Taco secrets waiting to be whispered

TJ Oyster Bar

It’s hard to put my finger on exactly what makes the TJ Oyster Bar fish taco superlative, but I think it comes down to the batter. It always manages to remain light and delicate without spreading out from the taco into a deep-fried starburst. The result is a perfectly encapsulated nugget of fish, tucked into its tortilla like a swaddled babe, or a happily cocooned butterfly ready to burst forth into something beautiful. After a round of cocteles and oysters from the raw bar, a few fish tacos and a cold clamato here is as good as it gets.

Matador Mexican Grill

USD kids know. The barbacoa street tacos here are legit. They come with a big bowl of lamb broth. Taco savage that I am, I like to soak the entire taco in the broth, so that it turns into a drippy, fatty, messy, super-savory association of meats and juices, commingled into one lambtastic celebration of Mexican fast food. It ends in catastrophic fashion half the time — lamb shreds and juice everywhere — but it’s worth it. The carnitas and buche tacos are a great backup if you come hungry and there’s no barbacoa to be had.

El Zarape

Among the many Zarapes, only at the big El Zarape can you get the potato-mole taco. As tacos go, it has the je ne sais quoi magic of rich, zesty mole, soft potato, and crispy cabbage. The whole thing works perfectly, and, as a bonus, it’s super cheap during happy hour. Goes great with a tamarindo margarita. You won’t lose with any other taco here, but the potato-mole is a winner, for sure. I also dig the fried calamari taco with “cusabi” sauce.

El Borrego

Darker and steamier than a midsummer Mexico City night, every order of mixiote de borrego sits in its broth and little tinfoil shrine like a secret waiting to be whispered to a confidant, or a rumor percolating just beneath the surface. It’s also not a bad deal, because a $14.99 order will make six tacos and feed two for lunch. Add a little cactus salad and the deal is done. If lamb isn’t your thing, go for the cochinita pibil and shift your attentions momentarily toward the Yucatán. If the place has a flaw, it’s that the sidewalks roll up at 6 p.m.