My
former neighbor made the best vegan tacos: a carrot-potato mash in a
deep-fried corn tortilla. Simple, starchy and something fried—the taco
trifecta. I’ve been searching through vegan cafes, posh restaurants and
taco trucks all over this city for another one like it.
I
used to be addicted to Squatters tofu tacos. But, alas, I grew
tofu-tired and longed to explore tastier options. The mushroom tacos at
Taqueria 27 excited me for a while—beauties indeed—but they just didn’t
leave a lasting impression. And I’ve consumed plenty of what the best
taco trucks in the city have to offer, filled with rice and (hopefully
lard-free) beans—quite good, but beans are meant to be tucked safely
inside a tightly-folded flour tortilla (you know, a burrito) for a
reason.
Frisch Compassionate Eatery has a Taco Tuesday creation of lentils, pumpkin
seeds and cherry tomatoes. Good, but not Mexican. Cafe Solstice offers
similar green goodness in a taco shell. But I’m not really looking for
nutrients in my taco. Miso and sunflower seeds do not a Mexican taco
make.
But after an arduous search, I’ve finally found my soul mate on
a plate—improbably, in an Irish-style pub. Right now, my favorite vegan
tacos are at Piper Down, a place after my Irish-Mexican heart. I can
get a shot of whiskey and a taco. It’s been a long time coming.
Piper
Down’s Baja potato tacos—off the generous vegan Green Page menu—are a
winning trio of smokin’ hot grilled potatoes drenched in ranchero sauce,
cold, crispy shredded cabbage and salsa fresca in a soft corn
tortilla. No tofu, but plenty of sliced avocado. The real show-stopper
is on the side: tempura-battered red and green jalapeños cover half the
plate, escorted by raspberry jelly for dipping. It’s a duo so
spicy-sweet even omnivores will swoon. Grab an ice-cold beer to help you
handle the heat.
PIPER DOWN
1492 S. State
801-468-1492
PiperDownPub.com
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