141 Commercial St, London, E1 6BJ
Are you a bustling Shoreditch type? Trendily clad in black with a Mac under one arm and a bag made from recycled bottle tops swinging from the other? Rushing from meeting to meeting to end up trash-talking in the cold night air on Shoreditch House terrace? Well, if so… do I have a spot for you.
Taco Taco (so good they named it twice) has sprung up on Commercial St, seating 20 (as long as they are very small). My first thought was…. Ahh another gourmet takeaway for the cock-eyed masses of one of London’s numerous party centres. But no, the 9 o’clock closing time cut out that theorem. Although I guess you might be able to grab a snack after sinking a couple with work pals on your way to your last train home…poor commuter you.
Next, I thought, lunch, LUNCH my dear friend. Gone are the days of a Pret meatball wrap, Shoreditch deserves more and more it shall get. In fact, what it will get is a takeaway with a motto, and not a motto like “don’t throw up outside the door” no a “anything can taco” kind of motto.
Inside away from the Chipotle-like menu sign, around a corner are 4 or 5 small orange tables and a leather banquet. Neon branding, and perky accordion Latin folk music craft a Leon or Paul feeling. Unsurprisingly Tacos are all that’s on the menu, apart from mini breakfast potatoes (truffled spuds for breccie seems a little intense but fill your boots gurl). The breakfast taco is a mozzarella, eggs, pico de gallo, and avocado monstrosity that would be perfect for mopping up the most vicious of hangovers.
The highlights are the prawn star (imagine ordering that next to quiet Sally from finance). Smoked shrimpies, mango and lime mayo, and ancho chili sauce, God its good. Seafood, saccharine, and a little spicey. A sloppy sensation. Again, the fish options are the leaders with a salmon poke that is genuinely unusual. Teriyaki, pickled cucumber, with a crown of white sesame seeds, a fishy delishy almost buttery wrap. The Peruvian chicken has anticucho for winter solace, and a flame kiss that is normally reserved for red meats. The prime time’s chipotle pulled beef, pickled jalapeños, and coriander give a fresh and very tongue-roasting combination. Order with a drink though be warned they don’t do booze, a dry business lunch.
Magic mushroom with aged vegan cheeze, huitlacoche (famous fungus-infected corn) and more pico de gallo plus freshening sweetcorn does well in comparison to its murder-based counterparts, an option if you want something lighter. A Mayan veggie bite has miso aubergine, achiote red cabbage, and finally, that leads me to the duck. Oh, the duck…prompting an odd Google search of if they have ducks in Mexico. They do, incidentally, called imaginatively the Mexican Duck, though I’m not sure what species is at play here. Donald the? Onions, sultanas, and gochujang sauce do an entertaining dance with flashes of Korean tang and chili paste bang. A treat on a cold afternoon.
Finish if you’re feeling decadent with alfajores, which are having a moment right now, move over pastel de nata? Dusted little cookies with dulce de leche stuffed in the centre, or you could choose a happy ending (vomits into napkin). A corn tortilla filled with mascarpone, vanilla mousse, and roasted banana. It looks intimidatingly sweet, but I would imagine tastes unregretfully scrumptious.
Stimulating pairing and high-quality ingredients set Taco Taco apart from other fast-food joints, and although the sit-down area isn’t quite at the same level this venue has a good role to play in the area. Pop along for a treat and take advantage of their very reasonable £10 lunch deal with a drink. Alternatively, if you are feeling wild customise your own Taco, who cares about the 100 or so years of culinary history, I’m sure you’ll do a better job anyways!
Have a gander on the menu here, and get your taste buds wetted…
