Taqueria Temo, 121 NW 25th St, FW. 682-224-3081. 10am-midnight Mon-Thu, 10am-3am Fri-Sat.
Rarefied among meat options is al pastor. Alternately known as taco trompo (“spinning top”), the orange pork shouts citrus, salt, and sweet flavors for a complex and pleasing experience that eschews hot sauce or any other toppings (save for a bit of cilantro and maybe a pinch of diced onions). Sure, you can fast track the process by marinating and slow cooking the meat in the oven, but the traditional means of preparation — on a slow-spinning vertical rotisserie — deliver the best balance of juiciness and lightly charred edges.
Taqueria Temo started as a Fort Worth food truck in 2007 and has expanded into three local brick-and-mortar locations, including a brand-new spot on the North Side. The inside is painted bright orange, likely a reference to the color of al pastor.
Of the several protein options, the lengua and trompo — both served on warm, perfectly chewy corn tortillas — stood out. The beefy lengua was mildly oily while the pineapple/chile seasoning of the al pastor blended sweet and spicy for an out-of-body dining experience. A counter with diced white onions and cilantro lets customers gussy up their orders, and the two hot sauces, red and green, are flavorful without being incendiary.
A lot of the items on the entree-heavy menu are massive, including the barbacoa burrito. Thin but sturdy charred flour tortillas held generous portions of tender and juicy barbacoa, diced cabbage, cilantro, and melted queso fresco. The bold, smoky, and lightly spiced meat harmonized wonderfully with the fresh toppings.
Another winner was the al pastor torta, a sandwich with the girth of a deflated football. The perfectly toasted baguette commendably comprehended the juicy cuts of orange pork, warm avocado wedges, crispy red onions, salty queso fresco, and fiery sliced jalapeños until the entire thing disappeared.
The Hamburger a la Temo, basically Taqueria Temo’s house burger piled high with mildly sweet, chile-kissed trompo and accompanied by fries, was dense and packed with beefy flavor. Somehow the combo of al pastor, beef patty, and a thick slice of ham was a bit heavy on the salt but not so much so to stop anyone from chowing it down. American cheese, onions, lettuce, tomatoes, and diced jalapeños rounded out the ensemble.
Photo by Edward Brown.
Offering lighter items like appetizers would be nice. The service that afternoon was prompt and polite outside of one odd moment when a staffer questioned me for taking photos of the menu. It was hard to get out of the conversation since she wouldn’t let it go, so I finally and grudgingly showed her my press pass and explained that I work for a local magazine. Unless customers have committed a crime or exhibited deliberately rude behavior, they shouldn’t be placed in awkward and off-putting situations. Other than that, the food was amazing, and my overall experience was enjoyable and certainly worth a repeat visit.
Photo by Edward Brown.
Photo by Edward Brown.
Taqueria Temo
Barbacoa burrito $4.50
Lengua taco $3.69
Taco trompo $2.50
Hamburger a la Temo $8.09
Torta $8.59
