Taco

At Zocalo, located at 36th Street and Lancaster Avenue, owner Joe Ferzoco and executive chef Jackie Pestka have developed a contemporary Mexican menu that on occasion, gets a little fishy. Such is the case with the restaurant's swordfish tacos - offered as a special - which, with its special marinade and salsa cruda, is a perfect variation on beef, chicken and beans. Zocalo's hand-pressed tortillas may not be duplicated exactly, but store-purchased tortillas will work fine. ZOCALO'S SWORDFISH TACO For the fish: Four 6-ounce swordfish steaks 2 cups extra virgin olive oil 4 ounces lime juice 8 large cloves garlic (minced)

Lighten up the standard DIY taco buffet with this pork, bean, and corn filling. Serve with corn tortillas or shells, sliced scallions, diced tomatoes, or other toppings.   Pork, Black Bean and Corn Taco Filling Makes about 8 servings   2 tablespoons olive oil 1 pound lean ground pork 1 medium onion, finely chopped Salt 3 tablespoons taco seasoning mix, such as Penzeys, or to taste (see note) 2 large ears corn, kernels cut from cobs  (about 1 1/2 cups)

L ISEL PARILLON 's taco title is only days old, but she already has her sights set on Wing Bowl. The 23-year-old graduate dentistry student at Penn hadn't heard of the annual 610 WIP celebration of gluttony (and strippers), but when we explained it to her yesterday she said she planned to try out for the contest, which hasn't had a serious female contender since pro-eater Sonya "Black Widow" Thomas won the crown in 2004. On Aug. 20, Trinidad-born Parillon and friends were heading into Drinker's West (39th & Chestnut)

ON A slate-gray Sunday afternoon, soundtracked by the low-volume televisual hum of cutthroat playoff football, Lucio Palazzo knows he's struck the kitchen version of pay dirt. Pacing between the dining room and stove of his deep-in-South-Philly home, he declares as much to the eaters in earshot between enthusiastic mouthfuls. "This is definitely a situation. " After a few good-not-great results, the chef is rejoicing over a tremendous taco, but it's nothing like the tortillas he painstakingly plates up at his workplace.

‘Oh, isn't it beautiful?!" cooed a woman near me on the escalator, gliding down into the shimmering casino heart of the new Revel resort. No doubt, the "SkyGarden" off the hotel's fourth-floor lobby was stunning, a vast terrace landscape wrapped in native shrubs and fire pits with a breezy view of the ocean 114-feet below. But downstairs on the casino floor, the blinking machines, rattling roulette wheels and trancelike gamblers punching slots looked pretty much like every other gaming pit I've seen.

All those heirloom tomatoes are nice, but it's really the tacos al pastor that have me hooked on the Sunday farmer's market at Head House Square. We're so addicted to the food stand there run by South Philly's Los Taquitos de Puebla that the mere thought of their taco platter actually gets my sleepyhead family out of bed. The al pastor meat - layers of pork marinated in cuminy guajillo chile salsa, orange juice, and achiote - turns and sizzles like...

As restaurants go, Cantina del Dios went. But only for as long as it took to change the sign in the window to Church Street Cantina. For eight years, the restaurant in Old City's historic sugar refinery operated with a Mexican theme, name and menu. As the Church Street Cantina, the place continues to offer a fairly wide range of Mexican choices but, in addition, there now is a selection of gringo dishes. The restaurant's Mexican specialties, sampled during two review meals, were among the least spicy in town.

New owners have chosen to leave the bar and Casablanca-style slatted ceilings in place. But even with those familiar features, there's a fresh, California-centemporary look to Bogart's, the Latham Hotel's vintage restaurant. Better lighting and attractive artwork on the walls upgrade the decor. Window walls that steer bar smoke and noises away from the dining room raise the level of comfort and make the place more intimate. Oversize dinner plates, solid-color or with gingham check or floral borders, give the kitchen opportunities to be artistic in presenting the food.

The trouble with Mexican food is its popularity. The highways and byways of the nation are littered with any number of taco hells. So I've always tried to avoid the stuff. Trouble is, the Little Units love it. So does their mom. Thus, we found ourselves in the farthest reaches of Chester County, nearly an hour from Philadelphia, among the rolling hills and mushroom farms. We'd been tipped to El Sombrero by a comrade, Alejandro, who said it was the most authentic Mexican food he'd found in the Philadelphia area.

Durkee Salad Sensations Salad Toppings. Oriental style, garden style and taco style. $1.99 per 4 3/4- to 6 3/4-ounce jar. Bonnie: The idea of lending an ethnic flavor to salads with pre-mixed toppings is certainly creative but definitely not very healthful. I've said it before and I'll say it again: If you drown salad in high-fat dressing or high- sodium toppings, that salad won't be much better for you than an ice cream sundae. If you sprinkle only a tablespoon of Salad Sensations over your greens, you'll add as much as 40 calories, 2 grams fat and 105 milligrams of sodium.

