Taco Asylum

oc food diva

Joined 2 years ago

Grilled Octopus Taco is served on a flour tortilla with kalamata olives, oregano, feta, and tomatoes. The taco brings out the flavors of the Mediterranean. The octopus was tender, not chewy, and grilled to perfection. The components brought the flavor palate together from the salty, pickley kalamata olives, creamy, salty feta, sweet, tangy tomatoes, and just a touch of oregano. The Red Savina hot sauce paired well with this. Thumbs up, way up!

Pork Belly Taco is served on a flour tortilla with carrots, daikon, onions, and cilantro. Imagine the tortilla being a bao bun or French baguette and you have a banh mi (Vietnamese sandwich). The pork belly was melt in your mouth tender. The veggies give is a refreshing flavor to cut through the pork fat. The Roasted Jalapeno sauce paired well with this. Thumbs up, way up!

Short Rib Taco is served on a flour tortilla with pickled red onion, salsa verde, cotija cheese, and cilantro. The short rib was braised to perfection, tender as can be with an added Mexican flavor from the salsa, cojita, and cilantro. I can see why this taco inspired the creation of Taco Asylum. It's fantastic! The Red Savina sauce paired well with this. Thumbs up, way up!

Curried Paneer (Indian cheese) Taco is served on a naan (Indian flatbread) tortilla with raita (Indian yogurt sauce), tomato chutney, and scallions. Paneer reminds me of firm tofu but with a cold mozzarella texture. The flavors remind you of India, especially from the raita and tomato chutney. This is a great lacto-vegan option. The Ghost Pepper sauce pairs well with this. Thumbs up, way up!

Wild Mushroom Taco is served on an herbed tortilla with a garbanzo puree, parsley salad, and fried chickpeas. The mushrooms taste like sautéed mushrooms you would get atop a premium grilled steak, very buttery and salty. The garbanzo puree acted like a refried bean flavor but without the fat. The Honey Habanero sauce pairs well with this by balancing out the salty flavor. Thumbs up, way up!

Duck Taco is served on a flour tortilla with camembert, Dijon crème fraîche, purple fingerling potato chips. The duck was tender and flavorful. The camembert added a creamy luxury. The crème fraîche added a cool, refreshing flavor and complemented the duck perfectly. The purple potato chips added a crunchy texture and look like shaved truffles on top. Thumbs up, way up!

"Rice" is actually Israeli couscous, cilantro, and lime. The flavor reminds me of sushi rice. It has the texture of tapioca bubbles - spongy. The flavor is refreshing from the lime and cilantro. Thumbs up, way up!

They carry a line of Maine Root sodas. The Blueberry is fantastic! It's packed full of natural blueberry flavor. I love it! Thumbs up, way up!

Taco Asylum makes their own Aguas Frescas. The flavors change with the season, but we got to try the Blackberry Strawberry. It was not too sweet but was quite refreshing. I almost tasted like a fruit flavored iced tea. Thumbs up, way up!