Taco Taco Tex Mex (Updated Nov. 25, 2018)

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

Taco Taco Tex Mex is a food stall that sells tacos, burritos and margaritas in the Soi Bukhao Night Market (see map below). As you face the Night Market on Soi Bukhao, Taco Taco is in the front row of stalls, second from the left.

It has a small folding table and a few plastic stools in front for anyone who wants to eat on site, but most of the business is takeaway. Your choice is limited to different types of tacos and burritos, all cooked to order.

 

 

 

It's basically homestyle Tex Mex done by a cook who knows what she's doing in terms of flavor.

 

 

 

There are plenty of hot sauces available to add as much heat as you want. She makes everything with just a little bit of bite.

 

 

 

Taco Taco has four types of burritos: bean, pork, chicken and beef. They range in price from 80 baht for a bean burrito to 105 baht for the beef burrito in the pic below.

 

 

The Taco Taco burritos are the large, U.S. variety, stuffed with a meat, potato and cheese mixture.

 

I don't want to get too specific about the burrito style (Mission, California, San Diego, etc.) as that would require a long and complicated discussion. Suffice it to say the burritos I had from Taco Taco tasted great and were quite filling.

 

 

The tacos can be ordered with either soft wheat tortillas or hard-shell corn tortillas and filled with pork, chicken or beef mixtures.

 

 

They are based on small tortillas, three or four inches in diameter. That's the size of the original tacos sold as street food both in Mexico and in Mexican neighborhoods in the U.S.

 

 

The larger U-shaped hard-shell pre-fried corn tortillas were invented in the 1940s by Mexican restauranteurs in the U.S. to speed up preparation in commercial kitchens. The hard-shell tacos were popularized in the 1950s mainly through the franchising operations of Glenn Bell, founder of taco bell.

 

 

Shredded lettuce, sour cream and guacamole on hard-shell tacos is more Taco Bell than Mexican. The Taco Taco version is closer to the Mexican no-fuss type, but the yellow cheese topping makes it squarely Tex Mex. The tacos are small, so you'll need several if you are hungry. The food in the pics- a beef burrito, two soft pork tacos and two pork tortilla) cost 250 baht.

 

 

Taco Taco Tex Mex is a great option for a takeaway meal or late-night snack. I simply love the beef burritos and could eat one every day. Of course, if you want a sit-down Mexican meal with more sophisticated flavors and a much wider choice of dishes, then visit Dave's Cantina.

 

Evil

 

For those not familiar with the Soi Bukhao area, here's a map. The Night Market is almost on a straight line due east of Central Festival

Mall. The Night Market is a few hundred meters north of LK Metro. Jolly's and The Great American Sandwich Company are close to it.

 

 

 

Edited November 25, 2018 by Evil Penevil

[forcebwithu 4,857]

I enjoy your food reviews Evil. Thanks for taking the time to write up and post your reviews.

[texasfarang 202]

Thanks for the info...I love the Thai food but by day 7 on my next trip Tacos will sound like a nice change of pace.

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

The hours that Taco Taco is open have shifted a couple of times, but here's what its FB page now says:

3 p.m. to midnight.

Evil

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

Good news for fans of tacos, burritos, quesadillas and other Mexico-inspired food! Taco Taco Tex-Mex has opened a new restaurant on Soi 9 off Pattaya Klang, not far from its former stall in the Buakhao Night Market on Soi Buakhao.

 

9

The menu has expanded considerably since the food-stall days. Prices have also risen, but that's understandable considering it's now an air-conditioned, enclosed sit-down eatery with about 20 seats.

 

 

The young woman who owns Taco Taco is throughly familiar with Mexican and Tex-Mex cooking. Remember, they aren't the same thing. Tacos, the restaurant's menu mainstay, are basically street food in Mexico and her tacos are closer to the Mexican original in flavor and form than the U.S. fast-food taco. The pork and beef in her menu offerings are slow-cooked. In all the dishes I've tried. she's captured the big, bright flavors of Mexican and Tex Mex in the right proportions.

 

 

The other night I tried the shrimp ceviche tostados at 260 baht. Small bowls of pineapple salsa and home-made hot sauce ( fiery hot!!!) accompanied the tostadas.

 

 

Pieces of raw shrimp had been marinated in lime juice, mixed with pico de gallo (diced tomato, onion and chilies with cilantro) and placed on three toasted corn tortillas. Excellent! There was nothing Taco Bell-ish about those tostadas or the sauces. The pineapple salsa gave a sweet hint and a few drops of the hot sauce (enough for me!) added heat.

 

The interior of Taco Taco is clean, functional and well-lit. As well as its food items, Taco Taco also offers hand-shaken margaritas (120 baht), beer and other beverages. I've tried the margarita and it's both delicious and strong.

