Tacocina Restaurant (Mexican) - Wappingers Falls, NY
October 30th, 2009
My experience with Mexican street food is extremely limited but I have always wanted to try authentic Mexican tacos like the ones featured on
Anthony Bourdain’s show No Reservations. Living in the Hudson Valley those types of tacos have been very hard to come by, until now. Tacocina in
Wappingers Falls serves the real deal Mexican that until now I’ve only experienced through television.
Tacocina has been around for a while. Their original location could have been easily missed, which I did. They had a small taco counter located in the
back of a Mexican mini market. Now they have a dedicated full service restaurant serving authentic Mexican cuisine. I think Americans are just
starting to experience and appreciate true Mexican food.
The dining room at Tacocina is casual and welcoming with warm orange walls. The kitchen can be viewed through an open service window in the
back. Their taco menu is extensive and just reading the options available shows that it’s authentic. I asked the waiter for his favorite and he
suggested the spicy pork. Also included on the menu was chorizo (Mexican sausage), beef tongue, tripe, salty beef and even cow head. They also offer
more pedestrian options like chicken, beef and pork for the less adventurous. My only other experience with these types of tacos was in Los Angeles at
the Grand Central Market, which is a predominately Mexican farmers market. My spicy pork taco arrived in no time and from looks alone you could
tell it was going to be great, I had trouble containing my smile. Succulent pork, topped with a fresh herb garnish, lime all sitting on three small soft
corn tortillas. If you have not tried high quality corn tortillas you are missing out. I think we are all used to bland tortillas that really serve as
nothing more than a wrap to hold the taco meat. When you have the real thing the tortilla becomes a star ingredient full of flavor of fresh corn and
really elevates a taco. Before I knew it my taco was devoured. The flavor was perfectly balanced between the spicy pork and the freshness of the
herbs. For only $1.75 per taco it could be the best food bargain in the Hudson Valley.
For my entrée I ordered the Authentic Mole with Chicken. My interest in Mole peaked after watching the Top Chef Masters which was won by
celebrity chef Rick Bayless. Chef Bayless specializes in Mexican cuisine and has several restaurants in Chicago. In one of his challenges he served a
Mole which wowed the judges and ever since I’ve been dying to try it. Mole is a complex sauce that can require as many as 27 ingredients and takes
hours to make and years to perfect. Tacocina’s mole was my first experience so I do not have another point of comparison, I did enjoy their version.
The mole has a depth of flavor that is really had to describe. The chicken also seems like a garnish with its only purpose being to mop up the delicious
mole. I am eager to one day try Rick Bayless’s mole to see how Tacocina stacks up but right now I’m just going to enjoy our local version.
After one meal I’m comfortable declaring Tacocina as the best Mexican food in the Wappingers area. I have not seen the authenticity matched by any
other establishment in the area. The tacos alone could become addictive. I could easily see myself stopping in for a quick snack. Tacocina is one of
those special places that really adds to the culinary scene of the Hudson Valley.
October 30th, 2009
My experience with Mexican street food is extremely limited but I have always wanted to try authentic Mexican tacos like the ones featured on
Anthony Bourdain’s show No Reservations. Living in the Hudson Valley those types of tacos have been very hard to come by, until now. Tacocina in
Wappingers Falls serves the real deal Mexican that until now I’ve only experienced through television.
Tacocina has been around for a while. Their original location could have been easily missed, which I did. They had a small taco counter located in the
back of a Mexican mini market. Now they have a dedicated full service restaurant serving authentic Mexican cuisine. I think Americans are just
starting to experience and appreciate true Mexican food.
The dining room at Tacocina is casual and welcoming with warm orange walls. The kitchen can be viewed through an open service window in the
back. Their taco menu is extensive and just reading the options available shows that it’s authentic. I asked the waiter for his favorite and he
suggested the spicy pork. Also included on the menu was chorizo (Mexican sausage), beef tongue, tripe, salty beef and even cow head. They also offer
more pedestrian options like chicken, beef and pork for the less adventurous. My only other experience with these types of tacos was in Los Angeles at
the Grand Central Market, which is a predominately Mexican farmers market. My spicy pork taco arrived in no time and from looks alone you could
tell it was going to be great, I had trouble containing my smile. Succulent pork, topped with a fresh herb garnish, lime all sitting on three small soft
corn tortillas. If you have not tried high quality corn tortillas you are missing out. I think we are all used to bland tortillas that really serve as
nothing more than a wrap to hold the taco meat. When you have the real thing the tortilla becomes a star ingredient full of flavor of fresh corn and
really elevates a taco. Before I knew it my taco was devoured. The flavor was perfectly balanced between the spicy pork and the freshness of the
herbs. For only $1.75 per taco it could be the best food bargain in the Hudson Valley.
For my entrée I ordered the Authentic Mole with Chicken. My interest in Mole peaked after watching the Top Chef Masters which was won by
celebrity chef Rick Bayless. Chef Bayless specializes in Mexican cuisine and has several restaurants in Chicago. In one of his challenges he served a
Mole which wowed the judges and ever since I’ve been dying to try it. Mole is a complex sauce that can require as many as 27 ingredients and takes
hours to make and years to perfect. Tacocina’s mole was my first experience so I do not have another point of comparison, I did enjoy their version.
The mole has a depth of flavor that is really had to describe. The chicken also seems like a garnish with its only purpose being to mop up the delicious
mole. I am eager to one day try Rick Bayless’s mole to see how Tacocina stacks up but right now I’m just going to enjoy our local version.
After one meal I’m comfortable declaring Tacocina as the best Mexican food in the Wappingers area. I have not seen the authenticity matched by any
other establishment in the area. The tacos alone could become addictive. I could easily see myself stopping in for a quick snack. Tacocina is one of
those special places that really adds to the culinary scene of the Hudson Valley.
| Tacocina Restaurant Corporate Park 1289 Route 9 - Suite 1 Wappingers Falls, NY 12590 (845) 632-3948 |
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