Tacos Moreno

Tacos Moreno is famous for being the good burrito that occasionally wins the SC Good Times reader's poll for "Best Burrito." I can't imagine why Vallarta wins occasionally. Must be because they have four locations, or they're all really good at blowing editors.

Anwyay, Tacos Moreno has a location up Water St. as well as one on campus, much to my delight. Both locations have exactly the same ingredients. Don't be fooled by people that swear to one or the other. I have verified this myself with employees. However, Tacos Moreno definitely has its incredibly good days as well as its mediocre ones. My guess is people catch one location on a good day and swear by it for all time. Hit whichever one is most convenient for you.

The Tacos Moreno on campus is located at Merrill College on the east side, right next to where my 12:30-1:40 math class was last winter. That period marked the height of my burrito consumption. I ate 5-6 per week. To be honest, I wasn't crazy about Tacos Moreno when I first had it, but it definitely quickly grew on me. I am a regular there now. The burritosmiths here eschew lettuce for crispy cabbage, which is a surprisingly good substitute. Also, I have been told time and time again that the horchata is awful, as in, avoid it like you would an LA drama queen.

Quality of meat (1-10) : 9.2
I can see how someone could not like the meat at Tacos Moreno, but I love it. It's just barely crispy enough to make your teeth applaud. The al pastor is so drenched with sauce and juicy itself that you can expect to fully drink your burrito. In my opinion, it becomes a little bit much by (and at) the end; I like to go with the straight carne asada. The green chile beef is really desebrada (shredded beef) bathed in a green salsa, which is a good idea, but does not hold a candle to the standard asada.

Quality of house salsa (1-10) : 9.6
I have a friend at KZSC campus radio next door to the Tacos Moreno who said something to the effect of, "I would never need another topping for anything ever again," in response to a desert island-style question. And yes, it is that good. It comes in squeeze bottles, which seems pretty sketchy at first. I must admit, the first time I saw it I didn't know what it was, but the stuff is miles ahead of any other house salsa I've tried. The bottles of salsa are stolen regularly.

Quality of guacamole (1-10) : 2.2
Like at Los Pericos, the guacamole at Tacos Moreno is one of its burritos' key shortcomings. It is shipped in and squeezed out of a plastic bag, which is all too obvious from the taste. Do not try and certainly do not pay extra for the guac here.

Quality of chips (1-5) : 4.5
The chips, interestingly enough, are very, very good here. However, you must dig for $1.50 if you want some. They don't even give you any with a burrito order. $1.50 is pretty steep for chips, I must say, but given the right conditions, they might actually be worth it.

Size/Diversity of menu (1-5) : 2.0
The size of the menu at Tacos Moreno (or lack thereof) is inconsequential. One would never need to order anything here other than a burrito or maybe a quesadilla, if that's your thing. They are fully aware of this, as burritos are their mainstay.

Size of burrito (1-5) : 2.4
The size of the burritos (or lack thereof) here is Tacos Moreno's saddest flaw. I can eat two under the right conditions, and I'm not a big guy, by any means. Thankfully, this is reflected in the price and you do get what you pay for, which is a damn tasty (albeit small) burrito.

Approximate price (For a standard burrito) : <$5 (!)

Locally owned? (Y/N) : Yes

Satisfaction Factor (1-10) : 8.7
I love eating here. The burrito would be satisfying enough (barring the size) given the flavor of the ingredients, but the end of your burrito will be wet with salsa dregs and burrito juice. Not many other burritos inexorably force you to save the best part for the end.

Overall taste (1-10) : 9.0

Tacos Moreno
UCSC
1156 High St.
Merrill College
Santa Cruz, CA 95064