When I first tried Molé Taco Bar’s tacos at Taste London it was love at first bite. There’s something so instinctive and fun when eating taco’s as the only way to do it is with your hands. I must confess it was my first time having a soft taco, or at least as good as these and I knew I had to give them a visit in their Marylebone residence. It’s the folks behind Cocochan who open Molé Taco Bar around the back of Selfridges during August 2015 and we’re off to a good start from the warm welcome we receive upon arrival.
On the inside it feels casual with a warm vibe, a place where you want to loosen your top collar & roll up your sleeves, as after all you’ll be eating with your hands most of the time.
We’re sat by the bar out of choice, where there are champion views of the spirits on display and befriending the bartender to learn more about the place can only be a good thing. The kitchen is right by us behind a big brown door, so there’s first sight on what comes out.
A White Lady to kick things off.
The Kraquiry £9.
Guacamole, lime, sea salt and pomegranate £5. The fact that this is so delicious makes it a rudimental dish to order. It comes cold from the fridge which maintains the integrity of the avocado (you and integrity!!). What makes it so interesting to eat is having all of the elements together in one scoop – the lime, the sea salt and pomegranate are little high-hats of flavour.
Tuna Tostada – yellow fin tuna, avocado oil, chipotle mayo £8. Another triumph.
Octopus Ceviche, clamato, habanero gazpacho £8. You can really taste the seafood component from the clamato juice and the crunchy corn adds good texture to the soft octopus. But I found it a little insipid in comparison with the tuna.
Pork belly, green molé £7. Pork belly shreds into fibres when tender and this is exactly how these were. The molé was the perfect yet subtle enhancement to season the cubes of divine swine.
Baja fish taco, pollock fish tempura, chipotle mayo, jalapeño slaw £8. The fish was encased in perfectly seasoned crispy batter and puffed steam as you bite into it, exposing the fresh flakey fish. The creamy chipotle and the slaw added the fresh element. A great piece of work IMHO.
Soft shell crab tempura – serrano cream, pico de gallo £8. Just look at this little beast flexing its claws! It flexed a whole heap of flavour too and was hands down one of my favourite things to eat.
15 hour braised chipotle short rib 350g £20. This epic fork tender dino-sized rib rendered us into a deep food coma.
Dulche di leche créme brülée £5. It’s made from condensed milk and you can tell as the result was a super rich, fudge-like consistency with a deep caramel flavour. The top was as crunchy as it looked and although the chocolate skull was small it imparted more richness still.
We finished off with this smoky yet smooth Mezcal on the house – sans worms though!
The verdict:
When did I go? July 2016
The damage: Expect to pay £40-£50 per head with drinks
The good: I’ve never been to Mexico but if the food is as good as Molé Taco Bar’s then I’m flying over. Front of house were on point for being knowledgeable and open to answering any questions which made the experience even more enjoyable too. Also my favourite things to eat were by far the soft shell crab and pollock tacos which I can eat with reckless abandon!
The bad: The octopus was the weakest link, but not a lot else!
Rating: 4/5
Address: 16 Picton Pl London W1U 1PB
Phone: 020 7486 1995
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