Ground Rules!!!

Welcome to the search!

In my quest to solve the mystery of the best taco in LA, we'll need to establish the ground rules on how to fairly judge the tacos. Its far too difficult to label a taco as merely being "high quality" just because its complex or has a great presentation; Many of the best tacos I've had are formed in the simplest manner, so go figure. I'll be using several factors to rate the qualities of the food on a scale from 1-10, with 10 being the highest.

• Meat
  
• Tortilla
  
• Toppings
  
• "After-Effects"
  

I'll also add a section with anything that stood out, or was otherwise notable about the tacos in a section which I'll refer to as "After Thoughts". Here are the base metrics:

Meat
=======
Based on taste, texture and amount, this is the core of the taco. Without a good meat to build on, what's the point? Whenever possible, I'll try to rate different types of meat from the staples of taco selections (asada, al pastor, carnitas and chicken). No deductions for not having a particular meat available.

Tortilla
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Whether hard or soft, they'll all be judged equally! Too often this is overlooked, but when you're biting into food that's based on being wrapped in the round flat-bread, you can't come away too satisfied if the grease is dripping off your fingers.

Toppings
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Not every taco is built equally, and I won't be wowed by something with 10 things piled on top of it. This is all about the combination of toppings, and how effectively they're used. Kudos for originality, but it will come down to how well it complements the meat.

After-effects
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We've all been there. A late night taco that SEEMS like a good idea at the time, only to pay for it later. There's nothing that annoys me more than finding something tasty, only to know that it's health content may not be something I would want to come anywhere near. I'll be subjecting my stomach to some of the most questionable stuff you can imagine, just to spare anyone else the potential havok on your linings.

Things that will not fall into ratings, but can be discussed:

-Presentation (It's a taco for crying out loud! Who cares!?!)
-Distance (Columbus sailed across an ocean for new spices. I'll drive across a county line or two if necessary).
-Wait time (We have no problem waiting 30 minutes for a gourmet meal; 15 minutes in the taco line is fine by me)
-Location (Some of the best can be found in the shadiest areas. While not a deal-breaker by any means, I'll give out fair warning as best I can, if the location so merits).
-Pricing (I've eaten a good share of tacos that are believe it or not, over-priced. While this can be a consideration, a dollar amount does not a good taco make).
-Side Options (Some places have great tacos which are served with mediocre rice, beans, beer or otherwise. It's a shame to have something satisfy so well, only to be let down by his companions. Again, not a deal-breaker, but worth noting).

I'll be posting my reviews on-site as well, so I hope to snap a couple of pics as well as the GPS location so that those reading reviews on your mobile can find these places easily. I'll visit at least one new place every week, starting with my personal favorites. Feel free to send in suggestions as well for places to visit (mendoza.eduardo@gmail.com). No biases here though -- I'm a man on a mission!

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