Behind the Circle K gas station on McFarland Boulevard lies a small brick building with two businesses and a hidden gem in Tuscaloosa’s Mexican food scene. The sign is small and the street’s busy intersection makes turning left into the parking lot near impossible, but the scent of sizzling fat and warm spices after entering through the glass door makes Antojitos Izcalli a staple.
Antojitos Izcalli is a small Mexican restaurant, only seating around 30 people, with a near-constant line of families and groups of friends making to-go orders. At dinnertime, the restaurant is packed, with nearly every seat occupied.
Since opening in 2017, Antojitos Izcalli has gained statewide popularity from both patrons and Buzzfeed, which labeled it as the best Latin food in Alabama in 2019. The menu is small for most Mexican restaurants, with 22 main menu options and a daily special. The daily special rotates based on the chef’s choice. Each entree is affordable, with the highest costing option, the Bistec a la Mexicana, not exceeding $16.
Some menu items are a la carte, like the tacos, which are served with the customer’s choice of meat and are prepared to order. The restaurant serves both traditional street tacos and American-style tacos, served on a flour tortilla with lettuce, sour cream and queso fresco. University students enjoy the variety in taco styles.
“I love a good beef taco with lettuce and cheese. Honestly, you can never go wrong with that combination,” said Olivia Phillips, a senior majoring in political science. “A good taco to me is when you take a big bite and can taste all the different things in the taco, and it tastes really good.”
The lengua tacos alone are worth the $4 per taco price point, which is 50 cents more expensive than other meat options. Lengua was historically considered a symbol of good luck and prosperity in some Latin American countries, and is used in a wide variety of dishes.
In tacos, beef lengua is often braised in a tomato-based sauce and then grilled for a rich and smokey meat that is charred on the outside, but tender on the inside. At Antojitos Izcalli, the lengua is diced, leading the meat to have almost a stew-like texture.
“When having to pick a place to eat, these are the types of restaurants that always come first,” said Rodney Barnett, a junior majoring in management. “Not only do they serve good food, but they also have a great atmosphere to unwind in after a long day.”
Antojitos Izcalli serves as an impromptu hangout spot for students or a relief for others as they are hungry after work. Kian McKenna, a junior computer science student, loves to eat at local Mexican restaurants because their atmosphere feels genuine to him.
“Local family-owned authentic Mexican restaurants bring community, making their service more personal,” McKenna said. “These types of restaurants are my go-to when meeting up with a large group, because I know the environment and food are going to be perfectly accommodating.”
