Winfield, IA: Henry County (Our 23rd County!)

What comes to mind when you think Iowa food? You can rack your brain until the hormone free organic fed cows come home, but don’t spend too much time on it. Just follow the Iowa Gallivant and Team Goodvin will steer you in the right direction. We’re pork tenderloin eating, sweet corn worshiping, potluck going folks like the majority of our fellow Iowans. However, there’s another keystone to our state’s food pyramid that is shaping up to be a force in our state. From the urban areas to the sprawling suburbs and on the Main Streets of the rural communities, the demand for authentic Mexican food is on the rise everywhere you travel. And we’re here to hitch a piggyback ride on that very demand. The Iowa Gallivant is devoting 2016 to showcasing the finest tacos our hometowns have to offer. Someone has to do it! We start in Winfield…..

One of the most powerful emotions the human mind can endure is the unstoppable taco craving. Lucky for the citizens of Winfield, Iowa, they have El Oasis Mexican Restaurant to smash this common hankering. And we were glad we traveled to Henry County just for this reason.

The bar has been set and the rest of Iowa better bring it! We’ll be awarding our favorite establishment in December and El Oasis started us off on the right track. The lengua had its traditional rich beefy flavor and El Oasis kept it juicy and tender. The al pastor……stunning! The pork was marinated in a tasty blend of flavors that is unique only to El Oasis. Rigoberto and the crew mastered the ever important balance of creating bold tasting selections without compromising the natural flavor of the meat. This was stop 1. We’ll see where the wind takes us next, but rest assured we’ll be keeping El Oasis on our minds all year long. Let’s bring it, Iowa!

Be sure to read about our other taco discoveries in the communities of  Albia, Bettendorf, Columbus Junction, Coralville, Davenport, Fairfield, Fort Madison, Iowa City, Kalona, Knoxville, Lamoni, Muscatine, North Liberty, Ottumwa, Solon, Storm Lake, Tama, Tipton, Toledo, Wapello, Washington, Waterloo, West Branch, West Liberty, and Winfield. One of these towns will be awarded Best Hometown Tacos in December of 2016!

Thanks for reading! -Team Goodvin