By Gordon Anderson | gordon@rantnc.com

I never met a taco I didn’t like. And Sanford definitely enjoys what they call an embarrassment of riches in the taco department – there are just too many places to name in one essay that offer up any number of amazing varieties at low prices, which hasn’t always been my experience elsewhere in North Carolina.

So when a friend and I came across a taco recently whose featured filling was both new to us and maybe a little off the beaten path for people like us (read: white guys in their 40s who enjoy Latin American cuisine but aren’t super familiar with many of its wrinkles), we decided we had to know. We’re glad we did.

The ingredient in question is called buche – Spanish for pork stomach. Not pork belly, the base for all time food Hall of Famer bacon, but the stomach itself. Not exactly a common ingredient for a lot of people (although it’s probably safe to call it at least a relative of chitterlings, which I’ve tried and can say aren’t for me), and maybe different enough to raise eyebrows if organ meat scares you.

The restaurant in question is El Rolas, located at 824 E. Main St. in Sanford. I’ve never gone wrong at El Rolas, which recently expanded from more of a lunch counter with outdoor seating to a full service restaurant with a nice looking bar, and the price was right ($3 per taco), so the friend and I made our normal orders and decided to take a chance by splitting one buche taco. The worst thing that could happen is we wouldn’t like it.

Wikipedia, a source of accurate and reliable information since time immemorial, advises that buche – known as “hog maw” in English – is far from limited to tacos and burritos. It’s a featured ingredient in foods made in Germany and by the Pennsylvania Dutch. It shows up in Chinese and Soul Food dishes as well. Further, because the inner lining is removed, it apparently contains little to no fat if properly cleaned. So it may not be an everyday ingredient, but it’s far from obscure and apparently fairly nutritious. What’s not to like?

But so anyway, we got our taco, split it in half and started in. I’m not afraid of new foods by any means, but I truly had no idea what to expect. I’d never eaten a stomach before. I’ve eaten stomachs twice more since then.

The meat itself is firm without being chewy or tough. There’s none of the “funk” or iron flavor sometimes associated with organ meat (which I don’t really mind anyway, but if that’s a concern for you, fear not when it comes to buche tacos). It pairs perfectly with the cilantro and onions, and if you want a little more heat, there’s a variety of hot sauces and a little strip of blistered jalapeno you can use as a topping. If you order two or three, your plate comes piled with grilled onions, cucumbers and radishes. All for $6 (or $9). Tough to beat.

And look. I’m not trying to act like I “discovered” this dish. I’m not Magellan. It wouldn’t be on the menu if people didn’t order it. But it was new to me, and I’m glad I tried it. If you’re in the same boat, check it out. 

Gordon Anderson has earned 17 honorary advanced degrees in tacology. Let him know your favorite taco, who’s got the best buche in Sanford, or tell him about your favorite under-heralded local dish at gordon@rantnc.com