Proper good Mexican food – “authentic” street-food style – is difficult to find in London. However, some new spots are cropped up on the block – Hacha Bar in Hackney East, Lucia’s in Hackney Wick and closer to my neck of the woods, Taquiza in Peckham Rye. Under the arches and adjacent to the famous music venue Carpet Shop Peckham, Taquiza is led by head chef Sam Tarneberg and his Mexican partner. Through their travels and previous roles, and of course the wife’s heritage, they’ve obtained plenty of knowledge of authentic Mexican cuisine.
Taquiza opened its doors last year but recently underwent a major re-vamp, both in terms of its design and fresh new menu. It’s off the beaten track, and its cosy interiors and dim lighting give a neighbourhood feel to it, ideal for a group dinner, a dinner with friends or a date night. On a Thursday night Taquiza was lively, but managed to remain cosy. Pisco sours and spicy margs were flowing and drinking them was a young and suitably fashionable, but not pretentious, crowd.
Along with tacos, Taquiza has some classic Mexican dishes to choose from, all designed to share. From the “Para Compartir” (or Starters), there’s no guac on the menu to dunk your Homemade Totopos (£6) into, but instead a mix of their house salsas: a fiery green jalapeno one, a zingy crisp avocado one and a red chilli one. They’re welcome reference points throughout your meal here – bites you keep returning to, like an old friend.
From their rest of the starters, not to miss is Suegra’s Refried Black Beans (£7.50). Named after beans made by a grandmother (suegra), this is a super comforting bowl. Finished with avocado leaf and chipotle, they’re creamy, smokey and melt-in-the-mouth. They’re also super filling and generously portioned – I couldn’t resist asking for a box to take the leftovers home.
Another must is the summery Heirloom Tomato Ensalada (£9) with chunky avocado, smokey salsa macha and shards of crispy tortillas. Finished with a pumpkin seed salsa, it’s super fresh, seasonal and uplifting both visually and on the palette.
Their taco menu is short and sweet, consisting of five different variants, all their inventive takes on the classics. They come in singular portions and though it’s recommended you choose two per person when dining, given the generous plating here, one each was plenty for my companion and I. I went for Fried Salt & Pepper Cauliflower (£5.50) with macha cabbage, a tangy chipotle glaze, jalapeno alioli and spring onions. These tacos are the real deal: relatively large and packed full to the brim with filling, this was insanely good and a definite must-order. Each bite took me straight back to Mexico. Bursting with full of flavour, it’s a guaranteed winner whether you’re a veggie or not.
At the end, our faces and hands were covered with various sauces and mayos – the messy sign of a meal truly enjoyed. Taquiza is fun and flavourful. The staff are laid back, friendly, and know what they’re doing; it plays cool electronic music; it’s got wacky art on the walls; it turns into a really decent club; and you get to eat with your hands. What’s not to like? A hidden gem within the bustling streets to Peckham, come here for top-notch tacos.
Address: Taquica, 115 Rye Ln, London SE15 4ST
Website: https://www.instagram.com/taquizaldn/?hl=en
Rating: *****
Yumtini 