Feeling Hawaiian at Taqueria El Sol

Really?

Having spent some time in the Sunset of late, I found myself on Taraval completely famished and across the street from the Taqueria El Sol, which Christy had recently mentioned as a spot to find the elusive asada fries. I’m from Los Angeles, but I had never heard of this concoction, so I was curious. I walked in with full intention of getting the fries, but I became distracted by another unusual aspect of this joint.  Not only was it a taqueria, but a taqueria that featured Hawaiian plate lunches.

I’m not sure how this evolution happened, but I do know that years ago it was an all night diner.  Then it changed hands and became an all night diner/ Hawaiian place called Island Café.

When I saw it re-open as a taqueria, I was a little bummed, just cuz it was nice to have options when it came to Hawaiian Sun or Spam musubi.  I guess I was a little ahead of myself.

Instead of ditching each previous theme, they just keep tacking on another.  Mexicans love pork just as much as Hawaiians, so I guess that kinda makes sense.

Stop the analysis! I would embrace this blend! I promptly got the Kalua pork burrito emptied out the rice and replaced it with mac salad.  It was wrong, but I don’t regret it. At all.

I can’t say that they’ve hammered all the kinks out of the perfection of their respective genres, and I’m kinda pissed they took the old diner counter out, but they’ve got some pretty cheap specials and they seem nice.

Their only real problem will be trying to sell something called a loco moco to Spanish speaking customers.

As for the fries- I guess I’ll have to go back

Taqueria El Sol? Island Cafe?
901 Taraval Street (@19th Ave)
Parkside
SF