THE
BLUE TACO By: Emily Plummer Editor-in-Chief
FUSION RESTAURANT
Sitting in my senior portfolio class last Monday I found myself continually losing focus as the lunchtime hunger began to settle. I took to Yelp, hoping that my scrolling would make the class go by faster (sorry Dr. Rosner). I was looking for some food on a budget that was local, yet out of the box. With only an hour to get lunch and $15 to spend on food, I still had a fair amount of options; but what kind of food? It was like I was having the typical "well where do you want to eat?" dispute with a significant other, but it was just me internally arguing with myself over Mexican or Italian food. Today Mexican food had won and I settled on Blue Taco, a hole in the wall taco joint. Blame it on my indecisiveness wasting my time or the restaurant’s obscurely limited hours, I only had eight minutes to get downtown before they closed. Was I really about to risk a speeding ticket all for some tacos? You betcha.
you're eating it all!" Nope, actually I was not, but I guess I am now. Rather than get offended, I was more-so surprised that this was my first time getting this response, considering how frequently I got out to eat. In my defense, I did underestimate just how huge this "bowl" was going to be. I think my brain has become conditioned to the ‘Chipotle burrito bowl world’ we live in, to expect just that.
This elote "bowl" was GIGANTIC. It was a full to-go container filled to the brim with rice, lettuce, grilled chicken, corn, butter, lime, Parmesan, and sweet chile. I think that the addition of chicken was a mistake as I didn't ask for any, but nonetheless, it was a pleasant surprise. The rice and corn were cooked perfectly and overall everything tasted amazing. Each element of the bowl worked perfectly together and could easily compete with Chipotle. Especially at $7.50 a bowl, you're Although located right next to St. Francis's getting the more bang for your buck with downtown campus, it was actually a bit this option. hard to find. Google Maps and Yelp list different locations for the eatery and there To start, the pork belly taco had quite a is no distinguishable sign on the building. punch of flavor, deeply saturated with Inside it looks like a 10-year-old picked sweet pineapple juice, red onion and out the color scheme, and the interior peppers to give a little heat. I would have was definitely not what I was expected. preferred fresh pineapple over canned as Including the lack of customers... I quietly it would have detracted from the syrupy reviewed the menu near the counter canned flavor and overall given the taco and waited for somebody to take my that essentially sour pineapple taste. order. Somebody? Anybody? I started to The next taco, the Caribbean chicken taco question leaving, where they even open? was my least favorite overall. Mangoes are After about a five-minute wait somebody entirely unappealing to me unless they’re finally came to take my order.I decided to mixed in some sugary smoothie. indulge in their elote rice bowl, with three tacos, each as exciting as the last. The taste, the texture; everything! Although I appreciated the freshness of As I went to pay, the person taking my the mangoes they used, the mango salsa order exclaimed "That's a lot of food, I did not work for me at all. Without the know you're taking this to go. No way salsa, it would have been much better.
16
March 23, 2020
Last was the Cajun taco, by far the best taco I’ve EVER had. Although looking like a regular street taco (except with the addition of lettuce), the smokey flavor that you get biting into the chicken was otherworldly! Now, if you take anything away from this post, it should be that this taco needs to be on your food bucket list! To sum it up, if you're looking for a place that's cheap, has great food, and located in a lively downtown area, this is the perfect spot. Although it may not seem like much from the outside, this place is full of funky creations so you are bound to find something you like.10/10 would revisit. Blue Taco is located at 79 N Chicago St, Joliet, IL 60432 and their menu can be found on Yelp.
