Tortillaphilia

Bite-sized Mexican food reviews in Seattle and beyond!

Lorena’s Kitchen: Alambres

Price Point

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Score

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There is good Mexican food to be found in Seattle, exclaimed Seattle Times breathlessly a few years back, not long before launching their thirty-best-tacos-in-Seattle list.

But we get it—it’s decidedly easier to find good highfalutin takes on the taco as opposed to the authentic kind. They’re out there, of course; you just have to look out for them. Or keep reading Tortillaphila, as we’ll look for you. As we—and the Times—did with Lorena’s.

Lorena’s Kitchen is located in Georgetown and is, as promised by the Times, just a walk-up window. That is a good sign. A quick scan of the menu reveals traditional tacos for .50 a pop, a fair price. In fact, nothing will run you more than , so good deals abound.

The one twist on the traditional taco is the optional inclusion of sour cream and shredded cheese, which I can admire. Those are often a warning sign of , but if you already know how to deliver the classics, there is nothing wrong with sparingly adding some extras.

And no doubt about it, Lorena’s does know its classics. The homemade tortillas came double-stacked—why have so many spots stopped doing that?—and had no problems containing the succulent carne asada. Perfect as a vessel and, as importantly, a flavorful component of the meal.

That aside, the carne asada taco was served in a classic manner. Cilantro and onion on top; the meat delicately spiced. It’s hard to beat an original when it’s done as well as this.

Too, a serving of roasted pumpkin seeds was worth the —nicely seasoned, with a proper chew.

— Remi A. Olsen