Today, I ate lunch at Taco Gean for the first time. It is located on 13th Ave. in Tuscaloosa, across the street from The Red Shed and behind Crimson Cafe. Since it was my first trip, I went with the combo with the most variety: 3 soft tacos (One of which is not pictured, because I devoured it before I even thought about taking a picture, ha), each with a different meat, and topped with fresh onions, cilantro, jalapenos, and cheese . I tried Chicken Mole, Pork in Red Salsa, and Beef Barbacoa. Each taco was stuffed with meat...no skimping on portions here. I like that. The chicken and pork were both great, but had very similar sauces. The chicken actually had a sweet aftertaste, which was different, but enjoyable. The beef was delicious, and my favorite of the three. I should have paid more attention to the detailed ingredients on the menu and mixed it up a little more in regards to the pork and chicken, but I can take care of that next time. The more traditional style salsa was very hot, which was a great compliment to the smokier sauces on the pork and chicken.
Overall, I loved the food and the experience. There isn't an "atmosphere" per se, but the staff were so incredibly friendly that I didn't even think about it. I'd love to be able to get chips on the side in lieu of rice and beans, but that is just a minor gripe/personal preference. They also serve Mexican Coca Cola (and other various bottled soft drinks), which is a huge plus. According to the menu, all of the produce they serve comes from local farmers, and it certainly tastes that way. My combo was around $9 with a drink. While it is a little more than I'd normally like to spend on lunch, the freshness of the ingredients and quantity of food are worth throwing down an extra couple of dollars on. I'll definitely be going back, as it is a long overdue and welcome alternative to the average $6-$10 Mexican restaurant.
