Taqueria El Huarache Silverdale

2/26/22 - Being in the mood for Mexican food, hubby and I decided to try Taqueria El Huarache in Silverdale. We were the first ones there like we usually are for many restaurants. Elvia greeted us promptly with a friendly smile included; I requested a table, and then she took us to be seated in the bar area, which wasn't a problem. We asked for water, and she quickly brought us water along with chips and salsa! The first thing I noticed about the restaurant, aside from the friendly greeting, was it appeared to be a little bit outdated. The seating was a little rough around the edges, the flooring looked antiquated, and a lot was happening with decor and other items hanging off the walls and the entrance door. I appreciated the colorfulness of the decor as it felt authentic; the other things were a bit of a deterrent from the fun Hispanic items that adorned the restaurant. As I was sitting there and looking around as much as possible, it seemed relatively clean and had no weird, awkward smells; and all of the servers looked clean! I am sorry I am unable to voice my opinion on the restrooms. *Before talking about the food, I have to talk about our charming server Elvia; she was fantastic, funny, accommodating, and friendly to a boot; for that said, everyone we came across was friendly, but she made you feel welcomed! On to the food! So El Huaraches' menu is enormous, I lost count at fifty items, and I feel there were probably 20+ items still on the menu that I did not count. We decided because of the sheer number of choices; we would stick with the lunch specials; there were thirty-ish choices to choose from as well! I have always said more isn't necessarily better, and one must wonder, is the taste and quality being sacrificed for quantity?! And if their other meals are as good as ours was today, I'll be eating those words, lol. I chose lunch special #1, which had one tamale with beef, beans, and rice. Hubby chose lunch special #9, the burrito; and the meat he chose was carne asada; his meal came with beans and rice. I was happily surprised to have a homemade tamale with homemade beans and rice. The beans and rice were good, but that tamale was great; maybe it's because I usually skip ordering tamales; after all, past ones haven't been that impressive, so I typically go with what I know, but this one was impressive, and I'm happy I chose it! Hubby's burrito with the carne asada meat, hands down, was divine; I can't say I have ever had carne asada that good ever, and he was extremely happy with his choice! One other very notable item was their salsa; We loved the chunkiness to it, loads of flavor, and a little tiny bite but nothing that would make you rush for a drink, just the perfect amount to enhance it. We will definitely be returning!! You can find Taqueria El Huaraches at: 9448 Silverdale Way NW, Silverdale, Washington. They are adjacent to what I would consider a small strip mall; however, they sit alone and are not connected to other buildings. Taqueria El Huaraches shares a considerable parking lot with Joy Teryaki, Top Nails, Liv Refreshed, and other small businesses. Across Silverdale Way, you find Grocery Outlet and Greens On Your Way. If you are craving Mexican food, now's the time to grace Taqueria El Huarache with your presence; I doubt you'll be disappointed! "Thank you for supporting locally-owned businesses and change the world by being kind to ALL living things; we all matter!"