La Rosita Taqueria, Wheeling, IL

Right behind my place in perhaps the most unassuming and rundown strip mall I have ever seen is La Rosita grocery store. There’s a bike path behind it. I’ve ridden my bike in a circle in front of the store wondering what it was like. I didn’t realize there was a taqueria inside. I didn’t even realize it said Taqueria on the awning until tonight.

I walk in a bam! There’s the taqueria to the right. It looks like a church or VFW hall. Like someone’s basement. There is grocery store is around it, with giant Jesus and Virgin Mary pictures looking down at us. They’re praying for us. The menu is limited: tacos, tortas, burritos and quesadillas. I notice a quesadilla de calabazas, which is pumpkin flowers. This is something my mom loves when she sees it. Her mom used to make calabazas. I’m not sure how it will go in a quesadilla but I’d like  to find out. I try to order it but they are out of calabazas. I study the menu again. I'm about to tell her to just throw some ham in but she says if I’m not eating meat I can get nopales. Nopales is cactus and my mom eats this by the jarful, usually at breakfast with her eggs. The cook makes my quesadilla, calls me over, asks if I want cilantro and onion (yes) and I take it to go.

I get comfy on my couch and take it out of the bag. It’s big. It’s almost the size of a burrito. I open it up and squeeze the lime pieces they gave me on and dump the salsa on. I take a bite. Not bad. The tortilla is thick and fluffy. Probably homemade recently. The thick gooey cheese is yummy and there are tons of diced nopales mixed with onion and tomato. Very good.

4/5 Stars

La Rosita Taqueria, 1902 Wolf Rd. Wheeling, IL

Quesadilla $5.05