medium heat, and very good. The orange had a chile de arbol flavor and packed a punch.
I'll be back next year. And I'm getting a sandwich...
2/28/25 (new entry)
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