If you look up “hidden gem,” you should find a photo of Livermore’s El Chaparrito Taqueria. Don’t let the location deter you. It’s tucked away in an odd building in Springtown, but I knew when my date and I were obviously the only people in the place not fluent in Spanish, that it would be the real deal.
We were so happy we noticed the bartender making a Michelada ( think “bloody beer”) when we arrived, otherwise, we would’ve missed out on a great part of our meal. We started with an order of guacamole and chips, made with real, slightly lumpy avocado and thick corn chips.
For entrees, I opted for my favorite, chicken flautas with rice and beans. The shredded chicken was moist and the shell crunchy. I quickly discovered it would be easier to pick them up to eat rather than try a fork and knife.
My date decided on the super burrito with chicken. It was stuffed with chicken, rice, beans, onion, cheese, cilantro and sour cream. I’m not the biggest burrito fan, but this one was exceptionally flavorful.
Kudos to the bartender who measured out each spice in our Micheladas rather than using a mix.
Tacos start at $2, plates at $8. Beer only. Open Monday-Friday 7am-9pm and Saturday 9am-9pm. 939 Larkspur Drive, Livermore. (925) 453-6080.
A condensed version of this review ran in the November 2019 issue of Your Town Monthly magazine.
