Where to eat real Mexican tacos in Riga

Every year there are more places in Riga where you can eat something called a taco. But the gap between a real taco and something shaped like one is wide, and you can tell from the first bite. Here is what to look for.

The tortilla decides everything

A real taco starts with a corn tortilla, not a wheat one. Corn tortillas are smaller, they smell of corn, and they are warmed on the hotplate right before serving — not earlier. If the tortilla is cold, soft and floppy like a pancake, it has been sitting around too long.

We serve classic corn tortillas, which happen to be gluten free, crispy ones, and — for anyone who wants something bigger — wheat tortillas. The choice is yours, but if you want to understand what this is about, start with the classic.

Meat that takes its time

Cochinita pibil is pork marinated in Mexican chilli paste and cooked slowly until it falls apart on its own. You cannot make it to order in five minutes — either it was started in the morning or it is not on the menu. The same goes for tongue: Apotilengua is our chef’s grandmother’s recipe, and it takes as long as it takes.

Salsa is not a sauce from a jar

In Mexico salsa is part of the dish, not a condiment on the side. Green with tomatillo, red with roasted chillies — each has its place. If a single all-purpose sauce arrives at the table, something has gone wrong.

The mistake almost everyone makes

Too much of everything. A real taco is small: tortilla, meat, onion, coriander, a wedge of lime. Pile on lettuce, cheese, sour cream and three more sauces, and the tortilla tears while the flavour disappears. That is no longer Mexican cooking, it is tex-mex — also good, just a different thing.

Where to find us

Amigo is at Ģertrūdes iela 48a, in central Riga. Our chef Alan is from Mexico City and the recipes are his. Open Tuesday to Thursday 17:00–23:00, Friday and Saturday until midnight. Have a look at the menu or call +371 255 60 957.