ON A slate-gray Sunday afternoon, soundtracked by the low-volume televisual hum of cutthroat playoff football, Lucio Palazzo knows he's struck the kitchen version of pay dirt. Pacing between the dining room and stove of his deep-in-South-Philly home, he declares as much to the eaters in earshot between enthusiastic mouthfuls. "This is definitely a situation. " After a few good-not-great results, the chef is rejoicing over a tremendous taco, but it's nothing like the tortillas he painstakingly plates up at his workplace.

MORE THAN 100 pounds of deer meat will be turned into venison tacos on Thursday for hundreds of people battling hunger at Saint John's Hospice in Center City. "Our men have no idea what a treat they're in for. This will be like watching our kids open presents on Christmas morning," said Gerald Hout, director of Community Relations for Saint John's Hospice, on Race Street near 12th Hunt.Fish.Feed, sponsored by Sportsman Channel, Comcast and Back on My Feet, uses game meat and fish donated by hunters to feed hungry people.

HAMMONTON, N.J. - Long touted as "the blueberry capital of the world," this Pinelands town is rapidly gaining another distinction: taco capital of South Jersey. With no fewer than half a dozen restaurants and trucks dotting the downtown streetscape, Hammonton - just a short jaunt off the Atlantic City Expressway - has become a destination for those craving everything from a humble soul-food menudo stew to crispy tostadas de tinga or unapologetic Tex-Mex. And in a decidedly new chapter for this traditionally Italian agricultural enclave, the civic forces have lately embraced these Mexican kitchens as a much-needed jolt of energy to revitalize the downtown, helping to market businesses like Roberto Diaz's El Mariachi Loco to a wider audience.

Lighten up the standard DIY taco buffet with this pork, bean, and corn filling. Serve with corn tortillas or shells, sliced scallions, diced tomatoes, or other toppings.   Pork, Black Bean and Corn Taco Filling Makes about 8 servings   2 tablespoons olive oil 1 pound lean ground pork 1 medium onion, finely chopped Salt 3 tablespoons taco seasoning mix, such as Penzeys, or to taste (see note) 2 large ears corn, kernels cut from cobs  (about 1 1/2 cups)

What to eat: No matter the craving, Guapos Tacos has a taco that satisfies. We loved the fish tacos, cooked to perfection and smothered in a chipotle rémoulade with pickled red cabbage and avocado aioli. The chicken and chipotle short-rib tacos are standard fare, but the carnitas taco comes alive with a pineapple habanero salsa. Don't miss: Handmade guacamole, with just a hint of lime juice, served with crispy chips. Insane value: No pair of tacos exceeds $4, including tax. Stay slim: If you're tired of dull, run-of-the-mill salad, try the Tostada Verde.

Chain: Taco Bell. Company description: This burrito is part of Taco Bell's new Cantina line, which the company describes thusly: "Chef Lorena Garcia created Taco Bell's new Cantina Bell Menu by using bold and flavorful ingredients, including guacamole, citrus-herb marinated chicken, and freshly prepared pico de gallo. " Nutritional info: 760 calories, 27 grams of fat, 1,960 mg of sodium. Price: $4.79. Review: The "Cantina" project is Taco Bell's unsubtle attempt to go after Chipotle, which has redefined Mexican fast food over the last decade (in more ways than one: Check out the company's stock price over the last five years)

‘Oh, isn't it beautiful?!" cooed a woman near me on the escalator, gliding down into the shimmering casino heart of the new Revel resort. No doubt, the "SkyGarden" off the hotel's fourth-floor lobby was stunning, a vast terrace landscape wrapped in native shrubs and fire pits with a breezy view of the ocean 114-feet below. But downstairs on the casino floor, the blinking machines, rattling roulette wheels and trancelike gamblers punching slots looked pretty much like every other gaming pit I've seen.

Company description: A crunchy taco made with premium seasoned beef, crisp lettuce and real cheddar cheese, in a shell made from Nacho Cheese Doritos Chips. Nutrition: 170 calories, 9 grams fat, 13 grams carbs. Location: The Gallery at Market East, 901 Market St. Order time: 90 seconds. Price: $1.29. Review: Given the awesomeness of the products involved, it's hard to overstate how high expectations were for the Doritos Locos Taco.

TIME WAS, a chef could do one thing exceedingly well and make a name. But chefs and eateries in Philadelphia are starting to take pride in their versatility, adapting their cuisine to specialized needs. And yes, a big one is plant-based eating. Derek Davis, whose restaurant, Derek's, is a fine-dining fixture in Manayunk, told the Daily News earlier this month: "When I look at my menu, I see we're lacking things that are strictly vegetables, without any dairy, without any animal fats.