El Taco has made quite a splash in the local foodie scene, with multiple reviews accompanying its first two months of operation. I've walked by multiple times, and they're doing a brisk business with the local foodie, family, and nightlife crowds.
Overall, the restaurant doesn't take itself too seriously, in marked (and likely, intentional) contrast to its prior incarnation as Sala. I find the best change Fifth Group made was to remove the giant "unibrow", which provided a false ceiling for Sala's bar (and occupied what seemed like 1/4 the room's volume). The space is now completely open, and that's great. The "Wheel of Taco" is silly, and that's the point of this place -- gourmet dining without the shoulder chips (although the pre-spin megaphone announcements are overkill).
Pozole
However, if you're heading into town for dinner, stop by Pozole instead. They occupy a converted house behind Dark Horse and Surin. It's a very small place, with open windows making up for the (relative) lack of floor space. They run a highly capable kitchen, and make the best tacos I've tried in the past year. The tortillas seem to contain quinoa flour, judging from the nutty flavor which complements the tacos' rustic nature. The other items I've seen look to be of similarly great quality.
Two other plusses: Pozole is open late (1:30 am, IIRC), and they start any bar events at a later hour (11pm trivia, etc.) to make room for the dinner crowd. |
