A sign hangs on the wall in the corner of Rusty’s Tacos delaring that tacos are the most important meal of the day.
Thats a big claim in Texas where barbeque could also make the claim. As could steak but in Dallas tacos are a staple. From street tacos at gas stations through to fusion creations the taco is a culinary masterpiece with combinations of flavours and textures such that you can have tacos as every meal of the day and not get bored.
Rustys tacos in Greenville is easily spotted by the huge sign almost the size of the place.
The story of Rustys is that Rusty Fenton wanted to open an authentic mexican style street taco stand in the neighbourhood. He did this in 2010 on the site of a gas station hence the large patio and huge sign.
The menu is totally authentic street tacos.
Thirteen Tacos are on menu with straight up simple meat combinations such as spicy ground beef and potatoes with onion and cilantro, a rosated pork with cotija cheese and pickled red onions or as its texas a slow roasted brisket with BBQ sauce and slaw.
Vegetarian options are just as tasty with a the Rajas taco having grilled poblanos, mushrooms, onions and red peppers topped with queso fresco and cilantro. The black bean taco has chipotle beans pico de gallo, cotija cheese, cilantro and toasted pumpkin seeds scattered on top.
Fish and chicken are also available but my personal favotire is the eponymous Rusty taco which has achiote pork with pineapple, onion and cilantro.
Close by Rustys in Knox Henderson is another great Taco joint Velvet Taco.
Next door to the fantastic boot store Tecovas where you can get a polish and a beer sits Velvet taco. The ethos of velvet is in t,he other direction to Rustys. Rather than the authentic route Velvet prides itself on the creative. Velvet taco runs on the principle that “anything goes meets the art of the possible” and claims to be a “temple to the liberated taco”.
The menu clearly reflects this with most tacos unrecognisable as the standards. Shrimp and grits for example with creole mayo, blackened shrimp, crispy pepper jack cheese grits, charred tomato salsa, micro cilantro on a corn tortilla.
The menu features WTF weekly specials, this week being a Reuben taco with corned beef, swiss cheese, velvet sauce, sauerkraut, pickles on a flour tortilla.
The fish taco is served with a curry mayo sauce
The combinations of flavours are fantastic and sound like a fine meal. The grilled salmon, Taco is served on a vibrant pink hibiscus corn tortilla with avocado crema, house shred, lime crema, roasted corn pico, pickled fresnos, and micro cilantro.
One of the most intereting and best tasting is the chicken Tikka taco. Its a spicy combo of crisp chicken tenders with a tikka sauce, buttered cilantro basmati rice, raita crema and Thai basil.
The tacos here are interesting and exciting. the falvours vibrant and zingy. Truly a temple to the libertated taco!
Survival Rations 