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Mango madness

I drove up and down El Camino Real between Santa Clara and Sunnyvale and made four stops before I found them: Indian mangoes.

I’ve long heard rapt descriptions of the Indian fruit and this year I was determined to try some myself. The fruit, generally Alphonso mangoes, are flown here at great expense and only available in the spring. Once the rains arrive in India they’re gone. India has only been allowed to ship mangoes into the U.S. since last year because of concerns about agricultural pests. Now the fruit is irradiated and the U.S. Department of Agriculture says we’re safe. Now, restaurateurs and covetous consumers snap up cases of Alphonsos in a matter of hours.

The Indian markets of Santa Clara and Sunnyvale are a great source for the mangoes, if someone doesn’t beat you to them. At several of the markets I visited I was told they had just sold out. When I asked the lady behind the counter at New India Bazar she told me a new shipment would arrive in within an hour. So I staked the place out and waited. I went back in at the appointed time and looked around for the elusive fruit. Nothing. I asked the lady if the mangoes had arrived and she gave me a mildly suspicious look and then got on the phone and said something I couldn’t understand. A man appeared and she directed me to follow him. The mangoes must be near, I thought. I trailed him as he pushed a blue Sear’s shopping cart toward an unmarked white van. I knew I was going to meet my connection.

The mangoes arrive. Get them while they last.
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The Taco Project

Metro Balderas
799 S. 1st St., San Jose. 408.292.37109

Metro Balderas’ Almaden Avenue location has long been one of my favorite taquerias. Named after a subway stop in Mexico City, the restaurant specializes in tacos as well as Mexico City street food like pambazos, huaraches, tortas and alambres. It’s great stuff, especially the tacos. On weekends, they haul out an outdoor griddle and cook up delicious al pastor tacos along with grilled onions and other fixins. It’s straight outta DF. So, when the restaurant opened a new location on 1st Street I was excited. Now one of Silicon Valley’s best tacos was only a few blocks from my office. Or at least that’s what I thought.

Alas, after ordering my requite carne asada and al pastor tacos ($1.45 each) I pronounce them solidly mediocre. The tacos are served on two-ply tortillas and are nice and small and minimally adorned with just onions, cilantro and a dab of red salsa. But looks aren’t everything.

Visually speaking, the tacos are great.

The al pastor was the best of the two . The pork was crispy and juicy inside, but it lacked that sweet and savory al pastor. Making matter worse were the gummy, dense tortillas. The carne asada taco is peppery, lightly browned and sufficiently tender but otherwise unremarkable. These tacos would work in a pinch but I’d head to the original location for a better version.

Taco tally

1. Los Jarritos

2. Tacos Eva

3. Tacos El Ranchito No. 2

4. Los Dos Compadres

5. Metro Balderas (S.1st Street location)

6. La Cabana