Top 6 Tacos in the San Fernando Valley

T. Nguyen

Don Cuco's taco truck

Following up on our list of the 10 Best Tacos in Los Angeles, we decided to look onwards and upwards, toward the San Fernando Valley in search of even more great tacos. And find them we did, especially in Sylmar and Reseda. While you're never too far from a taco truck or taqueria on any given jaunt through the Valley, we found six spots in particular for which we would make a special trip. Turn the page for our list.

T. Nguyen

Daniel's Tacos

6. Daniel's Tacos:
Whether it's the middle of the day or the middle of the night, Daniel's Tacos is perpetually crowded, and with good reason: The freshly made corn tortillas are delicious, the meat is piled high, the salsas have a healthy kick and the condiment bar is always full. The al pastor is particularly good. A word to the wise: The parking lot is worse than the one at your local Trader Joe's, so you might be better off parking on the street instead. 7956 Vineland Ave., Sun Valley; (818) 759-0721.

T. Nguyen

Carne asada tacos at El Sauz

5. El Sauz:
The line can be somewhat slow and the woman who often takes your order can be downright curt, but if you have a generally sunny disposition and, more importantly, a penchant for carne asada, you'll wait patiently and order politely. El Sauz's nuggets of carne asada practically pop with flavor, with charred bits here and there for added punch. A taco with all the toppings includes onions, cilantro and a salsa that practically glazes the meat. If you want more of this salsa, it'll be an extra quarter. This would be but a small price to pay for a fleeting moment of bliss. 4432 San Fernando Road., Glendale; (818) 246-9701.

T. Nguyen

Barbecoa taco at Don Cuco

4. Don Cuco's Taco Truck:
The word "Tacos" is printed backwards on the engine of Don Cuco's, so if you happen to catch the truck in your rearview mirror, do as you do when you see an ambulance behind you: Pull over. The tortillas are made in-house, or in-truck, so to speak, and they're soft, slightly thick creations that go well with any of the meats on the menu, including carnitas and barbacoa. At some point, the flat-screen television perilously hooked up on the side of the truck will turn on; eating tacos and watching RoboCop 3 dubbed in Spanish isn't quite as plush as most dinner-and-a-movie dates, but, depending on your version of an ideal night out, this may be just close enough. Last spotted on Foothill Blvd. at Paxton St., San Fernando.

For number 3...