After I delivered copies every month Isthmus on the campus route – no, this is not a stretch Boss undercover; we workers choose a route – I feel like stopping somewhere for breakfast. It’s a bit strange because I’m not a person who likes breakfast in the city. But in this case I’ve already left and when I finish carrying the papers, breakfast no longer seems like a pleasure, but a necessity. Last month, I stopped by Taco Local on Williamson Street, more than ready for breakfast tacos.
The breakfast menu was larger than I imagined for a miniature cafe – it included not only tacos, but also chilaquiles, breakfast burritos, breakfast cake, and chorizo hash served with eggs. Unusually, I decided not to guess. I stuck to my original intention of ordering breakfast tacos. And even more unusually, I will say something that I don’t write about food very often: they were perfect.
The plating of three miniature tacos was wonderful. The eggs – “folded” – were pliable and creamy and easier to eat on a tortilla than scrambled. Overall, the laid eggs should come off the pan creamier than even an omelet, and this was enhanced by the crema that danced with the pico de gallo on top. The blue corn tortillas were pliable and fresh. The interplay of earthy cornmeal, tangy salsa and bland buttery egg hit every note. It didn’t need bacon or chorizo, which can be added for $2, although I’m sure they wouldn’t hurt.
Each breakfast dish is served with esquites, a icy Mexican street corn salad in which sweet corn is surrounded by a dressing of mayonnaise, cotija cheese, lime and cilantro, with an optional sprinkle of chili powder. Nicely topped with pickled red onion, this esquite is more sweet than savory, relying on the flavors of mayonnaise and cheese combined with the addition of cilantro and lime. Whichever chef came up with the magic combination of lime and cilantro first must have won some sort of proto-James Beard award.
Everything is served on rustic ceramic plates from Marek Skudlarek Cambridge Wood Fired Ceramics; coffee from Madison’s Rusty Dog appears in one of Skudlark’s mugs. My Mexican mocha – espresso with cocoa, cinnamon and lots of spices – was the hottest thing I’ve ever eaten. Next time I would probably order the same thing instead of pairing it with food.
Choosing what else to try is something of an academic thing – the ingredients are mostly the same, just combined in different ways. Chilaquiles contain eggs prepared in any way; hashish is readily available with eggs. This dish with homemade chorizo, potatoes, avocado salsa and white queso sauce is also flawless. And the breakfast menu is served until noon.
For the rest of the day, the menu includes tacos with a choice of fillings: al pastor, mango-braised pork, steak, grilled brisket, Baja shrimp, blackened fish, lime chicken, or pulled sweet potato and zucchini. Unfortunately, it can’t be mixed and matched: orders include three of the same taco, so you’ll have to trade tacos with your restaurant partners to create your own smorgasbord. Salsa combinations vary: there’s homemade mango and pineapple pico de gallo, among others. And several of them are drizzled with this delicious foam. I find that everything works better with a little crema on top, so I went for the steak (with the classic onion, cilantro and lime, with crema) and fish (with mango salsa and chipotle cream). Even the more sedate sweet potatoes and zucchini taste great with mango pico de gallo and a homemade cream glaze. The blackened fish could operate more seasoning to really live up to the “blackened” label, and I would love to see a more captivating fish than cod here.
Sides include bland pozole, worth ordering, and caesar salad if you’re looking for a little crunch.
Mexican/Latin style cocktails with margaritas, mezcal palomas, mojitos, sangria, mimosas, Cuba libres, bloody maries and micheladas. I loved the fruity red sangria, but it was weird drinking it from a ceramic dish and I wished there was more sangria (too much ice). There are also several beers and ciders by the glass, as well as wines that go perfectly with the joyful hour menu (served daily from 2-6 p.m.) – the specialties are mainly food, not drinks (ceviche with fries, as well as quesadilla, tostadas, miniature plate consisting of two tacos, fries and guac). But the space, with a few tables and a miniature counter, invites joyful hour gatherings where you really want to talk and the afternoon is still enough to have a heart-to-heart with a friend.
Taco Local is not a taqueria with huge combo plates with rice and refried beans. There’s actually no rice or beans. Entree portions of three tacos with esquites and a miniature salad seem healthier than a time-honored plate, but someone with a huge appetite may want more food – and when you start adding sides and drinks, things can get pricey. The bottom line is that Taco Local is worth it. And if you’re reading this on a January morning Isthmus is away, you will know where to find me.
Local Taco
811 Williamson St.
608-405-5101; tacolocal.com
11:00-21:00 Mon, 8:00-21:00 Tue-Sun.
$6-15
