Restaurant Review: Taqueria Nacional

So, having been sick yesterday (and still fighting it off), I was a little groggy when I left the house this morning and failed to pack myself anything for lunch. 

For most people, this just means going to the local deli and grabbing a sandwich (Like Taylor Gourmet… mmm… it’s my mission to get them to buy local, sustainable meats. Then I will eat there EVERY DAY).  But of course, I cannot do this (yet).  BUT, after a little searching around DCCK’s Union Station to Penn Quarter neighborhood… I found an even BETTER solution than a sandwich.  PORK TACOS.

Taqueria Nacional, the now famous little taco stand hidden behind Johnny’s Half Shell and owned by the always sustainable-friendly Ann Cashion, uses Bev’s pork from EcoFriendly Foods!  I had heard this rumor before, but to be sure, I called Bev to verify.  Yep, all in the clear.  I couldn’t believe my luck!

I’ve been eating at the Taqueria since I started here at DCCK almost 2 years ago, but I had no idea until now that they source sustainable meats.  I don’t know where everything comes from (pollack for fish tacos…?) but I can at least know I am good with the pork. And the pork is soooooo good.

I normally get their Hibiscus aqua fresca to go with my tacos, but skipped it this time because I have no idea what’s in it.  To get the same effect, I drank a Black Forest Berry organic tisane, made in Pennsylvania by the very socially responsible Bethesda, MD- based Honest Tea company.  It is only very lightly sweetened with pure organic cane sugar, and even uses organic Fair Trade Certified hibiscus… I actyally just realized this a hibiscus based drink- I can’t believe I had it in my office all this time and never drank it until now, it’s like it was waiting for these tacos! 🙂

Where did the corn tortillas and green salsa come from? I don’t know.  But I’m betting that if they go to all the trouble and expense to buy sustainable meats, they probably care about where the rest of their food comes from.  When eating sustainably, the priority goes to meat/poultry/fish, then dairy and eggs, then produce and the rest.  Other important factors are additives like preservatives, or high fructose corn syrup.  So since I couldn’t be sure their Hibiscus aqua fresca didn’t have HFCS… I went with the Honest Tea (and I’m so glad I did, this stuff is awesome…).

It’s all about choices. Especially when you forget your lunch and start to freak out.  Good food is all around, it just takes a little more effort to find.  But then, most things that are worth it do.