Taco Tequila’s: As Good As It Sounds

Most restaurants have names that evoke images of kind old ladies or exotic locales. Grandma Joys? You know that’ll have good home cooking. Amosami conjures images of little espresso cups with rich desserts in Italy.

Taco Tequila’s gets straight to the point. You know what you’re getting. And what you’re getting is delicious.

This date night kept us closer to home. We love Big Thorn but can’t always drive 50 miles each way for dinner.

Taco Tequila’s is located in historic downtown Terre Haute, Indiana. It sits next door to The Saratoga, a restaurant in business since 1942, at Fifth and Wabash.

I hate that I’m as predictable as I am. If I’m visiting a Mexican restaurant, I’m almost certainly ordering a fajita. The type will vary a bit. The allure of sizzling hot meat and veggies with cheese melting down over it is too hard for me to resist.

I have had fajitas at a lot of restaurants. They are not created equal. Some places have served them half cold. The cheese sitting on top sadly still grated and unmelted.

Taco and Tequila nailed it. Despite the loud atmosphere, I could hear it coming, as I should. The cast iron was sizzling with steak and vegetables. Steam was rolling off as he slid it onto the table with the familiar warning, “Be careful, amigo, it’s hot.”

Yes. Yes, it is. I expect nothing less.

I only wish I could accurately recreate the flavor at home. Maybe part of what makes it special is that I can’t or shouldn’t.

The steak strips were tender. The veggies were still a little crisp. Not cooked into a paste nor raw. I’ve had them both ways. Taco Tequila’s hit the sweet spot. The middle ground. If vegetables have an al dente, this is it.

I always skip the sour cream and guacamole. Like I said, predictable.

Just as much as I have expectations for fajitas, I do for the beans and rice as well. Rice shouldn’t be mushy but it should have a light flavor. The refried beans were smooth and in a strange way reminded me of mashed potatoes. Weird,right? But still a good complement to the fajitas.

Cherokee’s a little less predictable. It ultimately depends on her mood and what she’s craving. This time, she ordered the Chimichanga Norteñas, with a lime margarita on the side, of course. The food was delicious. It definitely hit the spot. Her lime margarita was a little weaker than normal but paired well with dinner.