Pandemic Nachos: Don Choche
Rating: 4 Cost: $12.00 Location: Marble Downtown Thurs-Fri (Brick and Mortar at 7319 4th St) Customization: Carne Asada Website
November 6th was National Nacho Day, and we celebrated by picking up some Nachos from Don Choche. One of the most popular food trucks in the city, Don Choche now owns a brick and mortar location as well. They are a definite late night favorite for both the drunk and sober alike. Their menu has expanded to include many new dishes, making them even more friendly for newcomers. But why would I want anything other than Nachos? Where Don Choche has always shined was in their selection of meats. Their choices seem almost endless with options such as Asada, Carnitas, Carne Adovada, Tripe, Chicken, and even Shrimp and Fish. That's not even all of them either. I will always choose Asada over all other meats. The fact that they still run their food truck is ideal in these Quarantine times. It allowed us to walk up to the truck, get our food, and essentially avoid people for the most part.
Don Choche Nachos come in at around $12, which is a little heavy, but it is forgivable when you consider they are both a Food truck, and that their meat is high quality. Their Nachos are a bed of chips, covered in a melted white cheese, Meat, Lettuce, tomato, cilantro, and a light drizzle of sour cream, which is more like a crema. They also offer cups of 3 different types of Salsa at no extra charge (Red, Orange, and Green). They are all vastly different from each other, and the green is unquestionably the hottest. I have a good tolerance for heat, but the green always gives me a small case of the hiccups.
Don Choche has been a staple of mine for many years. However, since I lived abroad for a while, it had been quite some time since I was able to revisit their Nachos. I can confidently say that they have stood the test of time and are still amazing. The meat is the star of the show, seasoned to perfection and highlighting every bite. The chips are thick and crisp, holding back the sogginess longer than most would. The lettuce and tomatoes are fresh and delicious, but they are definitely placed to liberally on the nacho. It almost looks like a Salad upon first glance. I could do with less of that in the future. The Sour Cream is also a bit lacking in presence, and its consistency is far closer to a crema than a traditional sour cream. The cheese is plentiful and melted to perfection, but its taste is rather mild. I feel like a slightly bolder cheese might work better against the meat.
It should be noted that even though it is a hefty amount of food, the quantity has definitely dropped in the last year. The to-go containers are noticeably smaller. This makes the $12 price tag a little harder to take.
Final Verdict - Still one of the best Nachos in town, despite the reduced size and hefty price tag.
