Ain't No Taco - CLOSED

Overview

Taco Tuesdays have been a thing since way back, and we've loved every minute. But now there's a great reason to break the tradition — and it's up on Symonds Street. Once you've savoured the slightly-weird and wacky but totally delicious creations at Ain't No Taco, one day out of seven just won't cut it anymore.

The folks behind the new eatery, Peter and Pene Barton, are also the owners of the funky little joint Burger Geek that's just a few doors up. So it goes without saying that they know their stuff. But when you walk through the door, only to stop dead at the wall dedicated to hot sauces, you realise just how seriously they take their food.

When you can drag your eyes away from The Wall, the place has some serious greenhouse vibes going on. There's more potted plants than all your workmates put together. Add to that generous splashes of red, yellow and blue, plus a handful of pop art canvases, and it's the ultimate urban haven.

But back to the menu; 'tacos without borders' is the vision behind this spot. And it's not hard to see why. There's everything from crispy bulgogi pork with daikon pickle to six-hour orange braised beef and Jamaican jerk tofu with mango salsa. Note: the tofu is already a firm favourite, because jerk.

And then there's the rest. No Mexican feast is complete without some solid sides, so take your pick from Korean fried chicken wings, corn chips loaded with guac and cheese, jalapeño poppers, plus every hot sauce under the sun. Some of them are about that hot too.

As we were going through our options, the chef came out for a chat. He was in the middle of preparing a special for the night — karaage chicken with spiced potato crust and yum-yum sauce. Sadly, it wasn't quite ready yet, but it's just the kind of spontaneity that'll have you coming back for more. And back again.

With that being said, if you're the kind of human that needs an excuse to go taco-ing, we've come up with four. Mexican Mondays, Tortilla Thursdays, Fiesta Fridays, and Salsa Saturdays. So chances are, it's your lucky day.