by Nicole Hamilton
We know we all love Mexican food. We all eat way too many chips, and then continue on to eat everything on our plate, and feel really good about it because it is just so good. Sometimes it can be difficult to make one Mexican place stand out from another, but Taco Mamacita goes beyond the standard. Only the second location to open, (the first being in Chattanooga) the married pair and owners, Taylor and Mike Monen put their creative genius together and produce a Tex-Mex incomparable to many others.
Located in the recently developed Edgehill Village, it is a trendy, open, and casual while still maintaining a sit-down atmosphere. Inside resembles a renovated warehouse - Taylor claims responsibility for the assorted light fixtures that create the restaurant's vibe. And I don't know if I can credit the many sources of light, but Taco Mamacita was comfortably warm - which cannot be said about a lot of places! I was not frozen out of the place any earlier than I wanted to leave which adds bonus points in my book. Not overwhelmingly loud, but still really fun: you can hear each other speak. And chew.
And there is a lot of chewing - because it is hard to stop. Everything is made from scratch from fresh ingredients, so whatever you go for, it's quality stuff. The menu features appetizers of fresh to order guacamole, salsa samplers, and "I don't even know what Moe's is while I'm eating this" queso - just to name a few (quote by Nicole Hamilton, not actual name). The tortilla soup is put together at your table, the only downside being anticipating its consumption. Signature unique tacos carry names like Oy Vey, The Memphis, and Shrimp Po'Boy BLT: there is little limit on the style of these tacos. Get two and pair them with an awesome side like sweet potato fries or cilantro spinach rice and while you might just roll out of there, it will be smiling.
Two months open for business and I was just making my first visit. Huge mistake. Learn from others, it's what college is all about. Any time is the perfect time to go: a perfect lunch fix, great afternoon snacks, dinner, dates, and big parties. And seeing as its open till 11, they're not kicking you out anytime soon. Straight down 12th and worlds away from most Mexican restaurants, you can't miss the illuminated Hollywood-sized Taco Mamacita sign, and now you can't ignore this review.
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