Jeffrey S.
Yelp
Craving satisfied. We can all relax now.
Sometimes you just get a hankering for some street food. A big fatty burrito with all the fixins rolled up tightly inside and sloppily snarfed up while hovering over a paper plate. Did I let the rain deter me from the carnitas burrito I'd been dreaming of for days? No I did not. No. I. Did. Not.
That's the thing with Don Rafa. They're in it to win it. So come rain or shine they're out there hustling and making it happen. They've been around since the '90s, if memory serves, and they're not going anywhere. Apparently the cart on the south side of 800 S. is Don Rafa 2. This merits investigation. To clarify any confusion, this is the cart that faces east on State Street. It's located on the sidewalk of the Sears parking lot.
To clarify any more confusion (or perhaps to create a little), Tacos El Toro is a stone's throw away, facing 800 S. Like, a small stone. A pebble. Right now the winds blow in favor of El Toro, but to be completely honest, I'd take either. After sampling a few items from each I can say they're both excellent and exactly what you want in a Mexican food cart.
The carnitas was pitch perfect--tender, juicy, and full of flavor. As toppings go, they've got the standards in their cooler, but don't get carried away with anything too fancy. Enough to dress up your tacos or burritos. Never forget the lime.
I once read a useful review about proper burrito etiquette, so I'm totally copying it here for any street food virgins. If you get a burrito, load up your toppings from the cooler and then hand it back to the person running the cart. They'll roll it up like a pro and hand it back. They're not too concerned about you paying right away, either. When you leave the general vicinity of the cart, you can pay. But if you stand right there to eat it, most cart vendors don't care if you pay pre-chow or post. You're welcome, newbs.
