El Rayo Taqueria: Getting Better?

El Rayo Taqueria (Portland, Maine) has been an easy choice for a mid-week meal.  Location, simple parking, good beer, and a relaxing atmosphere are certainly part of that decision.  They have had their ups and downs and now - possibly - El Rayo has attained some level of stability.  Not great, but at least a solid option for a meal.

My last review harsh but deserving; El Rayo slumped.  However, El Rayo is also an easy place to drop by and grab another bite to eat when travelling in and out of the Old Port. Therefore, I made a few visits since then. I figured they hit the bottom and there was only one way to go: up.   Without exaggeration, I made twelve visits to El Rayo since that review.  I've eaten their burritos, tacos, and rice bowls.   Overall, El Rayo has improved and the food is descent.

The service tends to be lack-luster.  Perhaps my timing was poor but each time I've gone there I've seen my waiter sit down for a lunch/dinner break.  They work hard and deserve to eat, but it's irritating when I want another beer and they are busy shoveling a burrito.

El Rayo's hot sauce has reached some level of stability. I am not sure if the chemical reaction simply stopped or they feel they found the right mixture of components.  It tastes oddly  recognizable; I suppose it can be El Rayo's Signature.  I would like something that is made of peppers more so than vinegar and cayanne, but I cannot complain.  Although I do worry about what I am ingesting, it's something I can live with.

I almost forgot (I had to modify this post since I published it) - I did develop a personal grudge against their tacos.   Somewhere along the way El Rayo made the tacos larger and messier.  My personal feeling is that diners balked at the $4 tacos so, rather than lower the price, El Ray offered a bigger product.  This is pure speculation, but I have no idea how else to explain a taco that won't close wrapped in a secondary tortilla.

The food has lost a bit of it's flavor, becoming more bland and basic.  I think that's the curse of many "ethnic" restaurants in Portland - have to appeal to the masses.  Never the less, when done properly the food tastes good.  Their rice bowls have become my favorite dish; a safe and simple way to enjoy a meal.   Overall, El Rayo has improved and is back as feeding option for myself and my friends.

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