To be very honest, I’ve never been a HUGE fan of tacos. I am a BURGER guy. But in an attempt to step out of my comfort zone, I decided to write about some pretty amazing, affordable, value-for-money tacos I’ve come across.
As with any food joint, the problem is pretty common—some places just don’t have the ‘WOW’ factor. There are times when dishes are boring on the first bite and you just want to leave without finishing it! Other times, you are served with a not-so-good-looking dish and, on the first bite, you wish that you could have it every. single. day.
ALSO READ: My Top 5 Recommended Must-Try Burgers in the South of Manila
I don’t care much about the presentation though, if I get that “OOMMGG” feeling with the first bite, I AM COMING BACK and I AM TELLING MY FRIENDS ABOUT IT.
I’ve tried some tacos around the Makati, Parañaque, Alabang areas and these are the four that stood out.
4. Slow Cooked Lamb Soft Taco at ¡VENGO!
While I was going around looking for tasty, affordable, and worthy tacos, I decided to try out Vengo. Vengo is just down the street from my office so I walked over for lunch and decided to order three of their tacos—Carne Asada, Al Pastor Pork, and Slow Cooked Lamb. I wasn’t too happy with the Carne Asada but, to my surprise, I really liked the Slow Cooked Lamb Taco that had tostones, pickled onion, mint, cilantro, feta. It has all the stuff that I usually take off before eating whatever it’s on. But hey, sometimes you gotta get out of your comfort zone and try something new.
Price: Php 145 per taco
Where: Taco Vengo at Palanca st., Legazpi Village, Makati
3. Soft Shell Crab Tacos at Waterside Restobar
What can I say? To be honest, I wasn’t planning on having tacos when we were at Waterside. My sister-in-law ordered their Grilled Pork Belly Tacos and kept saying that it was really good. So, I decided to order something that I wouldn’t usually order (as you can see from my list of mostly meat tacos). I decided to order the Soft Shell Crab Tacos and boy!!! It was GOOD! The tortilla is a squid ink tortilla, a lovely taste indeed, and the chipotle mayo topped this off perfectly. I’d definitely be going back to try some of their other items on the menu.
Price: Php 410 for 2 tacos
Where: Waterside Restobar, Solaire Casino, Parañaque City
2. Pork Belly Soft Tacos at 20:20 Manila
I discovered these Pork Belly Tacos on 20:20’s Facebook page. They posted about it and I quickly chatted them up to get more details. The great thing about the Pork Belly Tacos is that they aren’t your typical tacos. The pork belly itself is so good that I could eat it with rice. So putting that on a nice, tasty tortilla and adding chorizo bits on top is just the best way to go! There are some other great food items on their menu such as the Popcorn with Manchego & Chorizo and, my personal favorite aside from the tacos, Bacon Croquettes.
Price: Php 350 for 3 tacos
Where: 20:20 Manila, Chino Roces, Makati City
1. Wagyu Cheek Soft Taco at La Chinesca
I’d have to be honest and say that La Chinesca has THE BEST tacos I’ve ever tasted. No non-sense comes out of their kitchen. We tried a couple different tacos but the off-menu special Wagyu Cheek Taco was heaven on a plate! Have you ever had that feeling where you know you’ve picked the right place to eat because the first bite was so good that you could walk out and be just as happy with that one bite? Well, that’s the feeling I had but why let a beauty go to waste—of course I finished it. I have no bad or negatives things to say about La Chinesca, well except, I wish they were open more. Ha!
Price: Php 175 for 1 taco
Where: La Chinesca, BF Homes, Parañaque City
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There you have it, my top four recommended must-try tacos. Do you have any to add to this list? Be sure to tag WhenInManila on Facebook and Instagram when you find a dish you’d like us to try. Or, tell us in the comments!
