After thousands of votes from Chicago foodies, the Single Best Lunch in Chicago’s Best of Fooda Awards has been determined. And the winner is… Taco Joint! Already nominated best Cochinita Pibil Taco by Thrillist and recognized in Foursquare’s 15 Best Places for Taco’s, Taco Joint can now add 2016 Single Best Lunch in Chicago to their list of accolades.
Shaped by traditional Mexican flavors, all natural braised and grilled meats, homemade tortillas and salsas, how could Taco Joint not win the top honor? Sharing the exciting news with Taco Joint Manager, Victor Baheza, we got the scoop on just how they are dominating the lunch scene along with a recipe to one of their most traditional Mexican dishes.
Why do you think consumers voted Taco Joint as Single Best Lunch in Chicago?
It’s all about how we treat our customers. We don’t want our guests to just eat and leave. It’s all about educating them about our fresh ingredients, the history behind their meal and making each dish customizable. We don’t just make a typical taco with meat, cheese and lettuce. Our fresh meat is grilled and braised and seasoned daily. To keep things fresh and creative for our customers, we also update our menu every 6 months.
What has inspired your best masterpiece?
Our best seller hands down is the Al Pastor, 
a traditional dish developed in Central Mexico. At most restaurants, you’ll find this made with pork, but we’ve taken the same cooking technique and use chicken
instead. The chicken marinates in chilies, spices and pineapple and is topped with tangy tomatillo salsa, onion, cilantro and grilled pineapple. It provides the sweet and spicy kick that you can’t help but devour.
What is your favorite dish to make and what is your favorite food to have someone else make for you?
My personal Taco Joint favorite is the Barbacoa Taco. It consists of braised beef, roasted red jalapeño salsa, onion and cilantro. The beef brisket is trapped with the juiciness and flavor of the red jalapeno sauce providing the perfect amount of heat.
When I am not eating at Taco Joint I enjoy Italian cuisine and checking out all of the hot sushi spots that neighborhoods like the West Loop and Lincoln Park have to offer.
What’s a simple Taco Joint recipe we can make at home?
Ceviche is a very traditional Mexican seafood dish and one of our best sellers. It can be made as an appetizer or meal itself.
Ingredients:
- 1 pound fresh, skinless snapper, bass or halibut cut into 1/2-inch dice
- ½ medium red onion
- 2 medium-large tomatoes , chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
- 1 large or 2 small ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and diced
- 1 1/2 cups fresh lime juice
- 1 cup cucumber, chopped into ½-inch pieces
- 1/3 cup chopped cilantro
- 8 ounces banana peppers, drained
Directions:
- In a large bowl, combine the fish, lime juice and onion
- Cover and refrigerate for 24 hours for the best marinade
- Drain in a colander
- Mix together tomato, cucumber and banana peppers
- Stir in the fish and season with salt to taste
- Just before serving, stir in avocado and top with cilantro
What are some food trends that you are seeing specific to your cuisine?
Our guests love that we offer small bites and not the large traditional Mexican meals. While those meals are still phenomenal, It’s important for restaurants to remember to serve the freshest ingredients in smaller dishes that aren’t overwhelming. That’s why I think Taco Joint does so well. We only offer small and simple dishes that are still packed with flavor and are satisfying.
What are your future plans for Taco Joint?
We currently have no plans to expand beyond our River North and Lincoln Park locations. We’ll continue dominating these two spaces and continually adding unique tacos to our menu.
Congratulations Taco Joint on winning Single Best Lunch in all of Chicago! Haven’t tried their slow cooked tacos yet? Stop by Taco Joint’s two locations or find them at a Fooda Popup and see for yourself why they’re Chicago’s Single Best Lunch 2016.
