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| - Solid, family-run Mexican food place with massive portions. The DF-style tacos are exactly what you'd expect and at $1.40, they beat the $2+ tacos at Los Taquitos (used to LOVE this place until they jacked the prices) and America's Taco Shop (which I never liked and like even less now that they are run by franchisees).
Although I am a taco al pastor nut and they claim it is a specialty, the pastor is only so-so. This is my only knock on the place. I suspect it is because they don't shave the pastor into your tortilla right off the spit. They cook it on a spit, chop it, chill it, and then reheat it on the flat top just like the other guys.
Today I had the house torta. It is absolutely enormous and only $10. I immediately decided that at best I'd be eating 1/2 and taking the other half (and I'm 6'1" 210lbs). Doesn't hurt that it's also delicious: egg, ham, breaded pork topped by 4 hot dogs, cheese, avocado, etc. They actually have a challenge where if you can eat this torta and down one of their massive shakes (bomba de leche) in 30 minutes, they'll pay you $500. Needless to say, they aren't worried about having to pay up.
But where La Merced really shines is in the family plates. They are massive, fresh, and unbelievably flavorful. You get 1.5 POUNDS of meat, 2 humongous sides and all the tortillas and fixings you can handle for about $18. I don't think you could make it yourself for that. Last time we went for dinner, we fed 6 people and took home some leftovers ... insane.
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