Taco Asylum

flight of first eight above | (3 inch homemade flour tortillas – corn available upon request) $18

1. grilled octopus | flour tortilla, kalamata olives, oregano, feta, tomatoes $5

My take: I am not an enormous fan of octopus BUT the purple guy that comes out lathered in a mix of salt and sweet somehow eases my concerns and I happily enjoy the Octopus’ garden. The best part? Those kalamata olives! The strangest flavor that cut the “fishy” right on out.

2. pork belly | flour tortilla, carrots, daikon, onions, cilantro $5

My take: Oddly, not too salty! The daikon adds this “sneak-up-on-you” palette cleanser.

3. short rib | flour tortilla, pickled red onion, salsa verde, cotija cheese, cilantro $5

My take: 10 More PLEASE! This is not short rib that has just been thrown in. This is short rib that has been stewing and drinking in flavor for long enough to be like strips of juicy meat swimming in a sea of irony. The flavors are an odd combination and yet — YUM!

4. curried paneer | naan tortilla, raita, tomato chutney $5

My take: You had me at Paneer. This is a Vegetarian taco with all of the powerful flavors of traditional Indian fare. This is another one I could take a dozen of. The curry makes you close your eyes and imagine being surrounded by bright color and love, spices filtering through every open kitchen window.

5. wild mushroom | herbed tortilla, mushrooms, garbanzo puree, parsley salad, fried chickpeas $5

My take: I was expecting this to be the cringing bitterness of old Shitake mushrooms but instead it is a meaty morsel of mixed mushrooms dancing along in the “parsley salad” which seems more like heaven when it is paired with this wonderful little fungi.

6. lamb | flour tortilla, olive tapenade, ratatouille, mâché $6

My take: The lamb is moist but ratatouille just isn’t my favorite thing. They can’t all be hits and this is more about preference than taste.

7. duck | flour tortilla, camembert, dijon crème fraîche $6

My take: Seriously delicious. In spite of having dijon (my least favorite taste), the creamy perfectly surface-ripened camembert cheese added an unexpected level of depth that I was all too happy to enjoy. This is the BBQ-Beer-Outside kind of taco.

8. steak | chimichurri, buttermilk fried onions, potato hash $5

My take: Let me start with the buttermilk fried onions. Fried makes everything taste better but this, this is seriously a home run! Then add the chimichurri AND potato hash – this is so homey and sweet it feels like something a Culinary Mastered mom would make you when you came over. Comfort food.

9. ghost chili pork | flour tortilla, chili threads, pork cracklins $5

My take: The BEST was saved for last. The chili threads are like hints of spicy innovation. The pork cracklings are the thing that takes this masterpiece one step further. The Pork – the perfect blend of spice with the ease of a perfectly cured piece of meat . This would make even the pig consider ordering one. There are few words to adequately describe how much I loved this taco. Taco love for Executive Chef Greg Daniels.

bottled hot sauces $9.75 ea

cayenne | red savina | ghost chili

My take: The sauces above are not merely “hot sauces” – they quite literally are a savory experience that will set your tongue ablaze in such a happy way, you will relent and admit you’ve found your spicy “sweet spot”.

I cannot say enough about this Restaurant. Not only does it boast some of the most innovative tacos I have EVER come across, they are prepared by Master Executive Chef, Greg Daniels, whose ability to turn a taco into a culinary experience deserves a standing ovation. Taco Asylum is more than a place to stop for fare under $20 worth of filling fare AND an impressive array of beer – which, by the way, is stout-alicious! Let’s pause so you can browse what’s available on tap:

Draught Beer – $6 | (You heard me — $6!)

O’Hara’s Celtic Stout | Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA | Craftsman Heavenly hefe
Ommegang BPA | Hemp Ale | Eel River California Blonde Ale

In addition to what’s on tap, the selection of canned beer spans from Bikini Blondes to Guinness. Every single thing about Taco Asylum is uncompromising. The decor is up there with my favorites. It doesn’t have to be “fancy” to hit the mark on creativity, Eco-friendliness, artistic flair, durability, and innovation. Taco Asylum’s decor is all of that:

Barstools that are made with durable (and recycled) material, you won’t find it just anywhere. Walls that beckon anyone with a thought to write a little something, a truly uncomplicated ease seated at the airy, raw wood tables (both bartop and regular height), and this wonderful notion that they, the crew at TA, want you to just sit down, eat up, and sip on a really good brew.

In addition to their superbly expansive list of beer, they also have FRESH (and I mean actually made there and that day), Aqua Fresca and lemonade. The Aqua Fresco is insanely* refreshing.

Let me just say, I was deterred from visiting Taco Asylum and thank goodness I’m NOT one to listen! This place is, in the words of my favorite Bri’ish friends, “Bloody fantastic!”. So you – yes, you, the one reading this, GO! You will not be disappointed – nor will your bank account. Taco Asylum also has the wonderful luxury of being located at my favorite “Anti-Orange County-New York/Los Angeles-Urban-Chic Mecca, The CAMP“. Sometimes you get lucky and find a rare little gem. This is one of those moments. Thanks Taco Asylum and Chef Daniels for creating a place tacos can dwell in inspirational purgatory. I also think it’s worth mentioning the ever fantastic PR Queen, Mona Shah for sharing them with the world!