Looking for some authentic Mexican street food in Toronto? Head over to Mi Taco on Queen Street, and besides good food, you’ll be greeted by the sounds of feel good, make-you-tap-your-feet Latin music.
The family-owned business is run by the dynamic mother-daughter duo, Lidia and Vanessa Caschera. Originally from Toronto, they moved to Dallas where they fell in love with really good Mexican food and discovered the virtues of southern hospitality. Mom Lidia says “I want everyone to feel as though they’re coming into our home, they’re wanted, and we appreciate them coming in.”
Clearly something good is bringing the people out to the small in-and-out taco shop—there’s a queue out the door for people wanting to grab some lunch and see what’s going on inside.
Everything at Mi Taco is prepared fresh in-house, and they are currently the only shop in the city offering charcoal tacos. Charcoal tacos and burritos came from all the hype around the ice cream and pizza last summer.
“It took several attempts to get it right—I’d never worked with active charcoal before, but I realized I could create this product that’s known for its detoxifying and purifying properties, that doesn’t change the flavor profile of the taco shell, and that I could offer at the same price as everything else” says Lidia.
Mi Taco has something for everyone including vegan and gluten-free options.
Grilled Fish is seasoned beautifully and served with fresh slaw. One of my pet peeves at other joints is that the meal’s other spices often overwhelm the delicate flavor of the fish.
The Brisket is exactly what it’s meant to be—melt in your mouth tender and juicy.
Mexican Street Roasted Corn is amazing. Cut off the cob and layered with their signature house-made crema, queso fresco and garnished with a wedge of lime. It’s creamy goodness. A flavor explosion in your mouth.
Vegan Tinga, the vegan version of Chicken Tinga, it’s created with vital wheat flour (instead of soy), they add a few seasonings to the seitan (wheat meat). It’s delicious, but if you’re gluten intolerant, opt for something else. It’s high in protein but also high in gluten.
Everyone at Mi Taco realizes that people have food intolerance issues these days and many need modifiers. Lidia and Vanessa want everyone to feel safe eating at their restaurant, and they don’t want anyone walking out thinking there is nothing in there for them. Says Lidia, “we never want anyone to feel ‘less than.’ ”
The team worked on creating a pretty cool Mi Taco app for iOS and Android, which you can use to redeem points and order food online for pick up. It’s a loyalty card in an app, which means one less card to carry in your wallet.
Mi Taco, 247 Queen St. W. at University
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