Ta'Chingon Mexican Kitchen - Winter Park FL

By Melanie Courcy | November 29, 2022

Though I took a brief blog break, our new restaurant excursions have stayed strong. Ta'Chingon Mexican Kitchen was our 48th new restaurant this year, and it did not disappoint. Ta'Chingon is a Mexican phrase that indicates something that stands out - and this restaurant definitely fit the bill!

The Digs

This place is like the Tardis - it's bigger on the inside. There are two dining sections, both with plenty of seating for small and large groups. The place is well lit and comfortable. The decor was different - as there were skulls and skeletons in a variety of displays. Each table even had a skull holding napkins and straws.

The Service

The staff was very friendly and prompt. We were seated immediately, and our drink orders were taken. Questions about the menu items were answered in detail, and recommendations were given. Chips and salsa were served with our drink orders as one would expect at a Mexican restaurant. We did not wait long for our food order to be taken, and the meal came out in an acceptable time frame. The waitress even complied when I wanted to take a picture of the back of her shirt! (The last word on the shirt is field).

The Tastebud Delights

Part of the adventure of going to a new restaurant is to try something different. They did have traditional items like burritos and enchiladas, but we wanted to step out of our comfort zone and order things that seemed unique to this restaurant.

But before we get to the adventure, one thing I do expect at a Mexican restaurant is chips and salsa. The chips were a bit salty, but they had a good crisp to them. The salsa was really good with a nice thick texture, and just enough spice. Of course, I can't be trusted near chips and salsa, so no picture was taken prior to being devoured.

We ordered an appetizer called Elote, which is grilled corn with mayo, queso fresco, chili, and lime. The closest thing I can think of to this dish is Mexican Street Corn, which seems to be popular of late. The corn was served on the cob and was crunchy as you would expect. However, the mayo/queso combination added a softness to the texture, and the chili/lime combo added a slight bite. This was my husband's favorite dish.

For my meal, I ordered three tacos. Two of them were Birria with a side of Consome, and the other was Nopal. My husband ordered Alambre.

Birria is a meat (typically lamb, but I think this was beef) that is cooked until it is very tender, and is typically served with Consome which has a soup like consistency made of dried chili's and other spices. The Birria was served in a flour tortilla which appeared to be fried. These two tacos were very flavorful, especially dipped in the Consome. However, they were also very heavy in consistency. One was enough for me, allowing me to have the second for lunch the next day!

Nopal is a type of cactus. In this case, it was served sliced and grilled on a flour tortilla, with onion, cilantro, and queso fresco (which is a crumbly cheese). This taco was the opposite of the Birria, as it had a very light flavor. The texture of the cactus was crunchy, like a bell pepper, but the taste is more subtle.

Alambre is grilled steak, bacon, cheese, onion, and bell peppers served on a fajita plate with flour tortillas and black beans on the side. This dish was also very flavorful and somewhat heavy. My husband detected a slight burned taste to the meat, but I did not pick up that flavor in the few bites I had. Overall I thought it was really good.

And the black beans were served in this cute little tortilla bowl!

The Takeaway

Overall, my husband and I enjoyed our experience at Ta'Chingon Mexican Kitchen. Though they offered traditional dishes, our particular enjoyment was trying items from the menu we had never heard of. The cactus was the most unique item. My husband really enjoyed the corn, and my favorite was the Birria. Though the menu items are a bit pricey, we would definitely recommend this place and look forward to trying some of their other menu items.

The Restaurant Info

Address: 1341 Howell Branch Rd, Winter Park FL

Phone: 321-422-0586

Website: https://tachingonmexicankitchen.com