Lyon Legends

Before I even get started, I have a giant gripe I wish to air regarding France—all of France. And I don’t care how parochial I sound.

You know how much Robin and I miss our Mexican food. And yet, all over France, there are shops advertising tacos.

THOSE ARE NOT TACOS! We’ve been misled.

These are a popular fast-food dish that originated in the early 2000s around Lyon and became a staple in France’s fast-food scene, rivaling burgers and kebabs with dedicated outlets and chains springing up across the country. Despite the name, it bears little resemblance to a traditional Mexican taco.

Here’s the deal: the base of a French taco is a large wheat flour tortilla, similar to those used for burritos, which gets generously filled with a combination of ingredients such as grilled chicken, beef, turkey, merguez sausage, kebab meat, or even fish. A defining feature is the inclusion of French fries inside the wrap. A cheese sauce binds the fillings together. Then the tortilla is folded into a square or rectangular shape, ensuring all sides are sealed to contain the fillings, and then it’s pressed and grilled. This crisps the tortilla, melts the cheese, and heats the fillings.

To be clear, the French taco is a closed, grilled wrap—unlike the open-faced Mexican taco served on a small corn or wheat tortilla.

Mexican tacos have fillings like seasoned meats, cilantro, onions, and salsa. French tacos contain French fries and cheese sauce.

Mexican tacos are usually served warm but not grilled after assembly, whereas French tacos are pressed and grilled

Verdict? THESE ARE NOT THE TACOS WE ARE LOOKING FOR.

Alright, now that I’ve gotten that off my chest, let me tell you about our further sightseeing adventures in Lyon.

Click here to view the full SubStack newsletter documenting more of my adventures in the UK and Europe.  I hope you enjoy it.

warmly,

-Dr. Vicky Jo