Tacos Every Day: Bartaco Edition

We had the pleasure of checking out Pearl street's newest taco joint-- Bartaco.  While it's technically not a company native to Boulder, we're sure glad that they decided to open up shop!  They have some DELICIOUS food, not just the tacos (but we'll get into that later) and their ambience is flat out fabulous. Picture a rustic beach house, and you're there.

DRINKS

We'll start out by describing our tasty beverages.  Because, what's a weeknight without a good cocktail?!  Celia had The Reviver, which was the essence of fresh.  We loved that it wasn’t super sweet and the gin was perfectly complemented by the lime, cucumber, and mint. We could even see the bartender pressing limes for the cocktail from where we were sitting!  Morgan had the Seasonal Caipirinha (no, we can't pronounce it either, but it was amazing!) which was a rum based drink that was spirit-forward, sweet on the aftertaste with hints of elderflower and lime. 

Left: Seasonal Caipirinha  Right: The Reviver

FOOD

First, we tried some of the items from the "not tacos" portion of the menu.  Our server recommended the Ceviche, which we were both not super familiar with in terms of ingredients or taste.  Let's just say we were pleasantly surprised.  It was quite spicy with a citrus-forward flavor that complimented the mahi mahi perfectly.  

We then tried the Grilled Corn and the Plantains, which were so tasty that we both agreed we would come back just for these two items!  The grilled corn (we recommend getting it off the cob) is tossed in lime, cotija cheese, and a creamy sauce that is to die for. The plantains are fried, and if you're not sure what plantains are, think of them as the banana's less flavorful (in a good way!) cousin.  They were sweet and savory seasoned with salt and cayenne pepper.  The best part was the side of spicy aioli that really balanced the sweetness of the plantains.

Left: Plantains   Right: Grilled Corn 

Now onto the tacos.  (YES)

Left to Right: Portabella Mushroom, Chorizo, Fried Oyster, and Pork Belly

We went with the Portabella taco first, because we both love mushrooms and it seemed like the obvious choice. The mushrooms were amazingly flavorful and the pieces of oaxaca cheese were the perfect touch.  If you've never had oaxaca cheese before, we urge you to do so right away! It's got the consistency of a cheese curd (without the squeak!) and a medium sharpness to it that is just outstanding.  

The Chorizo taco was the most simple taco we tried.  It had a good size portion of chorizo topped with some fresh white onion and cilantro.  The chorizo and the onion complimented each other well and we both agreed that we've never seen another restaurant offer a chorizo taco.  All in all, if you're a fan of chorizo, you'll like this taco.

The Fried Oyster taco was familiar but different, in a good way. It was reminiscent of a fish taco but with a fried, meaty oyster instead. We liked that it was very lightly breaded so you really taste the  flavor of the oyster. It was accompanied by a white sauce that had a mix of spice and relish. 

The Pork belly taco is a crowd favorite, and we now know why.  This taco had tender pieces of pork belly with a sweet sauce topped with pickled onions.  The combination of the sweet sauce, savory meat and tangy onions was so masterful, we wished we had ordered more than one!

The Baja Fish taco was another favorite of ours (but really, we loved them all!).  Crispy fish with a chipotle slaw-- we definitely squeezed some lime on this one for a citrus kick and highly recommend it!  Although the fish is fried, it's not too heavily breaded which makes it seem on the healthier side and brings out the flavor of the fish. 

Last but definitely not least was the secret taco, which was... drumroll please... A FRIED AVOCADO TACO. Yes, you heard us correctly.  It had a good size portion of avocado with a crisp outer shell, topped with pickled onions.  The taco was tangy, avocado-ey, with the perfect element of crunch. I mean, fried avocado, need we say more?  

Left: Baja Fish  Right: Fried Avocado

Pro Tip: Bartaco has a secret taco on the menu at all times, you just have to ask!  They switch it up every few months or so, though, so be sure to get the fried avo taco while it lasts!

Celia's Favorite: Pork Belly Taco

Morgan's Favorite: Baja Fish Taco 

What's your favorite at Bartaco Boulder?  Comment below, we'd love to hear from you!