Chatting Food takes a trip to the heady sights of DF Tacos Tottenham Court Road, to sample the fresh lineup of fully loaded DF Tacos. Find out if a Mexican adventure tickeled our tastebuds.
At around 7:30 on a Wednesday evening, my guest and I ventured to the absolutely bustling Tottenham Court Road branch of DF Tacos. There was a small queue of customers in the foyer, all hoping to be sat at the next available table.
We were immediately struck by the ambience: red and white spherical lamps hanging from the industrial style pipes and girders, mismatched chairs and tables, a mezzanine filled with crates of Modelo Especial beer, walls of eclectic contemporary art and a bright, turquoise bar and open kitchen.
While the host didn’t have our booking, a table was swiftly brought out the back for us in a manner evocative of the Goodfella’s Copacabana scene (as noted by the host himself), and menus were promptly placed on our table.
Drinks-wise, DF Tacos offers a simple, succinct list, but wonderfully reflective of the venue’s Mexican influences with a modern twist, ith the option of frozen margaritas, freshly shaken margaritas, and house cocktails, along with a good list of beers, wine and soft drinks. The £5 frozen margaritas took my fancy, and out of the three options of classic, passionfruit, and berry & hibiscus, I went for the latter, while my guest opted for the Modelo Especial. We were presented fairly quickly with a bottle of ice cold Modelo, and a berry & hibiscus margarita that was reminiscent of a strawberry cornetto, swirl and all. The marg was refreshing, fruity and floral, on top of being a remarkably generous portion for the price. The menu also presented the option to go large with a jug of frozen margarita for £20.
To kick things off, my guest and I chose to share the fully loaded nachos, topped with beef brisket, cheese sauce, fresh chimichurri, salsa fresca, pickled jalapenos, smoky meco and tomatillo salsas, and some crema. It was a brilliant start - the tortillas were surprisingly crispy considering all the toppings, the brisket was tender and juicy, and the tomatoes and onions were perfectly balanced by the herby chimichurri, tart salsa and citrusy sour cream. The jalapenos added a nice spice without being overwhelming. The nachos were incredibly moreish, and we could have eaten more, but with the plentiful portion and our hearts (and stomachs) set on the tacos, we had to restrain ourselves.
On to the tacos: My guest and I decided to try out four between us; the hot honey chicken, the tamari pork belly, the Havana hog, and the Korean fried tofu, with a side of chilli salted fries with chipotle mayo.
Our Tamari pork belly was sweet and savoury in all the right ways, bustling with Japanese flavours, seasoned and caramelised, complemented by the added texture profiles of crispy crackling and sesame slaw. Hot honey buttermilk chicken with zesty slaw, crunchy chip sticks, pink pickled onions, and slathered with Dr Sting’s hot honey, were brilliantly balanced, with the crispier chicken and chip sticks, matched by the soft tortilla and slaw.
The Korean fried tofu came third, including delightfully crispy tofu cubes with smoky barbecue sauce, DF homemade kimchi, sweet daikon pickle and sesame. The tofu was tasty, but definitely overpowered by the huge portion of kimchi that filled the base of the taco.
We finished with the Havana hog, filled with carnitas pulled pork, grilled cheese, smoked ham, American mustard, and pickled jalapenos. The flavour was as if the chef had transported the Wild West into a taco; smoky, spicy, and tender. While this one wasn’t my favourite, I still liked it, and my guest absolutely loved it, particularly enjoying the more roguish inclusion of the smoked ham.
Even though we were absolutely stuffed, we found some extra room in our stomachs for a sweet treat. We decided upon the standard churros with cinnamon sugar, with the option of dulce de leche or chocolate sauce (but the lovely waiter offered us both to try). Expecting only perhaps three or four mini churros, we were quite shocked when the waiter came back with the better half of twenty! Soft inside, with a nice crunch on the outside, the churros were perfectly moreish, and we found ourselves reaching for one after another. The warm chocolate sauce was rich and dark, but the dulce de leche was the absolute star of the show.
So, our experience left us with much to taco ‘bout! The food is fairly quick and super tasty for a great price, and the decor is fun and quirky with a bustling atmosphere. If you’re looking for a cheap and cheerful date night, a group sharing session, a work dinner, or you just fancy getting into a bit of a food coma, you can’t really go wrong with a visit to DF Tacos.
Written by Caitlin Horlock
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