Mexican food lovers in Taipei are accustomed to disappointment, as a small number of restaurants serving authentic fare seem to come and go. One old standby, La Casita (愛咪媽美食坊), closed several years ago, while one relatively new place, El Gallo, which opened in 2008, is also out of business. But there is one new Mexican place in town: Cactus, located at 400, Heping E Rd Sec 3, Taipei City (台北市和平東路三段400號), opened for business in January.
Co-owned by Ron Juarez, a recent transplant from Los Angeles, Cactus serves combo platters of enchiladas, hard tacos and burritos that come with Mexican-style rice and beans, with prices ranging from NT$280 to NT$320. On a recent visit, I came away with a good first impression, particularly with the beef enchiladas platter.
Cactus opens from 11am to 10pm, Tuesday through Sunday. The restaurant is located across from Linguang MRT Station (麟光捷運站).
Photo: David Chen, Taipei Times
In other Mexican restaurant news, Eddy’s Cantina, run by expat Eddy Gonzalez, has shut down its Tamsui branch, though fans will be relieved to know that the Tianmu branch, located at 1, Alley 3, Ln 450, Zhongshan N Rd Sec 6, Taipei City (台北市中山北路六段450巷3弄1號), is still going strong.
And fans of Macho Tacos can breath a sigh of relief. Its newly opened second branch in the Shida (師大) neighborhood at 15 Pucheng Street (浦城街15號) will be able to remain open. The burrito and taco shop escaped the fate of its fellow restaurants in the neighboring lane, many of which are being forced to close because of a recent government crackdown.
In other news, Toasteria Cafe, best known for its scrumptious panini sandwiches, has opened its third branch at 3, Ln 169, Dunhua S Rd Sec 1, Taipei City (台北市敦化南路一段169巷3號). The new establishment is situated in a two-story building, which proprietor Tomer Feldman has designed and decorated in the style of a “Mediterranean house.”
The Israel native has expanded the menu to give customers a taste of Mediterranean culture with new items including a variety of tapas, omelets, salads and desserts. The kitchen is open from 8am to 3am.
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