La Taqueria – Victoria

Hello there, pretty ponies:

It is no secret that we at H.A. H.Q. go rangy for all things Mexican – ESPECIALLY the nosh. As if in answer to our prayers, a number of quality Mexican eateries have cropped up around Victoria, each having its own devoted customer base. We don’t blame you one bit Victoria.  After all, we too are goo goo for guacamole, titillated by tacos, bowled over by burritos, tempted by tomatillos. Ok, ok, I think you probably get the picture.

There is another new addition to our thriving tacotropolis. La Taqueria (already a beloved institution in Vancouver) have expanded their horizons and opened a location on Fort Street.  According to the website, the owners wanted to emulate the texture and flavor of tacos found at roadside taco stands throughout Mexico.   Having recently sampled their wares, we can attest that they have met their aspirations and enhanced them with their own lively and creative combinations.

La Taqueria, with its turquoise finishings and gleaming kitchen, is a cheery and lively place.  Place your order at the counter and your tacos will arrive lightening fast.  The fillings are a revelation.  We sampled a number of the meat and vegetarian tacos.  Steve favored the al pastor – shredded pork marinated in smoky achiote chilli with pineapple and the chicken tinga – chicken with chorizo in a chipotle tomato sauce, topped with Mexican cheese and sour cream.  I enthused over the pollo con mole with its rich savoury sauce (accentuated by a hint of dark chocolate).  Vegetarians won’t be left out at La Taqueria as there are a variety of meatless creations, our favorite being the rajas con crema, topped with roasted poblano peppers, creamed corn, sour cream and Mexican cheese, the sweet corn and smoky peppers make for a combination I crave again and again.

True to their word, La Taqueria’s tacos are indeed the closest approximation to those we enjoyed in Mexico.  The tortillas are airily textured (nothing like those sad floury wraps that line supermarket shelves), the fillings a potent mix of smoky, spicy, savory and sweet.  An order of four tacos (two meat, two vegetarian) rings in at around $10.00 making an affordable lunch that even Paltry Pete, Horsing Around’s very own Value Oriented Rooster, can crow about.  Bonus:  La Taqueria is licensed.  With the money you save on lunch, you can wash down your tacos with a margarita or cold beer.  Now that is something to shout ole about!

As of this writing, we have not sampled the beef or the fish tacos (adventurous eaters can try the beef tongue). We hope to rectify that soon.  While we understand you may have your own favorite Mexican eatery (see our summary here:http://www.horsingaroundvictoria.com/on-the-taco-trail/  , we urge you to give La Taqueria a try.  It never hurts to discover something new or to add something spicy to your repertoire.

Have you tried La Taqueria yet?  If so, let us know what you think. You can comment on our Twitter or Facebook pages.  We love hearing from you.

Have a lovely week!

Love Monty, Pete, and the whole gang at H.A. H.Q.