Expectation is a double-edged sword when it comes to experience: it can both elevate the mundane and intensify the disappointing. Never was this more was this true than with Los Gallos Taqueria at the Bayshore Mall. In case you think we’ve rigged this race, Los Gallos has been a dark horse favorite in the world of Humboldt taco aficionados for years. Not only does it occasionally have carne cabeza, that delicious, tender face meat, but the tamales and sauce are a cut above your average mall food. When we saw that their rellenos are prepared far in advance of serving, however, our hopes sank. We each took one tentative mouthful, and then put down our forks for the day. Limp, watery, rubbery, under-seasoned, with gritty cheese and a garnish of browning guacamole and bland beans — to say we were disappointed would be an understatement. But, after all, we choose chile rellenos as our point of comparison for Mexican food in Humboldt County, and perhaps they’re a dish too far for your average lunch-on-the-run joint …

… or are they? A seven-minute turnaround at the Speedy Taco food truck (1223 Broadway) yielded a salivation-worthy, deep brown monster of a chile relleno with a fistful of piping hot corn tortillas to sop up the extra cheese and piquant green sauce. The thick, oozy cheese inside hit every millimeter of umami area on our tongues, and the pepper itself had just the right amount of bite. The one off-note was the slightly soggy batter, which, if we had to guess, likely came from the dish having been frozen. After all, we know they’re not making the whole thing from scratch in that little trailer.


And the winner is ...

Did you really have to ask? It’s Speedy Taco! Congratulations guys, you’ve made it to the next round!