Founded by Juan Lima and Monica Andrade, The Taco Shop is a take-home food restaurant that serves delicious dishes of Mexican cuisine. The friendly workers and the aesthetically pleasing decorations placed throughout the entire restaurant creates a lovely atmosphere that is appealing to anyone who is in need of delicious Mexican food.  Read this article to find out about the overall quality of The Taco Shop as well as a walk-through of three different dishes from the menu.

Surf ‘n Turf:

Lauren:

With little to critique this dish on, this taco was probably one of my all-time favorites. The tortilla was freshly made and had a soft, mouthwatering texture that held everything together nicely. The surf and turf combination was absolute perfection with just the right amount of flavor. The toppings, particularly the avocado, were creamy and added a nice balance of flavoring. However, the sauce was probably the highlight of the dish. Unlike an average condiment, it had a burst of tanginess that took the dish from ordinary to extraordinary; it could unquestionably be considered the secret weapon, with its perfect creamy texture, that leaves customers longing for more. The combination of these delicious elements made for a great dish that I could eat any day of the week. 10/10.

Claire:

This taco was drop-dead gorgeous with its perfect composition of layered meats. The seafood and red meat complimented each other with a mouthwatering pepper, salt and spice marination. The avocado concoction on top of the meat was a lime enhanced masterpiece, and the tortilla enclosing the ingredients wasn’t soggy or too hard to bite into.  All in all, the flavors were magnificent and it was difficult to find any flaws. I will definitely be coming back for these scrumptious, fulfilling flavors and I think this may be the best taco I’ve ever eaten. 11/10.

Olivia:

When I pulled the tacos out of the to-go box, my stomach growled at the scent. The amount of food on the fresh flour tortillas was enormous and the melted cheese on top makes a delectable combination. When biting into the sandwich, the taste of the meat was the only tastable flavor. But after a while, the seafood dominated the aftertaste and left a lovely grilled flavor. Also, what really impressed me about the surf and turf tacos was the sauce. Although not drowned in it, it provided a lovely accompaniment to the meat and seafood. Ultimately, I was awed by the way the ingredients in this taco came together. The savory and salty mix would make any food connoisseur cry in happiness. So if anyone goes to The Taco Shop, I would recommend them to try the Surf ‘n Turf tacos. 10/10.

TTS Torta:

Lauren:

This dish did not disappoint. Each bite was packed with mind-blowing flavors and fresh ingredients. Everything about the torta was created with perfection and this popular dish on the menu made for a filling meal with just the right amount of ingredients to leave a customer satisfied. The best part of the torta was the sesame bread because it was very crisp and airy, which went well with the buttery consistency of the avocado. The dish was also made with breaded pork that was extremely flavorful and crunchy, cheese that added a creamy texture with a refreshing touch that went well with the homemade potatoes and grilled onions and jalapeños that added a great kick and brought the dish together. Overall, I could see myself ordering this dish again and I would highly recommend it. 10/10.

Claire:

This TTS Torta was a great dish since each bite was rewarding and left you wanting more. The breaded pork was perfectly crispy and had a nice amount of salt. I was also a fan of the abundance of sauteed onions and jalapeños that added a fun flavor to the dish. This spice was topped off with the earthy avocado that added a nice balance. To finish it off, there was shredded chicken on top, but the chicken was too hard to taste with powerful flavors of the pork, jalapeños and onions. Taking everything into account, I would definitely recommend this torta to anyone taking a trip to The Taco Shop. 9/10.

Olivia: 

The TTS Torta was one of my favorite dishes. It had fresh ingredients such as avocado, which tied ingredients of the sandwich together. With a few jalapeños, a slight kick accentuated the shredded chicken as well as the breaded pork, making it a fabulous blend of flavors. One of the best aspects of the meal was the sesame artisan bread, which was extremely fluffy, soft and did not grow soggy. However, I was unable to taste the homemade potatoes and grilled onions, which was slightly disappointing because they went light on those ingredients. The TTS Torta was overall a very filling dish and it stayed fresh even as leftovers the day after. I highly recommend trying this dish when visiting the Taco Shop, as it is a great example of the high quality food they serve. 9/10.

La Cubana Torta:

Lauren:

I had my doubts about this dish when I discovered one of the ingredients was a hotdog. Although a little surprising, the torta was not as bad as I previously thought. The marinated pork had a melt-in-your-mouth texture that went well with the variety of different cheeses, which, like the TTS torta, also had a creamy texture. Yet again, the sesame bread leaves no room for disappointment with its light, delicious flavor. I also appreciated the fresh toppings that brought the torta together, like the marinated onions, tomatoes and lettuce. When it comes to sauces, The Taco Shop doesn’t let anyone down. The combination of their mayonnaise and chipotle sauce added an immense amount of flavor that boosted my rating up. Despite these delectable aspects, the taste of the hotdog is not something that can be overlooked. The ham brought the overall flavor of the dish down and it felt out of place. The torta would have been exceptionally better without the presence of the hotdog taste. Generally, I wouldn’t recommend this dish, especially since there are many better choices. Additionally, this dish was one of the most expensive plates on the menu and was for sure not worth the money. 6/10.

Claire:

Wow, this torta had an explosion of  flavors. Beans, thick chunks of potatoes and sausage stood out as the overwhelming contents of the dish. It felt very out of place and instead of tasting like good quality meat, it had the taste of a hotdog found at the dollar store.  On the menu, it described the torta as containing onions and jalapeños, but their presence was so faint it was almost impossible to notice their presence. Though there were a lot of flaws in this sandwich, I enjoyed how the ingredients were kept together by a bread layer and cheese. Even with the addition of lettuce and a nice toasty bun, the combination of these ingredients and the nasty hotdog flavor took away from enjoying any aspect of the torta. I won’t be eating this again. 3/10.

Olivia: 

This was definitely an interesting dish. As compared to their other specialties, I was severely disappointed with the ingredient choices. It was a very overwhelming dish and it contained very unique combinations of sauces and ingredients. What originally shocked me was the taste of sausage, marinated pork and breaded pork. The ingredients constantly overlapped and created an assault on the taste buds. It had potential with the delicious avocado, tomatoes and lettuce with chipotle spread, yet these flavors were defeated by the taste of sausage and the two types of cheese. However, I did enjoy the artisan bread and believe this torta would be better with less contradicting ingredients. This torta is not something I would order if I was to eat at the Taco Shop again. After eating two spectacular dishes, the La Cubana Torta failed to live up to my expectations and was one of their worst tortas. I am shocked that it is one of the more popular tortas and I highly advise eating the tacos instead. 5/10.

Overall, this restaurant was impressive and easily recommended to anyone that is looking to get a great taco around town. Although their prices are on the more expensive scale, the quality of the food is definitely worth the money.