Amazing how restaurants grow. Take, for example, Señor Ramon Taqueria, a Tex-Mex taco place that started out in Loudoun (Leesburg) and the owner and management have since opened three more eateries. Their goal, according to a website blurb, has been “to bring authentic, street-style Mexican food to Northern Virginia; using antique homemade recipes and the freshest ingredients.”
Now, welcome to Reston, in the Home Depot shopping center, with its location on the opposite side next door to several local merchants. Obviously, the word has gotten out, for at a recent very early lunch, patrons began trickling in; one fellow was already seated with a tableful of taco containers.
Ordering here is easy…there is no waitstaff, so patrons need to eye the menu posted on the wall (or pick up a paper menu) and figure out what to order. With a dozen different Taco Ramon taco choices and fillings, plus 9 traditional tacos, it may take a while to sort through the favorites…for the house tacos, fillings include carnitas (crispy pork) with caramelized onions; crispy shrimp with charred corn salsa; carne asada (grilled beef) with shredded cheese and guacamole; and crispy tripe with braised tongue, plus several more choices.
Traditional fillings include grilled beef short ribs, shredded beef, grilled chicken, and spicy lamb, plus more. Patrons can add to the assorted nacho choices (how about spicy lamb?), assorted sides like empanadas, roasted corn, and fried calamari sticks; tostados; tortas (sandwiches); and a choice of green bowls and sliders.
After placing the order and getting seated (or waiting for takeout) patrons can sip a beverage of choice, and within seconds (well, minutes), the order appears. On a nearby side table the staff has set up three choices of salsas, from mild, medium, to hot (flaming hot, fiery hot 12). Then, it is time to plunge in.
Dessert may or may not be available but if flan is on hand, that’s a sweet way to end your taco feast.
Señor Ramon Taqueria, 11790 Baron Cameron Ave., Unit #4A, Reston. Phone: 571-313-0374. Hours: Mon.-Sat., 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sun., 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.