Pica or No Pica? The only question you need to ask at Machos Tacos

Supposedly, Monday was National Margarita Day — as if I needed another excuse to meet up with an old friend and catch up with each others lives over drinks that taste like warmth, sunshine, and summer on the rocks.

We sat there enjoying each others company amid the colorful Mexican decor, laughter, and celebration all around when my past returned to haunt me. I have been keeping a secret for a couple of weeks now. Something so decadently delightful I wanted to keep the memory to myself and savor every detail. Was it love, lust, infatuation, or something else? Whatever it was, I was craving it. I sat there enjoying delicious drinks and amazing food but my heart was somewhere else. I am ready to come clean. I fell in love ... here we go again.

Tacos. Not just any tacos, Machos Tacos, located at 515 West Main Street in Jackson.

I had visited before and ordered a local favorite — The Heartland Bowl. Chicken, cheese and rice. Simple, tasty, but nothing to write home about. It met my lunchtime needs but was quickly forgotten.

Then, a colleague mentioned Machos Tacos. She gave such a glowing recommendation I wondered if maybe I needed to give them another try. After all, their specialty is in their name-tacos.

The #1.Submitted by Mary Ann Castillo

You could say that day was the perfect storm. I skipped breakfast. I forgot to pack lunch. I was so busy throughout the work day I didn't even realize I had skipped lunch until I was past the point of no return — too late for lunch but too close to dinner. I could not bring myself to satiate my needs with yet another cheap fast food burger "on the way" home, but I was also too hungry and tired to cook. That is when my brain hatched the plan that led to my demise. Machos Tacos.

As soon as the clock struck the appropriate time, I booked it out of the building, jumped into Big Red, and placed my order at the drive through. "I'll have the #2-Tacos Duro with one of each, please." The Tacos Duro includes three hard shell street tacos, with chicken, beef or chorizo, cilantro, onions, house sauce, a side of rice and beans and a drink for $7.89. A steal.

I picked up my order and began to drive away, but realized I was crashing and needed to get some food in me right away. In typical foodie fashion, I pulled into the first parking lot I could find and placed Big Red in park. No shame in my game. I pulled the black Styrofoam container out of the bag and carefully opened it. It was love at first sight. In my haste and hunger, I had overlooked the words "hard shell" in the description of the street tacos and was pleasantly surprised. This was something a little different. It is always that little something that makes all the difference.

Wow. Each of my senses was completely engaged. The fragrance of generously portioned fresh cilantro and onions. The scent of Mexican spices in the chorizo. The rich vibrant color of the toasted taco shells along with rojo and Verde salsa. Now I really understand what Renee Zellwegger's character meant in the movie "Jerry McGuire" when she whispered, "You had me at hello." I was all in.

It was a magical moment. I may have even blushed a little when I caught the eye of a man who appeared to be leaving a nearby business on his way home. Busted. I have no regrets. Sometimes the heart (or stomach) wants what it wants. I know some will argue that street tacos must have soft corn tortilla to be "authentic' but I am here to assure you the only question you really need to ask yourself when you go to an authentic Mexican restaurant is whether you want your salasa "pica or no pica."

Pica or no pica?Submitted by Mary Ann Castillo

I do not know how long this love affair will last, but I can assure you it will be a hard habit to break.