A Showdown in Taco-Town

Who doesn’t love a good taco? One must ask, however, which of these locations has the tastiest tortillas, the greatest guacamole, or the preferred pico? The Gilman News set out to answer this previously unsolved mystery and determine once and for all which is better: Pono or Papi?

To properly compare the locations, we ordered carne asada tacos and chips and guacamole, both staples of a good taco spot, to compare. Of course, the most important category when comparing the two locations is the actual taste of the food itself. To give each establishment a fair chance, we started our course with the chips and guac. Tasting each restaurant's chip by itself, Pono comes away with the better chip. However, after pairing it with the guacamole, Papi proves its dominance with a more authentic and tasty combo. 

Still, the main course is the deciding factor in which restaurant produces the tastiest taco. With a more colorful and decorative taco, Papi’s wins the aesthetic category. Unfortunately, the true taste of Papi’s taco could not be masked by the decoration. With a juicy and better marinated skirt steak, Pono taco lapped the competition with a true carne asada taco. Papi’s taco, in Brody’s opinion, has a “glorified Chipotle carne asada, focusing too much on the toppings and add-ons, rather than the core of the taco, the meat.” Pono, thus, produced a better taco, and it paired well with the sauces provided. The sauces did not take anything away or mask the flavor; rather, they enhanced the taco experience. Papi’s taco was too dry, and the only way to enjoy it was by adding the pico, which did not help much. 

While the taste of the tacos is paramount, it is also important to mention the location of both places. While both had excellent aesthetics, with Papi being its own restaurant and Pono being situated inside the artisanal Belvedere Square, Pono Taco wins in this category for its closer proximity to Gilman and its far more accessible parking situation. 

Pono is once again victorious in terms of costs, as two Carne asada tacos and chips will run you $15.95, a pretty high charge, but still considerably less than Papi’s $19.95 price tag. After much debate within The News, it was unanimously declared that Pono Taco has the better taco, the better price, the better location, and the better chips. Ultimately, Pono Taco sweeps the competition!