Featured photo: Tacos al pastor (I ordered them without minced pineapple, but the pineapple is an option) from Smokey Coyote.
I know that I’ve posted about several taquerías and taco vendors recently, but I can’t help it. For taco lovers like me, the local quality of life just continues to improve. The latest taco spot to open is Smokey Coyote, located at 4125 Hearne Avenue in Shreveport. It’s not quite accurate to call Smokey Coyote a “taco spot,” because the place boasts a pretty huge menu that includes barbecue, Mexican soups and stews, hamburgers, enchiladas and more.
On my recent visit, I tried some smoked ribs ($10.95 with two sides) and a couple of different tacos (I tried the al pastor and carne asada versions, $2.50 each), and the tacos were fantastic. Tacos are served in a kind of build-your-own style; piping hot meat is piled on a corn tortilla and accompanied by little cups of cilantro, chopped onions and lime wedges. Two salsas – a spicy, smokey red and a mellower green – come out with each order of tacos, in the style of another local taquería. You’re going to want to put all of this delicious stuff on your tacos. The salsas are terrific.
It’s fun to be able to mix-and-match the kinds of sides that you’d get at a barbecue joint with those you’d get at a Mexican restaurant – frijoles charros (“cowboy beans,” a Mexican side dish of pinto beans stewed with onion, garlic and bacon) are pretty great paired with potato salad, for example. I haven’t connected with the barbecue here yet, but I plan to keep trying.
As I write this (July 22, 2015), the restaurant has only been open two weeks, but I enjoyed the food a great deal and received good service. Beer is available. Hours of operation aren’t currently listed on their Facebook page, but are listed on a Zomato.com page here. Especially at the price of these tacos, Smokey Coyote is an excellent new option on Shreveport’s west side.
