It’s no secret I’m a bit of a foodie. Yesterday I headed to Fort Lauderdale and with the help of technology, found a tasty and hospitable little taco joint called Alegria Tacos.
My primary purpose to the east coast was to help out the roller derby league I belong by scorekeeping for their final bout of the season. Being one to make the most of the day, I planned to take advantage of Bank of America’s Museums on Us program – they offer free admission into select museums across the country during the first full weekend of the month.
My tentative lunch plans didn’t work out so I deferred to my iPhone TripAdvisor app to find a place to eat. I searched for $ and $$ restaurants and Alegria Tacos came up.
Typing, reading and driving is not encouraged but I quickly saw Alegria Tacos had glowing reviews. What I read was all about the food and value. I was so there! I reprogrammed the GPS to take me to this taco joint and soon I was there.
Upon arrival, I took a look at the place and thought a few years ago this was not a place I would visit alone. It was small and looked like a small convenience store and is adjacent to a barbershop. It was located in a part of town needing some revitalizing. Yup, in the old days I would have been intimidated eating at a place like this for no logical reason.
I figured dozens of TripAdvisor users couldn’t be wrong so I mustered up the strength the dine alone and head in.
There were three tables and five young men sitting at two tables waiting for their meals. I was greeted right away and immediately smelled Mexican deliciousness wafting from the kitchen. Something sizzled, too.
My tummy rumbled with anticipation as I decided on the #3 lunch special, two chicken tacos (soft corn tortilla) complete with diced onions, cilantro (yum!!!) and tomatoes. Two lime wedges accented the dish along with a nice hot sauce. Beans and rice also came with the special, all for $8. The tacos were incredible. It was a nice balance of chicken flavor accented with the other toppings. The corn tortilla offered a nice texture and didn’t get soggy or break apart. Definitely a winner.
Since my lunch was cooked to order, I took in all the knickknacks adorning the little place. There were plastic horses, dolls and other dust magnets – my kind of kitsch. What truly caught my eye was the sign asking patrons to visit Google.com and write a positive review. In the restaurant window they displayed a TripAdvisor sticker indicating their popularity on the online community.
Considering the size of Alegria Tacos I was extremely impressed with their guerrilla marketing practices. It rivals that of bigger restaurants I have worked with, or in many cases, is much better. I didn’t discuss this with the owners but I can tell they are doing something right. If you Google Alegria Tacos, you’ll see they have fantastic ratings on Yelp and UrbanSpoon, too.
Working in the tourism industry it’s always refreshing when a business “gets it” and Alegria Tacos definitely gets it by serving quality, value, and warm hospitality.
I’ll now defer to the tiny restaurant’s business card to summarize the visit. It states, Alegria Tacos “The Place for Damn Good Tacos.”
Indeed!
Alegria Tacos
3801 N. Andrews Ave.
Oakland Park, Fla. 33309
Tel: 954-563-7170
Hours:
Monday through Saturday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Sunday: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Alegria Tacos is located about five miles north of Fort Lauderdale.
