100% Taquito is 100 percent local. The mastermind behind this laid-back eatery is Marco Garcia, a U of H graduate, who wanted to bring the feel of Mexico City into his restaurant. The place is literally a city complete with street tiles, a facade of houses, car shop, taco stand, street lamps, and even clothes hanging out to dry on the roof, just like they do in Mexico City! And they're always playing Latin music videos on their TV screens.Walk into 100% Taquito and the first thing you'll notice is the classic V-Dub taxi with what looks like scary lifelike puppets inside. The tables are set on the "street" making you feel like you're eating on the run, which you really are because at 100% Taquito, you order, take a number, eat, and go - perfect for lunch!
What makes 100% Taquito authentic is the size of the tacos (and of course, the taste). They are not your usual Tex-Mex size. They are small, just like in Mexico, which means an order of three tacos might not be enough to satisfy your appetite (think appetizer size).
Well, that's what exactly what happened to my intern, Claire. She ordered the exquisite Chicken Tacos. They were really good and tasted fresh! But, it just wasn't enough. And at around $4 per order, Claire was not too happy. She asked me to recommend what else to get and I told her to go for the Chicken Quesadillas (which I had never had there). To our surprise, her quesadilla order was basically the same as her taco order, except with cheese! We found out later that exact disclaimer was stated in the menu.I went for my usual Chicken Mole Torta. "Tortas" in Mexico are sandwiches, which I find funny because in many Latin American countries, "tortas" are cakes. And, for those who don't know, Mole is a traditional chocolate sauce. Yes, you read correctly: chocolate. From what I've been told, this exotic concoction has indigenous roots. A chef once told me the word "mole" is french, meaning to grind. He said it came to be used when French nuns would yell out to the natives: "molé, molé!" and forced them to grind chocolate beans. However, there are many stories about this famous Mexican national dish.
Mole is an acquired taste. People are not fond of the look or the taste. Claire said the chicken mole on my baguette looked like dog food. I can assure you it doesn't taste like it (not that I've ever tried dog food). But it is a strange taste to describe. It's not sweet, for sure. It's kind of like having barbecue sauce, but without the sweetness. 100% Taquito is an experience. A pricey one, nonetheless. My sandwich and a frozen mango slushy cost me about $11. Using my rating system of BURP=delish!, GULP=pretty good, and BARF=yuk, I'd say this place gets a GULP!
3245 Southwest Frwy.
Houston, TX 77027
(713) 665-2900
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