Throughout my 38 years on this planet, I have come across my share of amazing tacos, undoubtedly the most fused food creation to ever exist. Its versatility is legendary. Just about every culinary culture has a taco filled with its rich food contributions. A taco is the food version of Cristo Redentor’s Christ the Redeemer at the summit of Mount Corcovado, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, arms open wide, ready to welcome, love, consume and enjoy any tasty ingredient placed in its embrace.
Soul Taco located at 321 N 2nd St, Richmond, VA 23219 was a beautiful experience of delicious Mesoamerican flavors fused with the essence of soulful Black American cuisine, a true Black and Brown alliance. My first and favorite was the Cornmeal Crusted Catfish Taco, which would attract any fried fish purist with its beautifully cornmeal crusted strips of delectably flavored catfish, served with tomatillo salsa, red cabbage slaw, and hot sauce aioli.
You will most definitely appreciate the house made sauces and corn tortillas used in each taco, giving this fun and bright quick casual eatery a level of authenticity that separates them from similarly situated brands.
Next, we had the vegetarian or vegan (without the butter) taco in their Roasted Sweet Potato and Black Eyed Pea taco served with roasted sweet potatoes, black eyed peas, avocado, pickled red onions, crispy yucca, cilantro cream, and topped with cotija cheese. Surprisingly, this was my second favorite taco. I didn’t expect to enjoy it because I thought they were doing too much, but my assumption was shut the f*%@ down because this baby was both delicious and cruelty free. I found pure joy in the thin corn tortilla folded around spoonsful of relatively soft veggies and legumes conveniently interrupted by the resounding crunch of the fried yucca.
Following this veg forward delight, we tried one of their most honest and true tacos in the Buttermilk Battered Fried Chicken taco that included avocado, pickled red onions, chipotle BBQ crema, hot sauce aioli. No frills. Just amazing battered fried chicken sandwiched by a warm tortilla. Think less salty and more flavorful Chick-fil-A meets Oaxaca grandma, and there you have your taco, just plain delicious.
The final taco we tried was the Braised Oxtail “al Pastor” with root beer braised 7 Hills Farm oxtail, pineapple and roasted jalapeño salsa, chicharrones (fried pig skin), and agave hot sauce. This would be the go-to for any true foodie, as the succulent, tender, and flavorful oxtail is the star of the show here. Close second would be the pineapple and roasted jalapeño salsa. Don’t forget to try their Flaming Hot Cheeto Elote Loco which is a roasted corn on the cob served with elote aioli, chili, cilantro, lime, cotija cheese, flaming hot cheeto dust. I know the ingredients may sound a bit out there, but it all came together splendidly. I promise!
What start to our very first DMV Black History Month Foodie Tour. Soul Taco was fun and bright with awesome food and courteous service. The owners were some of the nicest folks we met along our journey throughout the DMV area. I look forward to making our way back to this cool eatery to try some of their other flavors very soon. You can call them at (804) 308-1010.
