Monday, December 7, 2009

Rudy’s Tacos – Moline, IL

Another place that I grew up eating is Rudy’s Tacos. It’s the most American-tainted Mexican food place in the Quad Cities. Don’t let anyone try to tell you different. That being said, it would be a 9 on the Minnesota-weighted scale of Mexican food. Yet, when you talk to people who have moved away from the Quad Cities, they’ll tell you Rudy’s is one place they like to visit when they’re home.

I went with my many of my family members, and since I don’t have offensive pseudonyms for all of them yet, I won’t name them all. I pretty much have the menu memorized, and though I now eat about 50% of what I used to eat, I still almost always get the same thing – tried and true – the Small Combination. It’s a taco, an enchilada, and a tostada with beans and rice. Simple, but you get a little bit of everything on your plate. If I’m particularly hungry, I’ll do the Large Combination, but I knew I was going to be yelling at the hockey game that night, so I’d spare the people around me Mexican-food-vomit and stick with the small combo.

They usually bring out the food quickly here, and this time was no different. It looks exactly the same as it did when I got the same thing (and about 4 more items) when I was at the bowling alley at the age of 8. Scary. And it tastes exactly the same. They use some sort of amazing plain cheddar cheese and the flavor of that cheese penetrates everything. It’s amazing boring/delicious at the same time. I love it. Throw some weird red-flavored (yes I meant to write that) sauce on everything, and you’re gold. GOLD, I tell you!!

I’m not sure why I get a combo to try different things, since they all taste the same. Seriously. If you are in the mood to be under-whelmed and addicted at the same time, go to Rudy’s. It’s a Quad City staple and there are like 10 of them, so you can find one no matter where you’re at. I’m not sure I’d drive out of my way for it, but you’d be surprised how oddly tasty it is. And I guarantee, if a Rudy’s franchise opened up in Minnesota, Rudy could retire LOADED. People up here would kill their children to eat at this place.

I’m too familiar/jaded/in love to give an unbiased top 5 for this one…

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