Taculito (little ass tacos) is a Mexico City-style taco popup on Friday nights at Brooklyn Safehouse (120 Franklin Street). The chefs, Giovanni Cervantes and Maria Romero, both have creative day jobs and thought it would be fun to fill the taco void in Greenpoint by sharing their kitchen skills and love of traditional Mexican street food. Giovanni is a portrait photographer with a Greenpoint studio and Maria is a textile and fashion designer. Giovanni grew up in Mexico City and lived there until he moved to New York in 2011. Maria was born in Mexico City, raised in Spain and returned to Mexico for college, arriving in New York after a stint living in Italy. Because of their backgrounds, they share a deep affection for authentic Mexican food, which can be difficult to find in New York City.
The tortillas are handmade on site (and it’s actually pretty cool to watch them smash them by hand), which gives each one a unique texture. All their ingredients are sourced with care, to be as close to a legit Mexico City taco as possible. The pair were inspired by the colorful and tiny taco stands that are ubiquitous there, and wanted to bring that experience to the neighborhood. And it’s obvious when you meet the pair and watch them cook in the kitchen that Taculito is another creative outlet for them—they’re just back there having fun with it.
The menu is simple: Vegetal – a veggie taco (poblano pepper, red bell pepper, corn, queso fresco and cilantro), Asada – hanger steak, Chorizo – house made chorizo (their most popular), Campechano – hanger steak and chorizo, Poblano – poblano peppers with hanger steak, Choriqueso – a tortilla topped with a cheese crust and chorizo on top, and a Special taco that changes every week.
The special taco we had was fish with pineapple, and it might have been our favorite. But honestly it was difficult to choose which one was the tastiest; the steak was cooked to smoky perfection over a charcoal grill, the housemade chorizo was a taste explosion, and the veggie had just the right texture. And they’re cheap, starting at $3.50 per taco. Pair them up with a couple Modelos (Giovanni’s recommended pairing beer) and you’re in delicious business.
For now, Taculito will be servin’ ’em up every Friday until Giovanni and Maria decide to pack it up in search of another creative endeavor. So get there and try their delicious fare before it leaves the ’hood.
Taculito is at Brooklyn Safehouse (120 Franklin Street), every Friday from 7pm-1am. Follow them on Instagram to stay in the loop.