“I Finally Tried TAQ, The Taco Place That Has The Industry Talking”
Constantly, I hear “there is no good Mexican food in London”, “no good tacos”, “no good salsa or guac”. To this I say, it is scarce, yes. The landscape of Mexican food does not seem to be the same as that of French restaurants in London. The good Mexican is often hidden, sometimes far north, sometimes far south, here and there, not everywhere. But the influence is present; there is definitely good Mexican food in London. One of them is right over there in Notting Hill.
If it is for the story, for the food, or for the hype, everyone loves TAQ. If I hadn’t already made it clear, I’m sure you’ll love it, too.
Mallory, Junior Food & Drink Editor
What sets it apart
For nearly twenty years, Taqueria has been a fixture of Notting Hill—well-loved, well-used, and, in recent years, well under pressure. Like many long-standing restaurants, it found itself caught between popularity and the increasingly difficult economics of staying open. What was a seemingly permanent fixture of the London dining scene was being phased out for lack of progression.
Jackson Boxer became the lifeboat. After the success of relaunching Orasay as Dove, Boxer turned his attention to Taqueria, not as a vanity project, but as an act of support for a restaurant and a team that had been there for him when he was evolving. What followed is TAQ: a reworked version of the original, led in the kitchen by Eduardo “Lalo” Yishima, an award-winning taquero, alongside the team: Natalia, Milton and Elias.
The lifeline that Jackson Boxer has given to the Taqueria team is nothing short of a testament to the amazing and reciprocal community that restaurants build — a reminder of why people do it.
It is for these reasons that the reopening of TAQ has seemingly taken the restaurant world by storm. Constantly, there are stories, testimonies from people in the industry that are spreading like wildfire onto the radars of everyday diners and OpenTable users. TAQ’s renaissance story resonates with the restaurant world; it resonates with the city.
The lifeline that Jackson Boxer has given to the Taqueria team is nothing short of a testament to the amazing and reciprocal community that restaurants build — a reminder of why people do it. Evolution is essential to any establishment, and Boxer’s guidance provided an avenue for that evolution to occur and for a new age for an old institution to be both critical and possible.
TAQ is now a lively, energetic, pulsing venue in prime real estate. It is casual and cool, effortlessly electric. While it maintains the charming simplicity of chalkboard walls, stacked high chairs in the loos, and under-zhuzhed interiors, a closer look around, a closer read, shows that this simplicity does not come without intention for this rebrand, relaunch, revival.
What we ordered
TAQ offers everything you’d want from a taco joint, split into every section you’d more than likely be expecting in London: margaritas, snacks and sides, quesadillas, tacos, more tacos, specials, tostadas, dessert, and the kids’ menu, obviously. Within those sections lie guac, corn, frijoles, chorizos and carnitas, chicken and fish, mushrooms and beef. Straight up and simple taco (singular) on a plate.
The salsas and guac were, while not over the top or doing too much, essential for the centre of the table. All should anticipate a mix-and-match of tacos to salsas after initial taste tests. Perhaps the verde with the mushroom, or the negra with the carnitas. Who knows, it’s fun.
The quesadilla was good, and I love a good mushroom quesadilla so much, but it was not the star, and to have more than one would be to weigh you down, to hinder you from the open-mindedness of trying so many things as opposed to anchoring yourself to one, despite just how small it is. The tacos… they were no weights, in fact, I believe they saw me growing wings.
For me, it is all about the carnitas taco. Slow-roasted pork, salsa verde, pickles. For my comrade across the table, it was all about the fish taco. A fried line caught coley with shredded cabbage and jalapeno crema. And I’m sure for the stranger over there, it was all about the free-range chicken with salsa verde, onion and coriander. And for the line cook over there, it’s all about the confit brisket with matchstick fries, grilled onion and salsa negra.
The meat is proper, it has fat, which means it has finish, which means it has flavour, which is why these glorified meat-parcels-with-garnish carry such weight, it’s because they carry good meat.
My point is, every taco on the menu has the potential to be the star. Each of them, so distinct, so different. I tried something like four, and at no point did I think, ‘well, this is just the same as that one with a different protein’. No, as I said, these are intentional. These are carefully curated bites to be carried slowly and deliberately to the mouth via a corn tortilla; savoured, dwelled upon. Grease dripping down your pinky finger as you make ‘oh my god, this is so good, you have to have a bite’ eyes at your mate.
Grease, in this case, indicates fat. Fat is the clearest sign of a good taco. The meat is proper, it has fat, which means it has finish, which means it has flavour, which is why these glorified meat-parcels-with-garnish carry such weight, it’s because they carry good meat.
The tuna tostada is just that. A tuna tostada. Raw line caught tuna, salsa verde, chipotle mayo, macha oil and crispy shallots. A pricy one, but worth it for the balance. Saucy, elevated, bright, and fit for the London landscape. It’s evolved.
A note. Boxer has done a brilliant job. Lalo has done a brilliant job. So brilliant that the dove taco, the one that’s got people talking after such a viral burger stint at Dove, is my least worth it from my order. This is not much of a critique, though, seeing that I thought it was quite good. Everything else was just simply better. It’s a feat, I think.
For me, it is all about the carnitas taco. Slow-roasted pork, salsa verde, pickles.
Another note, this is a golden ray of sunshine for gluten-freeers in London. While I could never cope with losing wheat, my lovely guest is susceptible to its fury. TAQ’s menu proves to be a safe haven for those with a weakness for grains, and nearly no amendments or substitutions had to be considered for our order (bar churros).
A final note, a dark chocolate vegan mousse with chilli oil is not one to miss. Unexpected. Fun.
Verdict
I think that this whole launch represents something bigger for London and restaurants and food culture. There is something incredibly special about the tit for tat that went on between Taqueria and Dove. Not only is the lifeboat inspiring, but the way that it has tattooed food media over the last 4 weeks proves how much people care about restaurants, how much we notice when one has gone, changed, or been lost. Progression in menu, expertise and sourcing is essential to stay alive. Boxer represents that progression, and he does so with a sense of egoless charm.
Whether it is for the story, the food, or the hype, everyone loves TAQ. If I hadn’t already made it clear, I’m sure you’ll love it, too.
Where: 141 Westbourne Grove, London W11 2RS
Website: www.taq.london
