Joe’s Tacos, Mill Valley

Joe's grilled stuffed pasilla pepper

The other day we were up late watching Rachel Ray re-runs on Food Network. It’s the show where she travels around the U.S. to try restaurants. That night she was in Northern California outside San Francisco in the Bay Area. Apparently cross-marketing, she stopped by Tyler Florence’s new store, Tyler Florence Shop, where she and her husband(?) met him. Then the couple was hungry so they said goodbye to TF and went for a bite at Joe’s Tacos, just down the street. Rachel seemed enchanted by the décor and really raved about the food. The show had a behind-the-scenes look at the chef making the Grilled Pasilla Chile. It looked fun, so the next day, Hegui, Clarence and I trooped off to Mill Valley.

Joe's Tacos

It was cool but clear with a lot of sun. The drive over the Golden Gate Bridge was spectacular, as usual. We’d been through Mill Valley before on the way to Muir Woods and Stinson Beach but never saw the town itself. It’s nestled at the foot of the mountains in Marin County. There’re a lot of lovely homes dotted around with tall majestic redwood trees almost everywhere. After we tired Clarence with a short walk, we parked him back in the dog carrier and went to Tyler F’s shop. It’s sort of a downscale version of Williams Sonoma. It’s situated in one of those quaint small-town-strip-mall-like-places that don’t feel like strip malls at all. After, we wandered through a charming wine shop, a super market, and furniture and knickknack shops until we were ready for lunch.

Joe's Tacos has a lot of character!

Joe’s is in a smallish Art Deco looking building. It was crowded when we got there but fortunately a table for two had just opened up. The interior is just what I expected from the T.V. show: lots of over-the-top Mexican decorations, religious icons and rows and rows of hot pepper bottles. Our table had a magnificent hot pink plastic table cloth that I thought photographed really well.

We tried the Grilled Pasilla Chile that we had seen the night before. This comes stuffed with a chipotle corn bread and cheese, covered in a mild red pepper sauce afloat on a pool of tomatillo salsa. It was so exciting seeing the thing on the boob tube and having it before us the very next day! Now that’s interactive television. Hegui had expected the pasilla pepper to be very spicy, but it wasn’t at all. To us it tasted very mild and a bit sweet from the corn. I added some salt.

Grilled Pacific Snapper Burrito, Mojado style

Hegui ordered the Grilled Pacific Snapper Burrito, Mojado style. I had the Ensenada Snapper Tacos. Mine were batter fried pieces of fish on a bed of cabbage salad with habanero mayo and a salsa negra served in soft corn tortillas. I enjoyed them but wasn’t overwhelmed. Hegui felt the same about his: super mild and unmemorable. Joe’s Tacos is a fun, inexpensive place with good, friendly service. The food is sort of ho-hum. Mill Valley, on the other hand, is really worth a visit.

chillin in front of Joe's Tacos