Wedged in between two more significant buildings is the newest restaurant entry into what makes Riverside and the 5 Points area a place to find great eats. Taqueria Cinco the brainchild of a merry band of Chef Warriors; Eddy Escriba, Matt Kemper, and Marco Monroy. Veterans founders of Downtown’s Burrito Gallery and Uptown Market in the Springfield neighborhood these men know their food.
A rich combination of Tacos, Street Food, Veggie Tacos, and Desert options are sure to please even the pickiest of eaters. The current Summer menu offers a pleasant line up of choices, and Sunday Brunch is a great time to sit out on the Patio.
Let’s look at the food, always a fan of Guacamole, and Street Corn that’s where we went first. As I stood in line waiting to order, I had a great conversation with the woman making the fresh Guac, just watching her made me hungry. Well seasoned and uber-fresh this is Guac you will want, served with tasty homemade chips.
Add to that the Esquites or Mexican Street Corn off the cob, Cotija Cheese, Cholula Mayo, and Lime Dust. Not a fan of off the cob the fact the flavor was what I was craving made the difference. It was every bit a good as the street corn I enjoyed while in Mexico it was a happy and satisfying moment.
Tacos at Taqueria Cinco are 100% whole kernel corn masa, and the difference is quite noticeable. I don’t refer to them as tacos; I call the small disks of magic, texture, and flavor are quite different than the run of the mill taco. There were a variety of orders at the table. The Chicken Tinga proved to be tender meat well-flavored and a pop of heat with the Ranchero Sauce.
The Fresh Catch of the day varies with market availability, today’s fish was a tender white fish, with a solid body, sweet meat that married well with the Yucatan Slaw and Morita Almond Salas.
Suadero plus Chicken Tinga proved to be another excellent choice. Tender Beef Brisket paired with charred green onions, and avocado salsa is a textural treat. The Chicken Tinga is a delightful mouth full of flavor.
Quesadillas are always a favorite, loaded with Quesillo cheese and Salsa Quemada, with your choice of meat. I love the gooeyness of it all.
Don’t forget to close with the Churros Y Chocolate; a wicked treat served with Mexican Cinnamon Chili Powder Chocolate Sauce. Crispy, sweet and warm and then there’s that chocolate to dip.
