When a new restaurant in town promises to have “real Mexican tacos”, I am always curious to try them and see if they really taste like the tacos my mom would make in our home in Mexico.
It’s a struggle to find authentic tasting Mexican tacos here, not just for me but for everyone that appreciates the taste of real Latin food and not imitations like Tex-Mex. In particular, it’s difficult to find spicy freshly made salsa.
When walking along Nassau Street in Princeton on a warm, sunny Saturday, I decided to try the latest claimant to the taco throne, Tacoria.
As soon as I saw the sign, I was able to see the long line of people waiting to order stretching outside. I wasn’t planning to spend my whole Saturday in line, but I wanted to give it a try anyway.
Despite the crowd, the people working there were moving fast and taking orders in a very welcoming and fast paced environment that kept the line moving.
The decor is done in what can only be described as a “grunge street” style. One section of wall was covered in tin panels, like the wall of a shanty. There was also graffiti and a mural of Albert Einstein in a Princeton sweater blowing a kiss.
With all the people gathering, chatting and eating in the spring heat it really did feel like an authentic taqueria back in Mexico, where the streets are always busy and full of people and the taco places are working nonstop.
Tacoria was founded by 4 Rutgers University alumni. Two of the co-founders are the Patel brothers, Sean and Hazal, originally from India. Along with them, there are two more friends who are also the co-founders.
Hazel Patel is in charge of the new location in downtown Princeton. When The VOICE asked where the concept came from he said,
“I feel like Mexican food is very similar to Indian food, there are a lot of spices involved, we have something similar to tortillas back home. We have always had Mexican food, and so we started [Tacoria], because that’s what we wanted as customers to have.”
When my food arrived it was like love at first sight, three freshly made tacos laid out on a metal tray. Each laid on a corn tortilla and was topped with fresh creamy guacamole, cilantro, cheese and sour cream.
As a meat lover I decided to go for the carne asada, pollo tinga and pollo asado, along with a Coke imported from Mexico.
The carne asada steak was grilled and seasoned with Mexican spices that tasted like heaven. Neither too hard nor too soft, it had a smoky touch.
The pollo tinga was mildly spicy, but as you eat the initially lightly spicy aftertaste builds until you have to reach for your drink.
The last of my platter was the pollo asado, the chicken had a refreshing lemon taste that complemented the habanero. Like yin and yang, the citrus helped to balance out the heat of the pepper while also not dampening it.
When it comes to salsas, is essential for me and all spice lovers that the salsas are spicy and not sweet. When making tacos, Mexican kitchens have a special combination of flavors, the sweet flavor of the corn tortilla, the savory flavor of the meat and vegetables and the spicy flavor of the salsas combine for a flavor unlike any other.
Tacoria nailed this, they offer a variety of salsas, like verde, roja and habanero. I tried each of those, the green salsa was mildly spicy, the taste of green tomatoes (tomatillos) and jalapeno peppers was present, the salsa roja was a combination of different peppers, cilantro and garlic, that had a tangy and savory flavor without any heat to deter those less inclined to it.
My favorite was the habanero salsa, this can be a tricky one, it starts kind of sweet but by the moment you think twice the spices hit your tongue.
Patel explains the process of the salsas at Tacoria.
“They are all fresh…nothing is frozen at all…we get deliveries on a daily basis…and these guys [the chefs] take around three or four hours every morning because they prepare everything fresh,” says Patel.
Tacoria also offers nachos, nutella nachos, a kids menu and vegan options.
Yaritza Balderas, a Mercer student and Veracruz, Mexico native, who was visiting Tacoria for the first time, said, “Tacoria is the bomb, it’s the place to go and get real Mexican tacos.”
