Taqueria Night at The Porch: Southern Fare

The Porch, an excellent Southern restaurant in Wakefield, is usually closed on Mondays. However, they have opened on a few Mondays, offering something very different for their customers, not their usual fare. For example, previously, they hosted a Poutine evening, offering a few varieties of French fries with gravy and cheese curds. Last night, they transformed into El Porche, becoming a Taqueria for the evening.

I arrived a little early, knowing they would get crazy busy, and it took no time at all for a long line to develop. During my entire time in the restaurant, there was always a line waiting to order, plenty of people seeking tacos and more.

There were four Tacos available ($3 each), including Barbacoa (beef), Cochinata Pibil (pork), Pollo (chicken) and Nopales Y Ongos (cactus & mushrooms). They also had a number of Sides ($2.50 each), including Frijoles, Arrox, Elote, Guacamole Y Tortillas Fritas, and Salsa Verde Y Tortillas Fritas. You could also get a Mexican Beer ($4), Margarita ($8), Paloma ($8) or Michelada ($5). A reasonably priced menu with plenty of options.

I opted for a Margarita, a pleasant tequila cocktail with a salty rim on the plastic cup. No frills but it hit the spot.

I got two Barbacoa Tacos and I'll note that all of the tacos were on Masienda Heirloom Corn Tortillas. These are excellent tortillas, with a nice corn taste and firm texture, though they tend to split with the juices and liquids from the meat fillings. Just keep a bunch of napkins handy. The tacos were filled with plenty of tender, juicy and nice spiced meat with a slight crunch from the topping, which was almost like a type of slaw. Overall, an excellent taco, especially at this price.

I also had one of the Cochinata Pibil and Pollo tacos, both which also contained plenty of tender, juicy meat. They were as good as the Barbacoa tacos and I would be hard pressed to say which was my favorite type. I might have even ordered a couple more tacos but I didn't want to wait in the long line.

I also tried the Arroz and Elote (Mexican Street corn). The rice was good, with a slightly spicy kick to it, and the corn was delicious, with a nice char and some buttery creaminess atop it.

I think it is a very cool idea for The Porch to offer these different pop-ups on their off night. They have been well received by their customers, and the restaurant usually runs out of food before the evening is over because of the great demand. I've often recommended their southern fare, and continue to do so, but they get props as well for these special nights.