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Get a made-to-order lunch inside a Smyrna laundromat

Dish of the Week: Steak tacos from J’s Snackland
After a recent price increase at J's Snackland in Smyrna, this combo plate of three steak tacos, rice and beans will set you back $7.50. Henri Hollis/henri.hollis@ajc.com
After a recent price increase at J's Snackland in Smyrna, this combo plate of three steak tacos, rice and beans will set you back $7.50. Henri Hollis/henri.hollis@ajc.com
Oct 5, 2021

There’s a sign by the cash register at J’s Snackland, a tiny Smyrna taqueria that shares space with a laundromat and dry-cleaning business, telling customers that prices have increased due to supply chain issues. A plate of three steak tacos, made to order with fresh salsa, rice and beans, will cost you $7.50, instead of the pre-pandemic $5.50.

Still, the three-taco combo plate there is less expensive than meals from fast-food joints, and the steak filling is hot and griddled to order, with finely diced bits of beef that have picked up seasoning and texture on all sides. The richly flavored, savory meat is balanced with a scattering of fresh cilantro and finely chopped onions that add a perfect contrast of temperature and texture.

For an experience like that, plenty of food lovers would pay a lot more than $7.50.

J’s Snackland. 2585 Spring Road SE, Smyrna. 678-213-1016.

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About the Author

Henri Hollis is a reporter and restaurant critic for the Food & Dining team. Formerly a freelance writer and photographer with a focus on food and restaurants, he joined the AJC full-time in January 2021, first covering breaking news. He is a lifelong Atlantan and a graduate of Georgia Tech.

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