Cartel Del Taco is a passion project several years in the making. Mexican ex-pats and friends Marco Ramirez and Erick Martinez have long discussed what it would take to bring a true-t0-life street taqueria experience – the kind of neighbourhood eatery that was a fixture of their youth – to their adopted home of Brisbane. We’re not talking just any old taco slinger. For the duo, authenticity has always been perhaps the most integral part of the overall concept. The kind of venue Marco and Erick envisioned had to be the genuine article – from the decor and vibes to the ingredients and flavours of the tacos themselves. This meant venturing back and forth from Mexico, sourcing and shipping the necessary items that would make Cartel Del Taco look and feel unlike any Mexican joint in Brisbane. It would be an ambitious endeavour even under perfect circumstances, but with a pandemic in the mix making international travel extremely difficult, the duo had to make every buying spree count. Three years, three trips and one giant shipping container full of furnishings, crockery and artwork later and the team finally had all of the essential pieces to put in place. Now, after some patient waiting on our part, Cartel Del Taco is finally set to open to the public, with the team announcing today that it would be welcoming locals into its Hawthorne Road home from Friday April 1.

Cartel Del Taco arrives at a time when Hawthorne’s hospitality star is rising. Located across the road from Hawthorne Garage and a tortilla toss from the likes of Sister, Nodo, Botanica and Downtown Istanbul, the venture adds another day-and-night dining option for families, friendship groups and couples. Stepping inside, guests are greeted by a vivid interior that is a comfortable and relaxed mix of modern and retro aesthetics. Polished concrete floors, vibrant sun-inspired neons and slick red-and-white tiling is accented by a host of retro 1980s-inspired touches – most of which comes courtesy of the furnishings. Marco and Erick explored Oaxaca and Puebla in search for perfect little details to add life and depth to their taqueria, snapping up everything from handmade tables, chairs, plates, glasses and blue and yellow seasoning shakers to antique collectables like old-school Tecate signs and a Carta Blanca cooler from the 1920s. The team has also sourced numerous pieces of art to help add an extra fun dynamic, with Mexico City artist Groenewold M. contributing cartoon-like skeleton characters and lettering artist Giovanni Bautista adding a personal touch to Cartel Del Taco’s green welcome desk. The team also met with Oaxaca’s Indigenous population to source an artfully decorated bull’s skull, which proudly hangs above Cartel Del Taco’s street-facing windows. Though Mexican street taqueria’s don’t traditionally boast a bar, the Cartel Del Taco team has constructed one of its own on the far side of the space. Illuminated by neon green lights, the bar adds a colourful contrast to the taqueria’s main dining floor, helping shift the atmosphere when the sun sets. Guests can also drink and dine outside, with a collection of street-side tables able to accommodate an extra 16 patrons. 

Erick, who was previously head chef at MAYA Mexican, has made Cartel Del Taco’s kitchen his domain. The menu is purposefully designed to be flexible for those seeking a quick lunch snack or groups eager to gorge on more substantial portions for dinner. Erick’s offering starts with a selection of entrees – pork ribs lathered in tamarind sauce and morita chilli, and deep-fried quesadillas filled with red snapper, pepper and guajillo chilli are guaranteed to rev up your appetite. Cartel Del Taco is living up to its name when it comes to, well, tacos. Roughly ten tongue-tantalising kinds will be on offer, with Erick dipping into his bag of tricks to showcase an assortment of styles and fillings. Al pastor tacos – boasting meat carved from the kitchen’s own Trompo spit grill – will be available alongside carne asada, birria, brisket and octopus tacos, as well as two vegetarian-friendly options featuring black-bean mole, pumpkin and king mushroom. Erick is also experimenting with mains (think the Aussie fave lamb shank, but given a Mexican twist), but exact details are being kept close to the chest. Over at the bar, guests will be able to sip on a variety of cocktails conceived in house, with many imbued with tequila and mezcal. Margaritas and mezcalitas will be a specialty, but expect a host of cheekily named signatures as well as Dos Equis on tap, bottles of Tecate, Pacifico and Modelo, and hard seltzer from Topo Chico in Monterrey.

Cartel Del Taco will open to the public on Friday April 1. Be sure to bookmark the Stumble Guide for operating hours and contact details.