Tacofino Gastown
15 West Cordova
604-899-7907
Tacofino.com/Gastown-Home
Open Sunday-Wednesday, 11am-10pm; Thursday-Saturday, 11am-midnight.
It started as a tiny truck on the Pacific Coast, parked near a surf-heavy beach, offering up simple, soft, handheld tacos that took the edge off after a few hours of shredding. Tacofino has been a success story ever since. Since opening their commissary café on East Hastings a few years’ back, Vancouverites have been able to get their ‘fino fix without making the trek north.
Now, the restaurant has expanded to a new flagship location in Gastown. A new “burrito bar” take-out window is happily located inside off Cordova Street, so you have a chance to dry out while waiting for your tempura ling cod burrito ($10) or taco ($6). In case you’re wondering why a single taco would cost $6, take note: the tacos here are not the one-palm offerings you’ll find at La Tacqueria et al. The larger price is indicative of the larger size, not only in terms of the soft tortilla base, but also of the heap of toppings that are stacked on top.
Head down a short hallway, and in you’re in the main restaurant space, The Taco Bar, an 80-seat room (including a 20-seat bar) that boasts a beautiful tiled floor and custom booths lined with what look like hand-knotted rugs. The space has a lovely glow and the acoustics are decent, meaning you can hear your dining partner across the table, even on a busy night. There’s also a 15-seat patio space on the Blood Alley side that is sure to be a draw in Gastown come spring.
The menu includes some of the long-standing favourites, as well as a healthy line-up of new items. Shishito peppers ($9) were a bit bland on their own, until dipped into the tiny mound of tamarind salt. I would rather see these tossed in the salt before serving. Oaxacan corn fritters ($6) were crunchy, perfect patties of starchy goodness, topped with cotija cheese. Chicharones ($12) were also a hit. The large, puffy, fried pork rinds sat like Mount Vesuvius over a bed of crispy and fatty pork belly, crunchy yucca bits, and a bright, creamy slaw. The pozole ($9) was decent, a hearty, aromatic soup made with a beef and pork stock flavoured with epazote, a herb also known as Mexican or Jesuit’s tea.
Truly outstanding was the margarita-fino ($10). The lime- and orange-infused El Jimador was laced with Cointreau, fino sherry and fresh lime. Lip-smacking a-plenty here, and the vanilla salt rim was the cherry topping. Next time I’m trying the kaffir lime-infused pisco ($11).
Don’t leave without dessert. The key lime pie in a jar, aka lime curd vaso ($4), is a classic from the commissary menu, but the churros ($6) are the real stars, glazed with agave, dusted with slightly spicy cinnamon, and fried to a perfect crisp around the creamy interior. They’re served in a paper bag, making them perfect to order again as a snack for later – like five minutes from now.
All ratings out of five stars.
Food: ★★★★
Service: ★★★
Ambiance: ★★★★
Value: ★★★
Overall: ★★★1/2
Hear Anya Levykh every Monday on CBC Radio One’s On the Coast and find her on Twitter @foodgirlfriday and Facebook.com/FoodGirlFriday.
Chicharones. Rob Newel photo.
Oaxacan corn fritters. Rob Newel photo.
Shishito peppers. Rob Newel photo.
Tacofino Gastown's stylish interior. Rob Newell photo.
