Tacos al pastor, a Mexican interpretation of a Lebanese tradition

One thing that makes Mexican cuisine great is its ability to incorporate outside influences seamlessly.  Tacos al pastor is a widely popular dish that illustrates this knack for cross-cultural collaboration.  Some say that it was developed through the influence of Lebanese settlers in the state of Puebla around the turn of the twentieth century.  Vast numbers of Lebanese immigrants arrived with the recipes of their homeland.  While Spanish colonists imported many ingredients from the “Old World”, the Lebanese still found some traditional ingredients hard to come by.  The traditional method for cooking shawarma was adapted to match Mexican foods and customs, replacing hard-to-find lamb with pork and adding pineapple and achiote seed paste to the marinade.  Like shawarma, the pork is then spin-roasted on a Lebanese vertical spit grill until the outside crisps and carmelizes from the pork fat and pineapple juices.  Finally, it is shaved into thin slices and served in a corn tortilla. 

Today, this regional dish has proliferated throughout Mexico and parts of the United States.  While not every Mexican restaurant in the Denver metro area serves pastor, it can be found in many local taquerías.  Some local gems are listed below.

Los Carboncitos, 3757 Pecos St., Denver, CO 80211, 303-458-0880
Wedged along the border of the rapidly gentrifying Highlands and the largely Hispanic Sunnyside neighborhoods, Los Carboncitos is an brightly-dressed oasis of great, authentic Mexican food served to a mixed demographic of patrons.  While their huaraches are not to be missed, the true winner on their menu is the tacos al pastor.  Thin, crispy slices or pork piled into a large freshly made corn tortilla, served simply with a topping of onions, cilantro and fresh cubes of pineapple.  Each meal at Los Carboncitos is delivered alongside a tray of limes and four fresh and colorful salsas – smoked red pepper, green tomatillo, green tomatillo with avocado, and a fried red pepper.  Each of the salsas pack some serious heat, so use accordingly. 

Taco Mex, 7840 E. Colfax Ave., Denver, CO 80220, 303-394-7555
Heading east on Colfax towards Aurora, a converted fast-casual diner now serves up savory Mexican food to a bustling crowd of locals.  At 99¢ each, the tacos at Taco Mex are a godsend in this tough economy.  However, cheap prices don’t mean cheap flavor.  Taco Mex offers some of the best pastor in Denver when it is being prepared fresh.  The meat is diced into small pieces and soaked with pineapple before being griddled and served.  Fragrant, succulent, mildly sweet, and tender, these small tacos leave a lasting impression.  The atmosphere is cheerful with the red, green and white of the Mexican flag, but don’t expect 5-star atmosphere.  Counter service and paper plates are the M.O. here, but the staff is always friendly.  The best time to go is when the pastor is grilling outside alongside a variety of intriguing meats, typically after 6pm on weeknights and early afternoon on weekends.

Tacos y Salsas #3, 910 S. Federal Blvd., Denver, CO 80219, 303-922-9400
As the name suggests, Tacos y Salsas specializes in making great tacos and salsas.  This new location painted bright-yellow on Federal Blvd serves a dedicated clientele voluptuous chunks of pastor piled into a single fresh tortilla.  Tacos arrive naked to give the consumer full ability to customize to their own preferences.  The salsa bar is stacked with 7 types of salsa along with chopped onions, cilantro, radish slices, jalapeños and a pico de gallo.  The salsas reign supreme here, with bright hues and exploding flavors.  A basket of chips precedes the meal, allowing diners to test the salsa flavors beforehand. 

Think you know of a great taco al pastor not mentioned?  Post a comment or email to me at