Restaurant Review: Decadent Al Pastor at El Morelense 

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Anyone who calls themselves a true believer in the church of tacos will have a story about their favorite al pastor experience. For me, it was my first experience, when a friend who spent his LDS mission in Mexico took me to an al pastor joint in Taylorsville. The place isn't around anymore, but I remember the feeling of seeing those tiny little street tacos lined up in a basket. It was the grilled pineapple that really kicked things off for me—that pop of grilled sweetness that cuts through that concentrated pork flavor.

I've had plenty of tacos al pastor since then, and my affection for this beloved Mexican street food was recently rekindled when I saw that El Morelense recently expanded to South Jordan. Local taco fans and frequenters of the Latino Mall in West Valley will no doubt recognize the name; El Morelense has been a fixture at this shopping center for years.

Its menu has all your Mexican street food faves, but its claim to fame is the al pastor. This traditional method of preparing tacos is characterized by the inverted cone of marinated pork skewered by a trompo or vertical spit. During its revolutions, the heat from the vertical oven makes the outer edges of this glorious meat cone crispy, thanks to the juices that languidly drizzle their way down to the bottom.

When you enter the new South Jordan location of El Morelense, the al pastor meat cone maintains its commanding presence. Honestly, it's hard to pay any attention to the menu with this monolith of marinated pork rotating hypnotically behind the counter. Based on the reverence that this meaty structure commands, it's no surprise that you should start with anything al pastor.

The tacos ($3.50) are the cornerstone of El Morelense's menu, and at that price, you should order no less than four. Once they've shaved off those tender strips of juicy marinated pork onto your tortillas, and added a citrusy sliver of pineapple, head over to the salsa bar and load up. I've been to a lot of places that seem to get "salsa bar" confused with "salad bar" and max out their counter space here, but they keep it tight at El Morelense. You've got your green tomatillo salsa and your creamy avocado salsa, but then you've got your salsa roja, which is for fans of adding a spicy kick to your meal. You've also got the traditional condiments of chopped onion, pico de gallo, pickled carrots and lime wedges—all good stuff to enhance your taco experience.

The al pastor at El Morelense is top-notch for a few reasons, and I think chief among them is the textural contrast. The best al pastor I've had makes sure their pork has a good mix of the crispy outer layer and the juicy inner layer. When you watch these pros slice your al pastor, you'll see they do so with even diagonal cuts that allow for equal distribution of both layers. This ensures you get a nice bacon-y crispness with some pork belly tenderness.

For when you want to absolutely gorge yourself on al pastor, your best option is probably the al pastor fries ($14.25). Anyone who's ever had loaded fries at a Mexican restaurant before will recognize the composition of this dish: lots of golden fries topped with a pile of protein, melted cheese and some type of crema condiment. Once you dig into this tasty heap of flavor, however, you really get a heavy dose of that delicious pork al pastor. This is the logical next step for those who have become fans of the tacos, and are craving something a bit more substantial.

Though I could go on about the al pastor at El Morelense, there are plenty of other options for those craving traditional Mexican favorites. Their tortas are perfectly serviceable and overstuffed; I liked their milanesa ($12.99) with its tender, breaded pork chop and creamy avocado. I also tried their carne asada alambre ($11.75), which spoke right to my heart. This is a traditional dish that takes a big scoop of protein, tosses it with plenty of melty cheese and gives you a half dozen small tortillas for taco construction. The carne asada is excellent, but I should note that you can also get one of these with their famous pork al pastor.

Whether you've been frequenting their West Valley location for years or just saw their new digs pop up in South Jordan, El Morelense is a major player in Utah's Mexican food scene. They've set their sights on perfecting that mouth-watering al pastor methodology, and it's paying off big time. When that street taco craving hits, El Morelense is one of the best local joints to help you indulge.