More Than Just Tacos at Taco Taco

Instead of heading out for Wednesday Friendsday, this week we decided to have dinner on Tuesday night – or as I like to call it, Tuesday Boozeday.  We thought the perfect way to start off the week was with some Mexican and drinks (or in my case, a strong glass of H2O as I’m fighting a cold).  

The UES gang and I headed over to Taco Taco on 2nd Ave between 89th and 90th.  While I was a little annoyed that our table was not ready when we walked in – despite making reservations for the six of us – the problem was quickly resolved and we received some great service throughout the night.  

Taco Taco has a great date ambiance, and is also perfect for an intimate gathering with friends.  Dim lighting, little flowers on the table, without the typical cheesy Mexican feel – no sombreros or multicolored blankets.  The waiters give you time to relax and enjoy yourself, which I wasn’t really used to because I am impatient and like seeing menus, but it turned out to be a nice change of pace.  They started us out with our drinks, where several of my friends sampled margaritas and sangria, and asked if we’d like some guac.  The guac was prepared table side and we ordered it medium spicy.  The guac was the perfect level of spiciness for our table, with bit of jalapeno tossed in there.  Still, I needed a few chips to calm my mouth after eating it.

I ordered the shredded beef burro grande, essentially a burrito with lettuce, pico de gallo, cheese and rice and beans.  The burrito to me was just okay – I ended up with a few mouthfuls of fatty beef which made me cringe, and for some reason, potatoes ended up in my burrito too.  A choice on the menu was chorizo and potato burrito, so I’m not sure if the stations were close together or what, but I found it odd that got mixed in there.  It wasn’t a good find like when you find an onion ring in the middle of a medium french fries at Burger King.  It was just odd.  I also wished the burrito was a little cheesier and not so heavy on the lettuce.  Since the lettuce was baked in the burrito, it wasn’t as refreshing as if it were on the side – same went for the pico de gallo. Others at my table got a chicken burrito which was described as just okay, enchiladas (which were enjoyed), mushroom quesadilla (which was discussed as disappointing), a steak burrito (no complaints) and fish tacos (which to me looked the best and is the accompanying photo – thank you Joe Burridge).

From a price perspective, Taco Taco wasn’t that cheap.  Burritos were about $12 but most entrees ranged at the 15-20 range.  Drinks, guac and entrees, set everyone back about $30.

My experience on the UES with Mexican has left me with these three conclusions - 

• If I want good food, I’ll go to Blockheads
• If I want good ambiance, I’ll go to Taco Taco
• If I’m broke and want a good deal, I’ll go to Fresh Tortilla