Velvet Taco - Review - Gold Coast - Chicago - The Infatuation
"Here's the premise of Velvet Taco: take every other food you’ve ever eaten and transform it into taco form. We’re talking Indian style chicken tikka, fish and chips, burgers, raw tuna poke, and a variety of pork related options too. It’s like the United Nations of tacos - “The gentleman from Chicken Tikka Taco now cedes the floor to the lady from Bacon Cheeseburger Taco, while politely requesting she hold the tomato's - whatever that means. So how do we feel about this international taco experiment? It’s like a sine curve of emotions that changes every time we visit. First time, we loved it. Second time, we found it disappointing. Third time, somewhere in between. We've had a few more trips since, and the general verdict is that we don't mind Velvet Taco. The fun and lighthearted nature of the place makes it appealing in the kid in a candy store sort of way. These factors make Velvet Taco a great place to pop into for a quick and casual meal, or take out to go if you happen to be close by. Pro Tip - the tacos are pretty big, so two could easily be a meal (maybe a side of elote too), and three will for sure do the job. Expert tip - don't overlook the whole rotisserie chicken, which is a great curveball and important option to note in the Food Rundown below. The downstairs of this former Subway is small, colorful, and lively, with about three decent sized communal high tops and a bar that lets you gaze outside. But Velvet Taco didn’t only take over the former Subway, they also occupy what used to be a psychic reading shop upstairs. We would have preferred fortune tellings and tacos simultaneously served together, but unfortunately that's not the case. On the bright side, there is a substantial amount of extra space up top, so don’t be alarmed by the often cramped quarters downstairs. We’ll go ahead and predict the future by saying if you make at least one trip, there’s a good chance you’ll occasionally be back for more. Food Rundown Crisp Tikka Chicken We aren’t positive, but we think this is our favorite taco here. The tikka chicken is cooked in a great spicy pepper sauce with a good kick. The basmati rice and yogurt sauce have a nice contrasting effect. Bacon Burger Listen, we aren’t going to say no to a burger in taco form. This taco has a mini burger piece, peppered bacon, american cheese, and the usual condiments wrapped up in a tortilla. Fish N’Chips A low-key strong option. The fish is flakey in a perfectly fried buttery batter, and the little bit of malted fries and curry mayo rounded this taco out nicely. Crisp Pork Belly The pork belly comes with pickles, peppers, grain mustard, tomato, and onion. Our biggest problem with it is the overcooked and dry meat. Ahi Poke (raw) A healthy amount of raw tuna served as a lettuce wrap “taco.” It comes with a good amount of seaweed salad, micro greens, and sesame seeds to make this an all around lighter option. Falafel Another lettuce wrap, but skip this flattened and flavorless falafel taco. Go to a proper falafel serving establishment if that's what you want. Crisp Tots & Local Egg A serious tots order that takes serious effort if you want to eat it alone. It's topped with goat cheese, smoked cheddar, avocado crema, bacon, and a fried egg. Whole Rotisserie Birds A sneaky awesome option, and a strong factor to induce return trips. For $20, you get a whole rotisserie chicken, two sides of their creamy elote style corn, six tortillas, and a roasted corn pico de gallo so you can make your own little tortilla tacos. The chicken is pretty good, and for $20 it’s a great deal." - Sam Faye
