The Right Amount of Unexpected Fusion at Taqueria Franco

Had a right amount of unexpected...

At Taqueria Franco! 

Short story first.  

When my daughter told me about a newfound friend who works in a taco place and wanted us to try their specialty- the one with fried oysters, I made sure not to expect anything.  After all, what other tacos have we not had?

Come the day when my daughter took us and paid for a unique meal of nonetheless than tacos.

But one that had us having "mmmmms" and "sarrrraap" from the first bites to the last.

Having discovered that apart from steaks and the oyster, my daughter told us about, we also had lamb and chicken krapows.

Oh, the unexpected one was goat cheese in your drink or cocktail.  I'm talking about this uniquely named beverage on their bar menu- The Fig and the Goat.

It's a concoction of gin, dry vermouth, and clarified liquid goat cheese topped with fig. Surprisingly, it was one of the best bar drinks I've ever had. 

My daughter had the Blanco Vino (white wine with vermouth and lemon lime soda), which was refreshing.

Taqueria Franco, as Chef Carl had told us is a French forward comfort dining establishment. French forward cuisine indicates authentic flavors of French cooking techniques, focusing on quality ingredients, and a sophisticated approach to meal preparation. 

This kind of approach pushes elegant presentations, or plating with attention to details like color and texture. 

But what makes this place exceptional is its Mexican fusion, placing Taco dishes at their forefront.  Filling up their homemade buckwheat tortilla with rich, hearty French dishes such as Lamb Bourguignon, Foie Gras, Duck Confit, to name a few.  They were meticulous in incorporating French sauces as well into their very playful yet truly appetizing menu.

At Franco's, they encourage their guests to take it slow and be more mindful rather, to how your food was prepped and sourced.  After all, it is better to devour your chosen dish with much enjoyment and have it savored, rather than rushed. 

I never really have any expectations, but upon hearing the words French and fusion made me prepare for the unexpected bill.  But to our surprise, their menu is priced just affordably.

Here is what we had:

Truffle and Three-Cheese Quesadilla

  It's like a tortellini filled with emmental, cream cheese, and gruyere. I don't know where the truffle is coming from, perhaps infused in the cheese or on the honey that blankets it.  The slivered almonds give it a nice crunch.

Japanese Oyster Taco

  Breaded large oysters drenched in tartar sauce, served with pickled veggies.

Chicken Krapow 

 As suggested by the staff, it is actually a Thai dish where chicken is stir-fried with basil and served with cucumbers and nuoc cham.

 Lamb Bourguignion Birria

Our fave, as I have never had lamb prepared like this.  However, I thought I got myself confused for a minute, with the French bourguignon and Mexican birria.  But somehow the interplay worked!  It was also served with a parsley pesto to cut the "umay" from the meat.

 

Steak Frites

This beautifully plated taco is shrouded with crunchy fried shoestring potatoes. I love how the steak slices were seasoned, which was drenched enough with beef jus and buttery, rich, and slightly tangy sauce. 

 

Horchata Bread Pudding

A leveled-up pudding using Croissants and Pain Au Chocolat in Crème Anglaise and the yummy Cajeta or a Mexican Dulce de Leche. The perfect ending. 

This place though may seem obscure, is a perfect date place and one that a company of food lovers will definitely enjoy.  Franco, also is not a namesake of the pug they use as their mascot or emblem, it means a mesh of Franc (as to French) and Co (from taco).

Their Tatler Awards would attest to their dedication and prowess, btw!