It's been about a month since I've posted anything but I have been busy with wedding plans, prepping for Christmas festivities, C.'s graduation from graduate school and my big trip to New Orleans for New Years so please forgive my slackness. I have explored quite a few places in the past month, but today's post is about a hidden gem called R&R Taqueria.
R&R is in Elkridge, Maryland so it's just outside of Baltimore. I stumbled upon this hole-in-the-wall while pumping gas at the Shell Station literally 1 minute from my house. I noticed there was this looooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooong line coming from a small section of the gas station, but it wasn't going into the actual store so I became instantly curious. A gentleman pumping gas next to me clued me in when he noticed my craning neck and look of confusion. He informed me that it was a little "taco joint," as he put it. I then noticed a banner over the door with the name and decided I would come back when the line wasn't absurdly long. That time came and I ended up convincing C. and a friend to try it out with me. When we go there it was a little chaotic inside because it is VERY small and there seems to always be a group of people fumbling about. You see, the seating arrangement is 6 stools and a tiny little countertop. It's certainly not made for dining in, but a lucky few get there in time to grab a stool. Anywhooooo... We each got two tacos. I ordered one chicken and one pork belly and we ordered them to go! I was SO, SO excited to try these tacos because not only had the locals talked them up BUT this place had also been featured on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives. If you're not familiar, it's a Food Network show hosted by Guy Fieri. Not to mention, R&R has been visited by some pretty well known folks including a few NFL players... all of whom have signed the wall with their football numbers and teams. I can't read any of them but C. knew who some of them were and seemed to be in awe. BOYS! Now that I have gotten off track again, my point is... THIS PLACE WAS HYPED UP. Well, I bit into what was going to be the most amazing taco of my life only to be let down. It was cold, soggy and just not what I was expecting. I was so mad. I really didn't understand why everyone was so obsessed with this place so I just wrote it off as one of those mysteries of life and filed R&R under my "bad review" drafts.
BUT THAT WAS SO WRONG!
That's right, folks. I have changed my mind. If you know me, then you shouldn't be surprised. I change my mind quite often. R&R Taqueria is actually amazing. The first time I went they must have been having an off day. Also, I think getting the food to go is a MISTAKE. If you eat the food there, in your car, or wherever you can find a place to shove it in your mouth... do it. It's so much better when the cheese hasn't cooled from that car ride home and the chicken hasn't fallen out of the shell because it's been sloshed around. I had dinner there just recently and cannot wait to go huddle inside that little gas station and get accidentally felt up by strangers because we can't all fit for another quesadilla. It was AMAZEBALLS. It was so simple too. Just cheese and chicken. But with the hot sauce and sour cream mixture... my tastebuds are doing cartwheels just thinking about it. I also just learned that R&R Taqueria has opened a new location in Perry Hall, Maryland and apparently that location is an actual sit down restaurant. I will definitely be venturing over that way to try it out... sitting down.
This just goes to show that everyone deserves a second chance!
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