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Breddos Tacos Pop-Up

Breddos Tacos Pop-Up | Restaurant review

26 April 2014

Xi Weng

26 April 2014

Tequila followed by a pickled habanero juice chaser? Sure, that sounds like a perfectly normal combination. As daunting as it sounds, we’ve agreed to finish the evening with the ‘full experience’ after some gentle encouragement from the Breddos Tacos staff – a scary sounding Chilliback. To our relief, the tequila isn’t the petroleum-flavoured white spirits frequently seen on student nights out, but a much more palatable Jose Cuervo Especial Silver, which is curiously well complemented by the sweet, tangy spice of the pickled chilli juice. Not a classic digestif by any means, but it’s a playful drink which plays homage to the source of inspiration for the Breddos gang – Mexico.

And the influence of Mexico is in abundance across the menu – you’re never more than a fork’s length away from spice at Breddos Tacos, whether it’s a jar of pickled jalapeños to go with the raw chillies topping the delicately soft tacos, or simply a side of hot Guindilla Pickled Chillies. It’s easy to see why Breddos’ stall in Netil Market has such a cult following – their signature Miso Glazed Underblade Steak Taco is topped with deliciously soft slabs of rare beef, a fresh and zesty salsa and fresh habanero chillies. There’s also a selection of their close cousins, tostadas, normal tortillas which are fried before being piled with a mix of deeply smoky, buttery-soft Cochinita Pork Pilbil (a traditional Mexican slow-roasted pork recipe) and a xni pec salsa which wakes you up with a punchy hit of chilli, onion and lime.

A plate of herby Jalapeño & Oregano Glazed Chicken Wings provide for a more casual, tactile sharing dish which echoes the casual vibe of the pop-up, with a refreshing Avocado Mojo sauce, a lighter version of guacamole which soothes against the heat of the wings. The casual theme continues with the Buttermilk Fried Chicken, perfect nuggets of unbelievably soft chicken coated with a moreish seasoning which, with time, one could develop a physical addiction for. Faultlessly fried, each piece was perfectly crunchy on the outside, with a soft, meaty inside which contrasted perfectly alongside a sauce made from roasted habaneros and onions. Even Nigella would be proud. To balance out the rich smokiness and the warm spice, the Street Salad is fundamentally a coleslaw with a twist. Cabbage, carrots and radishes are introduced to a fresh and vigorously zingy dressing to create a crisp, flavoursome slaw-cum-salad which also has the benefit of tasting completely guilt-free.

Sadly, the desserts aren’t quite up to scratch and there’s much room for improvement here. The Bourbon Pecan Pie was surprisingly salted, and not in a good way, whilst the New York Cheesecake came semi-melted and bore a strangely strong resemblance to the flavour of a strawberry Müller Corner. But somehow this doesn’t seem that significant – the space quickly fills up with East End locals looking to catch up a couple of drinks and some authentically Mexican nibbles. Come for the wonderfully communal sharing plates, chat away as you make your way through the deliciously unpretentious carnivorous fare, then end the night with a round of Chillibacks with the lively staff. Kudos to Breddos Tacos, their six month residency at Trip Space has already got off to a flying start.