Recently, I was invited to sample some food and beer at Springfield’s newest taco joint, Taqueria del Sol. Taqueria del Sol opened their doors in Springfield about six months ago, and they also have a location in Willow Grove.
This small franchise first took root in the Atlanta area and their original locations frequently have spanning out the door full of hungry patrons who can’t get enough of their fast and delicious tacos.
They operate as a “fast-casual” restaurant, but that doesn’t mean this is fast food. Taqueria del Sol only uses fresh quality ingredients and they prepare everything daily (if not two to three times a day, like their guacamole) and this is evident when you try their food. Their prices are also very affordable. Tacos are the main draw, but they also serve a range of appetizers, soups and chilis, side dishes, enchiladas, and weekly dinner specials.
And unlike most taco spots, Taqueria del Sol has a full bar that serves margaritas, top shelf liquors, bottled beer, and wine. Their beer selection includes all of the traditional Mexican cervezas you would expect, but they also have a good range of local beers to choose from including a ton from Tröegs Brewing Company.
My sampling featured three courses paired with different Tröegs beers. First out was Tröegs Perpetual IPA accompanied by the salsa trio (consisting of a traditional salsa fresco, a salsa verde which includes tomatillo, jalapeños, and cilantro, and a salsa asada which uses roasted tomatoes and roasted jalapeños) along with chips. These salsas were great, they were fresh, flavorful, and spicy while not totally burning my mouth off. The citrus flavors and spicy notes of the salsa paired perfectly with the Perpetual IPA.
The next appetizer was the fresh made guacamole and they really nailed it. I’m a huge guacamole fan and theirs was full of flavor without being over the top. The citrus and bright flavors of the guacamole matched well with the Perpetual IPA’s crisp and citrusy hops. Next up was their white queso cheese dip, made with pickled jalapeños and topped with fresh jalapeños. This dip was the spiciest of all of the appetizers and the pickled jalapeños gave the dish great depth, while also bringing out the spicy notes of the Perpetual IPA’s hops. The beer helped to cleanse the palette after all the spice. The final appetizer was their shrimp corn chowder, a hearty soup full of corn and whole shrimp. The flavor was great, the sweetness of the sweet corn came through at first and was followed by the savory flavors of the shrimp and the spice. This dish brought out the spicy notes from the hops of the Perpetual IPA.
Up next was the main taco course, sampling four of their six tacos with Tröegs DreamWeaver Wheat and HopBack Amber. The Dreamweaver Wheat was spicy, peppery, and fruity with citrus, and light clove and banana flavors. This is definitely a sessionable beer with lighter body. The Dreamweaver Wheat was paired with the fish and fried chicken tacos. Their fish taco is made with tilapia which is breaded with corn masa and bread crumbs and is deep-fried. The fish is then topped with a poblano tartar sauce and pickled jalapenos. This taco was great—the savory fish flavor was balanced well with the tart tartar sauce and pickled peppers, and the creamy sauce mixed with the crunchy breading gave this dish a great texture. When paired with the Dreamweaver Wheat the toasty and bready flavors of the malt play well with the flavors of the breading and tortilla, while the slightly tart wheat flavor of the beer play well with the tartar sauce and pickled peppers. The fried chicken taco is prepared with strips of battered fried chicken (which are so good I could eat them solo) and topped with a great lime jalapeno mayonnaise, lettuce and tomato. The sauce on this taco was also a little tart which went well with the tart nature of the beer and the spices of the batter paired nicely with the spiciness of the yeast.
The next beer to sample was the Tröegs HopBack Amber, which was paired with Taqueria del Sol’s brisket and Memphis tacos. The HopBack Amber is a great beer which balances the floral and citrus hops used with a robust malt backbone that adds sweetness and caramel flavors and balances out the bitterness. This well-balanced beer pairs perfectly with the brisket taco, which is made with shredded, slow-roasted beef brisket topped by pico de gallo, and was my favorite of all of the tacos I tasted. The brisket was full of intense savory flavor and was really moist and tender, and those elements of the brisket compliment the malt of the HopBack Amber while the herbs of the pico de gallo work well with the hop profile. Next was the Memphis taco, which consists of smoked pork topped with tequila barbecue sauce and a spicy jalapeño coleslaw. This was another amazing taco that mixed the tender, slow-roasted pork with a crunchy coleslaw to give complimenting textures and flavors. Just as the ingredients of the taco compliment each other, the malty caramel flavors of the HopBack Amber compliment the sweet barbecue sauce while the tartness played well with the hops.
The final course was Taqueria del Sol’s signature dessert paired with Tröegs Troegenator Double Bock. Their dessert, called a natilla, is a vanilla cream-based custard topped with cinnamon and chocolate sauce. Don’t fret if you don’t see it on the menu next time you go, as they do not print it on their menu, but you must ask for it when ordering because its fantastic. This dessert is reminiscent of a rice pudding without the rice. Just like the natilla, Troegenator has sweet flavors of vanilla, chocolate and caramel with a hint of spice. These two play so well off of each other they seem to be meant for each other.
Taqueria del Sol is definitely a pleasant departure from the bland, rice-stuffed tacos you find at most Mexican restaurants, and with such inexpensive prices there really isn’t a reason to go back to your old taco spot.
The bar is perfect for casual dining and drinks and its a great place to post up on Saturdays or Sundays to watch your favorite football team. You can check Taqueria del Sol’s website ahead of time or follow them on Facebook or Twitter to see what their weekly specials are. They even have a delicious Philly cheesesteak taco that is a revolving special.
Find Taqueria del Sol at 781 W. Sproul Road in Springfield; phone: (484) 472-8644.
Photographs credited to Arne Morin.
