Friday, April 10, 2009

TACO TAXI


1511 E Lake St
Minneapolis, MN 55407
(612) 722-3293

specialty: tacos
price: cheap!

You may have noticed Taco Taxi before as it is the BRIGHT yellow building next to the Mercado on Bloomington. I know I have noticed it many times and the classic VW taxi parked out front. Every time I pass Taco Taxi I instinctively want to jump out of the car - I don't know why.

The time had come to try the Taxi, and I was more than ready. It is not a Friday night type of place, but that didn't stop us. We were the only customers
except for one man who looked like Quentin Tarantino and sounded like Crispin Glover and was wearing jogging shorts and tennis shoes. There were five staff behind the counter all watching Mexican soaps.

What struck me immediately, was the ambiance - and this is the strongest poin
t for Taco Taxi in my mind. The bright yellow paint and checkers is festive and there are amazing murals that I will not describe - to leave as a surprise for you (lets just say there are taxis involved).

We ordered quickly because we were starving and I regret this because later I noticed many more items on the menu later (ceviche tostada - for one). Two tacos carnitas and pollo sopes were ordered. If it wasn't cheap enough already, there was a two-for-one sope deal that we hit up as well. All together, our bill came to nine dollars for two people with Jarritos. Ridiculously cheap. Unheard of for a Friday night.

Our food came out fast and we sat at an open table by the window. As we were taking our seats, one of the workers drove away in the VW taxi to make a deliver
y. A phone number and catering information is printed on the taxi. Delivery seems to be the main focus for Taco Taxi.

As we sat alone in the empty dining room, I began sampling the tacos and sopes before me. I was pleased to see that the ingredients were fresh and the lettuce was green (as opposed to white iceberg). Lots of cilantro and radishes garnished the plate. For fast food tacos - it did the trick. The carnitas was slightly dry, but overall the taste was fresh and light with strong undertones of cilantro and onio
n. I enjoyed taking a bite of radish with each bite of taco. This was the first time I tried this combination and it was addictive. I know that radishes are usually served with pasole, but I can now see pairing them with other dishes. The experience got me thinking about the history of radishes in Mexican culture and the potential that they have in Mexican cooking.

Did you know that there is a Radish Night Festival in Oaxaca,
Mexico on December 23? http://www.planeta.com/ecotravel/mexico/oaxaca/rabanos.html These radish sculptures are super neat http://www.flickr.com/photos/planeta/2132129136/in/set-1401300/ It makes me long for culture like this. Why not make my own radish sculptures on December 23 this year?

Next up, Las Mojarras...

ambiance: 4.5
the fact that they use a classic taxi for delivery: 5
overall food rating: 3