Taquiza Review - Miami Beach - Miami - The Infatuation

"In our imaginary utopia, great tacos would be as easy to find in Miami Beach as lifeguard stands and annoying club promoters who stick flyers for parties at Señor Frog’s under your windshield wiper. But sadly, Miami’s taco options aren’t quite there yet, which is what makes Taquiza so important. Not only does this place serve some of the best tacos in Miami, but their two locations in North and South Beach are both less than a block away from the ocean - and essential stops for anyone who’s found themselves incredibly hungry after your friend accidentally drove to the beach with the Publix subs on the roof of their car. We always come here in those instances when we leave the sand in desperate need of sustenance, but Taquiza is useful in plenty of other different situations too. The South Beach location is casual enough for any weeknight when you want something quick and delicious, but also lively enough for a pregame dinner heavy on spicy margaritas. There are about a dozen different tacos to choose from and they all come with one of Taquiza’s excellent homemade blue corn tortillas, along with sides of onions, cilantro, sliced radish, and lime wedges. If you’re too hungry to read through all the options, stick to the classic al pastor, which comes with big chunks of pork instead of tiny pieces too small to chew. Or the lengua, which is our favorite taco here, and has the softest, most tender meat out of them all. If tacos are the big stars here, the totopos - which are chewier, fluffier versions of your average tortilla chip - are the scene-stealing character who only appears on screen for a few minutes. They’re easy to split and will help fill you up in case a few tacos don’t do the job - and they might not, since the tacos are no wider than an iPhone. The quesadilla de epazote is also a fantastic non-taco choice. The crispy little half-moon tortilla is stuffed with squash blossoms, frijoles, and sprinkled with a small blizzard of cotija cheese. We could eat about four of them, come back the next day, and do it all again. Everything on the menu is under $15, which makes Taquiza even more irresistible in Miami Beach, where a parking spot will usually cost you more than that. We’d like more taco options in Miami, but until that day comes, we’ll happily take any excuse to come here for some truly outstanding tacos - even if that means having to pull a few Señor Frog’s flyers off our windshield each time we do. Food Rundown Totopos We would like to fill an above ground pool with these and jump into it headfirst. Eat these quickly because they’re best when they’re still all hot and salty from the frier. Quesadilla De Epazote We love a dish that’s 70% obstructed by cheese. And we love it even more when, underneath that cheese, there’s a warm, crispy quesadilla. This is cut into three little slices, so it’s easy to share and even easier to eat all by yourself. Al Pastor Taco Expect a few big chunks of charred pork rather than diced little bits, and an equally large slice of pineapple. You might have to take bigger bites, but that won’t be hard to do because this is very tasty. Lengua Taco This is actually our favorite taco here. The lengua is diced into little cubes and is the most tender option out of all the proteins. Carnitas Taco This is a very good-sized portion of carnitas and takes up most of the tortilla. Fold with caution to avoid tearing, and bite with authority for a clean break. Camaron Taco The shrimp are juicy and have a nice spice rub on them, but we kind of wish this had one more shrimp on it. There should be a three shrimp minimum rule when it comes to tacos. Chapulines Taco Nothing against the noble grasshopper, but Taquiza’s version just falls short. The flavor is off, and it kind of tastes like you’re eating guacamole-covered hay." - Ryan Pfeffer