According to a recent study, Californians are happier than Americans who live in other states, leading some to wonder why: Could it be the sunshine, the varied scenery, the sparkle of Hollywood? It could be any or all of those things, but I would suggest it is also the tacos.Like trips to the beach or free Dodgers tickets, tacos are meant to be an uncomplicated pleasure, almost like California if one could have it without the high taxes and traffic jams. Some foodie types are always on the lookout for the best dim sum or sweet macaroon, and I admit to once frittering away time at Paris in search of the best chocolate croissants. Yet could there be any worthier culinary quest than one that has for its quarry the perfect taco? Mexican in origin, the best tacos in America are, with strenuous apologies to Texas, those that emerge from the kitchens of California. I cannot think of a single instance when tucking into a taco outside California did not seem like a kind of exercise in plated lamentation. I may be biased, growing up as I did in Southern California, but my hometown, Santa Barbara, is a perfect example of how a local haunt that goes all in on the humble taco is also a window into the soul of what is arguably the happiest of the 50 states.I am referring, of course, to La Super-Rica Taqueria at 622 North Milpas St., for some the epitome of the Southern California taco shop. It is not much to look at from the outside, but that is just fine. Situated in a residential neighborhood not far from the Pacific Ocean, the signature zig-zag roof with the sea foam green-painted awning is a longstanding advertisement for the relaxed vibe for which California is renowned. Ordering is done via a glass partition, and there is ample seating on the breezy patio. Popular items include the tacos de bistec, which are tender chunks of beef served on two round, hand-pressed corn tortillas and nicely accentuated by a shot of salsa roja; and the Super-Rica Especial, which is a marvel of roasted poblano peppers with crispy cheese and marinated pork served in three tortillas. La Super-Rica is very much a Santa Barbara institution and has been around for as long as anybody can remember. For me, it is as integral a part of the local topography as the Old Mission Santa Barbara, two miles east. The mission was one of 21 the Spanish built in Alta California and its park-like setting makes it one of the most beautiful. Another especially lovely one is older by a decade, the Mission San Juan Capistrano in Orange County. It was built in 1776 in the Spanish colonial Baroque style, and if you will forgive the non sequitur, there are upwards of a half-dozen authentic taquerias and Mexican restaurants in its immediate vicinity. In the northern reaches of San Diego County there is a dreamy coastal hamlet called Solana Beach. This December, I discovered that one of my favorite Mexican restaurants there had closed, so I asked around and found a substitute with very little charm but an awful lot of flavor: Rudy’s Taco Shop, in a strip mall between the San Diego Freeway and the long, broad beach. It is a taqueria with a soupçon of honky-tonk and humor — the sign outside indicates that Rudy’s has “the same people, same recipes, new paint.”It is a time warp to the Southern California of the late 1970s, when there were often just two choices of tacos, shredded chicken or ground beef, but they were almost always very good. At Rudy’s there are plenty of options, from street tacos and fish tacos to quesadillas and other Mexican fare, but I opted for a classic chicken taco in a hard-shell corn tortilla. Shredded Mexican cheese, crisp shredded lettuce, red salsa with a bit of sour cream, and guacamole on the side made it so good that it called for another. I suggest pairing your tacos with a refreshing Orange Bang chilled whipped beverage — like the modest decor, a veritable blast to a simpler past. The homemade churro at Delicias Mexican Cuisine. Harris LechtmanVenturing east from the coast via Interstate 10 eventually takes you to the dusty desert city of Desert Hot Springs. It is the home to the eclectic Delicias Mexican Cuisine. The pink exterior makes it easy to spot from the street and there are more than tacos on the menu, from street food items that include a variety of quesadillas, fajitas, and huaraches to breakfast fare like tres leches French toast and huevos divorciados (two fried eggs with red and green sauce over a pair of tortillas with queso fresco and homemade fries). Taco aficionados have many options from which to choose, such as carne asada street tacos and grilled chicken tacos with garlic, pico avocado sauce, and onions. Californian creativity pops up in some delicious ways, as with the “Vulcan taco.” Mine arrived with a copious amount of carne asada, crispy melted cheese, spicy pickled red onion, micro cilantro, and avocado sauce. The meat was grilled and diced to perfection, and the crispy cheese was strategically soft on the inside of the taco. Like all tacos, it was meant to be eaten by hand, though doing so seemed a slight to the bright aesthetic. For dessert, the compact, homemade churro was simply the best I have tasted, making the scoop of vanilla ice cream on top unnecessary. A little quirky, definitely unpretentious, and true to its name, Delicias is the kind of place that makes one want to dive a little deeper into the Californian hinterland. Interesting things are always cooking under all that golden sun.
