322 W. Hastings
Vancouver BC V8B 1K6
604.568.4406
BBP Full Score Card
We have always traveled down to South California (aka SoCal) just to have the authentic taste of the dishes and drinks you are about to see. Finally, La Taqueria offers that same taste!
*** Note: There are 2 locations total! For more info please visit their website @ http://lataqueria.ca/
Incredibly friendly staff.
It’s not surprising to know that Vancouver and its surrounding areas are Mexican-foodly challenged. I figured La Taqueria would be another “it’ll do” taco joint until I could get back to good ol’ grimey SoCal for a fix, but I was wrong…oh, so wrong.
A guy at the till (whose name is Andrew, not Armando like I had originally thought…) greets anyone and everyone who steps past the threshold. He explains the menu well, and is more than happy to offer recommendations or popular favourites.
I must admit, upon first sight of these cute little tortillas I was already a little disappointed. The words, “What the hell is this” might’ve crossed my mind a few times because they are small. Being accustomed to the Mexican cuisine south of our border, the authentic fare there is usually messier, greasier, and definitely larger.
ASADA
grilled ‘AAA’ flank beef
Asada: OK, I have one request, and one only – can I please have 2 more? I cannot tell you the joy that came once this baby hit my tongue, an explosion of flavors and memories. I seriously almost fell off the stool. I mean, beef steak that’s been marinated and grilled to perfection. Buttery to the taste, topped with cilantro and diced white onions – squeeze a bit of lime, then you gotta top it off with one of La Taqueria’s sauce, chipotle. What more could you ask for?! Simple, full of flavor, and the best part, it’s here in our own city, Vancouver. Oh sweet geezuz… really does bring back great memories of relatives in SoCal who threw taco parties every time we visit. Thank you much!
PESCADO
grilled season fish with pico de gallo
Feeshy, feeshy, feeshy… Pescado? Bomb dot com. The taste is incredibly light, fresh, and the fish is cooked to textural perfection. The freshly squeezed lime juice perfectly highlights the flavour of little Nemo, who has now been found, and the chipotle salsa compliments the rest of the flavours very well. It’s divinity in a taco, and even though we shared 6 of them I ended up sneaking several T-Rex bites because…well, I didn’t want to share in the first place. Yes, the tacos are small but remember: don’t just hoover the damn taco and treat it like a lady of the night; take your time to appreciate it, understand it, and most importantly, savour it!
Horchata: A traditional beverage made with rice and cinnamon. When anyone asks what this sweet nectar tastes like, I just tell them it’s what a blended/liquefied churro would be. I don’t want water; I don’t want a sports drink. If I was on the street dying of dehydration, just hook me up to a bag of horchata and we’ll be fine.
Debbie finally getting that sweet HORCHATA. Umm.. you forgot to share!
In a city corrupted by nefarious fast food chains like Taco Bell and Taco Time, and other sub-par joints that say they’re authentic but they’re really not, La Taqueria was a refreshing experience. Now when an out of towner requests for this kind of fare, we can finally say, “Why, yes, we do have great tacos in Vancouver!” instead of distracting them with a dim sum restaurant and hoping they won’t notice.
Bijou Blue Plate 