Seems like every Mexican eatery I grow fond of closes their doors for good at some point.
Just Tacos in the Mililani Town Center was really good. Their burritos were good, but the steak chimichanga was my favorite. Huge portions, lots of fresh ingredients, and choice of red or green chile sauce. We routinely picked up a few to-go dinners from there even before the stay-at-home emergencies of recent years. Sadly, they closed.
Then there was Maui Tacos in the Mililani Shopping Center near 24HR Fitness -- next to Starbucks. Not the quickest service under the Sun, but the food and self-serve "sauce bar" resulted in some really good meals. They've been gone for awhile now. Blazin' Steaks is there now -- which I also enjoy.
As I mentioned, Bandito's was a long-time favorite until they closed. The owner, Ted, was a super-nice guy. He regularly comped our lunches just to do something nice for his regulars. 4-6 of us working at PH went there once or twice a week for lunch, plus the occasional gatherings at the bar. His infamous
Señor Ted's Kick-Ass Margarita was made with 6 shots of alcohol and was not only potent, but really tasty. One was plenty if you planned to drive afterward!
I, too, have been spoiled by eating at Mexican eateries in San Diego, San Antonio, Albuquerque, Phoenix, Oklahoma City, Vegas, and even a little place in Idaho Falls. Even if what we have here isn't the best ever, I think Mexican food has been my favorite since I was in college.
Oh, and La Taqueria on Fort Street Mall has some really great food, too -- assuming they haven't closed. The Super Burrito was my go-to -- made to order the way you like while you watch. I worked just across from there, so "what do I feel like for lunch" was never a tough choice!
I guess like most things, it's a matter of taste and relativity -- compared to what you've experienced and liked before.
In OK, one our favorites was Fuddruckers. They were a burger restaurant that butchered their hamburger meat on site. Can't get fresher. You'd order the size burger and how well done you wanted it along with drink, fries, onion rings, and type of bun. Then you'd go to the "fixin's bar" to load it up with whatever condiments and toppings you liked. I guess they figured they had a winning formula, so they added taco salads to the menu. Same meat, just spiced up and broken apart. You get a crispy fried bowl (think Taco Bell Salad Bowl) filled with meat. You'd go to the fixin's bar, and they'd added sour cream, shredded cheddar, jalapeños, salsa, diced tomatoes, pico de gallo, and anything else you'd normally associate with taco salads. I used to make a salad, eat that with about half the meat, then go back and make a second salad! The point is, sometimes the best Mexican style food isn't always found in a Mexican restaurant.
I seriously can't wait until all restaurants are Taco Bell!
