Tacos de Cabrito y Machito El Lagunero

🇲🇽 MÉXICO (Coahuila)
📍 2598 N. State Street, Muscoy, San Bernardino County.
🅿️ Parking along street
💲 Cash/Zelle Only
🥤 No Alcohol

EDITOR'S NOTE: Business sets up at Good Choice Tires on Saturday and Sunday, opening at 08:00 both mornings.

Muscoy is a community surrounded by interstates, but the slow pace of life here could not feel further removed. As cars speed by between San Bernardino and Los Angeles on the 210 or over the Cajon Pass on the 15, places like El Lagunero are slow-roasting young goats beside a tire shop on weekends. When you roll up to the bright orange building early on a Saturday or Sunday, you will think it is the most popular flat fix joint in Southern California.

But the smells coming from behind the fence eventually give away the reason so many cars have parked around this intersection. Many of these are undoubtedly patronizing the other weekend vendors on opposite corners, but the vast majority seem to be here for a taste of Northern México, cabrito and machito that is most popular in the states of Coahuila and Nuevo León.

Those smells eventually lead you, if you come early enough, to the side yard of the lot, where the cabrito and machito are still angled over a low fire setting the scene for the meal about to be enjoyed. Take a seat anywhere you can find, surrounded by stacks and piles of tires and the cacophony of roosters in the morning. If this is your first experience with something like this, you will feel like you have arrived in a place far away from home.

A large dog crate sits amongst the tires, is this the way the baby goats have arrived? There is a bit of time to take in the atmosphere and imagine it all before your orders start arriving. The husband and wife that run the entire operation are generous and welcoming from the first minute, and the smiles on every customer's face lets you know you are in for a treat.

In Southern California right now, there is no other place for the public to come for this type of experience. Folks in places like Muscoy have undoubtedly done this at their own homes for special occasions, but thanks to El Lagunero now anyone in nearby places can come on weekends. These types of celebrations are much more common in Texas, which is basically an extension of Coahuila and Nuevo León.

The cabrito and machito you see roasting are the only things on the menu, just in different forms. You can of course have tacos of either, large flautas, enormous tortas, or big bowls of cabrito en consomé. No matter what you choose, portions are more than generous so bring as many friends as you can and try everything.

Both types of tacos come with a small cup of delicious consomé fortified with garbanzos. Since the large tortillas are overstuffed, you can either eat some meat with a fork or put it in the cup of consomé to make the tacos manageable. Come early and select the cuts of meat you prefer, or just order the tacos de cabrito (above) and get a dealer's choice mix.

In Texas, machito is referred to as "Texan haggis" according to Truly Texas Mexican author Adan Medrano. Tacos de machito (below) are stuffed with this mix of chopped up goat innards, seasoned and roasted to perfection right next to the full goat. While these two tacos are the most basic way to experience the offerings of El Lagunero, you can also get both cuts in other preparations mentioned earlier. On the day of this visit, the flautas seemed especially popular.

Cabrito en consomé.

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