 

 

It was reassuring the walls weren't covered with sombreros, Mexican blankets, pinatas, burros or guitars. Instead of Frito-Bandito-style symbols, Taco Taco uses painted skulls as a table decoration as well as on its logo and exterior neon sign. Skulls have been a common motif in Mexican art since Aztec times.

 

This has to be the most original restaurant bin I've seen in Thailand.

 

As a nod to Tex side of its food, Taco Taco has begun with Taco Tuesdays, a U.S. innovation since the 1950s. It began as a promotion on a weekday that was slow for a Mexico-inspired restaurant in Texas. and now encompasses many restaurants across the U.S. that sell tacos.

 

According to the owner, Taco Tuesdays have already become popular and Tuesday is the busiest day of the week for her. It gives customers the chance to sample a variety of tacos at a discounted price. The above graphic and the first pic in this post come from Taco Taco's Facebook page. You can see more photos of Taco Taco's food on its FB page.

 

Taco Taco's hours of operation are; Monday, 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.; Tuesday- Saturday, 12 noon to 10 p.m.; closed Sunday. Below is a map that pinpoints its location for anyone not familiar with the area.

 

Bottom line: Taco Taco is a great option for anyone who enjoys Mexico-inspired street food served on or in a tortilla. I'll be reporting again from Taco Tuesday.

 

Evil

 

 

[teelack 9,646]

Funny thing. I walked past Buakhao market yesterday and it was all gone. All I could imagine was that it had moved to a new place or turn over was too low to sustain the place. Thanks for the heads up. Everyone that tried it seems to like it.

 

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[Evil Penevil 7,628]

Funny thing. I walked past Buakhao market yesterday and it was all gone. All I could imagine was that it had moved to a new place or turn over was too low to sustain the place. Thanks for the heads up. Everyone that tried it seems to like it.

 

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Yes, Taco Taco has gotten overwhelmingly positive reviews, even from guys who seldom have good things to say about any restaurant.

 

Evil

 

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[BigusDicus 9,882]

Nice report and great news EP. Pattaya needs decent Mexican food. Look forward to trying it next trip.

[cbrib 354]

Funny thing. I walked past Buakhao market yesterday and it was all gone. All I could imagine was that it had moved to a new place or turn over was too low to sustain the place. Thanks for the heads up. Everyone that tried it seems to like it.

 

Sent from my Nokia 6.1 using Tapatalk

 

They have moved to Pattaya Klang soi 9

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

Nice report and great news EP. Pattaya needs decent Mexican food. Look forward to trying it next trip.

Don't forget Dave's Cantina, owned and run by BM beer belly. It's the best option in Pattaya for a full Mexican meal. The menu at Dave's is much more extensive than at Taco Taco.

 

In central Pattaya, Taco Taco is a great option for Mexico-inspired food in or on a tortilla. However, Dave's is better if you're looking to have more than tacos, burritos, quesadillas, etc.

 

Evil

 

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[Nightrider 340]

Sounds good , I'll give it a try next visit....

[capdagde 1,954]

Nice report and great news EP. Pattaya needs decent Mexican food. Look forward to trying it next trip.

 

Ditto!

[capdagde 1,954]

Don't forget Dave's Cantina, owned and run by BM beer belly. It's the best option in Pattaya for a full Mexican meal. The menu at Dave's is much more extensive than at Taco Taco.

 

In central Pattaya, Taco Taco is a great option for Mexico-inspired food in or on a tortilla. However, Dave's is better if you're looking to have more than tacos, burritos, quesadillas, etc.

 

Evil

 

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And where is Dave's Cantina, Evil?

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

 

And where is Dave's Cantina, Evil?

 

It's on Soi Regional Land, about 15 minutes' walk from Tukcom (or get a moto). If you go to Dave's FB page (https://www.facebook.com/DavesCantinaPattaya/), you'll see a map. I believe there's also a map in the thread on Dave's on this board.

 

Evil

[gus in cebu 37]

 

It's on Soi Regional Land, about 15 minutes' walk from Tukcom (or get a moto). If you go to Dave's FB page (https://www.facebook.com/DavesCantinaPattaya/), you'll see a map. I believe there's also a map in the thread on Dave's on this board.

 

Evil

Unfortunately ..as of today, Dave has closed the Cantina !

 

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[chippendalesam 37]

WHY ??? I was looking too visit his restaurant when I arrive.

[cbrib 354]

WHY ??? I was looking too visit his restaurant when I arrive.

 

I'm guessing really no customers. I have eaten there and liked the food but everytime i have been in or even rode by it was always empty. With all the boards support it still didn't work for some reason, i wish Dave luck in any future endeavor

[chippendalesam 37]

BUMMER.Thanks for that feedback cbrib.

[misteregg 709]

Dave is very upbeat despite this setback and has lots of projects in the fire.

[cbrib 354]

This is from Taco Taco Tex-Mex FB page

 

Taco Taco Tex-Mex