Taco Rice

There are many “must-eat” B-grade gourmet options when you visit Okinawa. “Taco Rice” is definitely one of them and popular among young people in Okinawa.
In this article, you can learn the features, history, how to eat it, and get introduced to the “game-changer” Taco Rice. You’ll probably want to eat it after reading this!

Features and History

Taco Rice has nicely cooked white rice, juicy ground beef and pork, rich cheddar cheese, fresh lettuce, tomatoes and salsa. Locals love rich cheddar cheese instead of regular cheese, so it is a must ingredient for Taco Rice. If you love tacos, then you will love Taco Rice, too. Anyway, now let’s find out why it is called “Taco Rice” (which is actually short for Tacos and Rice).

Taco Rice was born in Okinawa in the 1980s. A restaurant called “Pala-Chitose” invented Taco Rice for young U.S. forces who did not have enough money to fill up on food. The owner started to offer taco ingredients with rice so that they could eat a lot and be satisfied. The portion size was large and the taste was also good. More than anything, it was reasonably priced. Therefore, it became the favourite cuisine among U.S. forces, and it has been loved ever since. After that time, Taco Rice was served for school meals. Then, the number of restaurants that offered their original Taco Rice increased, and it was then that it was finally known as an “Okinawan food” among locals.

How to Eat?

There are various ways to enjoy Taco Rice, and each Okinawan has their own style of eating it – making it an enjoyable experience until the last bite.

First, eat the dish just as it is served so that you can enjoy the taste of each ingredient. Then, mix it all up to enjoy the combination of the flavours. When you reach halfway, and want to change the taste, add salsa or mayonnaise onto your Taco Rice.

Game-Changer

The original Taco Rice is still everyone’s favourite. However, the “game-changing” version is getting popular, especially among young people. For example, there is a Taco Rice covered with a fluffy, creamy omelette. The combination is great. No doubt it is delicious. There are other unique toppings as well, such as teriyaki chicken, bacon and avocado! All of them are different than the original one so you should taste the “game-changing” Taco Rice, too.

Taco Rice is one of the B-grade gourmets that you should not miss when you make a food trip to Okinawa. You love Tacos? If so, why don’t you try Taco Rice? There are many places that you can enjoy it – please give it a try!

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