At a conference lunch in Ada, Oklahoma, three of my tablemates hailed from Denton, Texas. I had just seen a post on the socials on the mural scene there and asked them where the best place was to park and walk about since I would be passing through on the drive back to Austin. “El Taco H,” they said. “And eat a taco!” And so I did! The mural “scene” was a bit of a disappointment, but the tacos from the H delivered.
First, about the name. It’s not pronounced “H” as in the letter (and how my tablemates pronounced it), it’s pronounced “ah-che” such that el taco ah-che evokes the Aztec word (in Nahuatl) “takuache,” which means possum. It’s a bit obscure, so I imagine saying “H” won’t get you kicked out. Afterall, gringos gotta gringo.
Owners Raul Enciso and Nick Bitz, the former a former native of Mexico City, wanted to bring authentic Mexican street tacos to North Texas. Based on reviews from defeños, Raul and Nick have fully succeeded in their mission. And the repurposed space, an accident of the pandemic, oozes wabi-sabi Austin hip.
I ducked in for a late lunch and selected the Nopales Con Papas (diced cactus and potatoes stewed in tomatoes and chilis topped with cotija cheese and fried potato skins; $4) and the Quesabirria (beef slow cooked with chiles and spices, melted chihuahua cheese, and consommé; $4).
The dining experience is fast-casual, but the tacos arrive in full chef-mode regalia sided with sliced radish and wedged limes. The nopales taco was, by far, the best I’ve ever had, an unruly playground of flavors and textures. The quesabirria was a greezy-cheezy wedge of savory heaven & hell, a lipsmacking purgatory of delight and early death. Both of these tacos, at $4 a pop, are bargains.
If you are heading north or south on I-35 and you need to top off your tummy, this is a worthy detour, a detour I will be making whenever I’m nearby.
El Taco H, 213 E Hickory St, Denton, TX, (940)314-6364, www.eltacohdenton.com
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