We came for the music. But we left with bellies full of beef cabeza and crispy chunks of steak charred on a mesquite grill.
In between? Well, that was interesting ...
The little rock-and-roll-themed restaurant Tacos Apson has been going strong for 14 years on South Twelfth Avenue, turning out freshly grilled meats and a few under-the-radar Sonoran specialties. One of them is the costilla de res, an enormous beef rib that gets slapped on a little corn tortilla.
As far as I know, it's also the only restaurant in town that serves huevo becerro criadillas. This is the kinda thing you might see on a cattle ranch in northern Mexico: squishy little testicles from a calf that get chopped up and thrown on the flattop. They come out kinda crispy on the outside, with the springy texture like a hot dog and a flavor that reminds me of chopped liver.
They were more palatable than I thought, but I admit, I had to steal half my lunchmate's cheesy carne asada caramelo. Which wasn't actually a big deal, because it was enormous. Overall, a five-star experience!
Weird fact: The restaurant is named after Los Apson Boys, a Mexican band that covered oldies tunes like "(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" by The Rolling Stones and "Under the Boardwalk" by The Drifters.
Location: 3501 S. 12th Ave.
Phone: 520-670-1248
Hours: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays, 10 a.m. to midnight Fridays and Saturdays, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sundays
Payment: accepts debit and credit
