CHOW NOW Tacos Week 1: Distrito

Walking into Distrito is a bit like walking into a street party. Colorful lights, bright pink walls, and fiesta-esque Mexican music fill the space with contagious Latin American energy, but what really catches your attention are the endless plates of brightly garnished tacos milling around the restaurant in the hands of Distrito’s cheery staff.

Whether you’re looking for a full throttle Mexican feast, or a quick plate of tacos with friends, Distrito delivers.

The appetizers…

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Spiced Peanuts: These little guys were a light and crunchy start to our taco-tasting adventure. The nuts are coated with a spicy cumin and chile powder mixture and tossed with a dash of lime juice that adds a refreshing zing.

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Guacamole with Crab: We agreed this was some of the freshest guac we had ever tasted. It was creamy and thick, but punctuated by sweet chunks of crab meat. The sprinking of cotija cheese on top added saltiness and depth to the dip’s already vivid flavor.

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Huarache de Hongos: A steaming flatbread topped with earthy mushrooms, sweet corn, and a smattering of Mexican cheeses. The sweetness of the corn sprigs and the earthiness of the black truffles both vied for our attention.

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Ensalada de Jicama: Presented to us as a palate cleanser, this salad actually ended up being one of the pleasant surprises of the night. The jicama and mango were crisp and sweet, and as the sorbet melted, it enrobed the frisee with a freshness that livened up the salad. The contrast of textures—crunchy jicama, smooth mango, and citrusy orange segments—was also extremely pleasing.

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Pulpo al Carbon: A combination of smoky and spicy, the slices of grilled Spanish octopus in the pulpo al carbon struck just the right balance between chewy and tender. Dabs of spicy jalapeno puree and a salty caper spread surrounded them on a rustic wooden board.

The Tacos…

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Tacos de Pollo: If you’re looking to play it safe, these tacos are for you. Overall the flavors in the dish were fairly one-dimensional–sweet tomato and a touch of tangy Mexican crema. A sprinkle of radish added a contrast in texture to the soft braised chicken and avocado slice, but overall we felt the sauce was overpoweringly sweet and too heavily ladled onto each tortilla.

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Tacos de Carnitas: Sweet and tangy, the citrus-scented pulled pork in the tacos de carnitas was layered with a sweet pineapple salsa on top of a smoky black bean spread.

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Tacos de Lengua: Not for the faint of heart! Our waiter told us customers rarely order the lengua, Spanish for “tongue”, but clearly they’re missing out. With a smooth texture not unlike beef short ribs, a drizzle of bright salsa verde highlighted the richness of these savory tacos.

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Tacos de Carne Kobe: A much anticipated plate of kobe beef tacos. The slender strips of steak were seared medium rare and served atop a layer of earthy truffled potatoes. A pinch of paper-thin yukon potato stips added a satisfying crunch. From first bite, you could taste that this was a luxurious cut of meat–it really did melt in our mouths!

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Tacos de Cordero (lamb): Both of us fell into mutual silence as the tender adobo braised lamb from these tacos spilled into our mouths. A delicate mint sauce tempered the smokiness of the meat and hinted at an almost middle eastern take on the taco. We both agreed that these were some of the best tacos of the evening.

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Tacos de Mahi Mahi: The only taco served with a flour tortilla, the lighter casing complemented the crunchy plantain chip-crusted fish and provided the perfect combination of textures. The meat itself was light and moist, while the creamy avocado balanced out both the slight kick of the chipotle remoulade and the crunch of the crispy plantain batter.

The Dessert…

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Churros: Light, airy, and not at all like any churros we had eaten before, these plump sticks of cinnamon scented dough had delicately crunchy outer layers and warm, pillowy interiors. We enjoyed the rich chocolate and sweet coconut cream dipping sauces, but the silky smooth caramel sauce (usually served with the vanilla sponge cake) was so addictive that we seriously considered forgoing the churros and just asking for straws.

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Torta de Queso: Something sweet was much needed to end such a satisfying meal–and the kahlua coffee cheesecake layered with caramelized bananas and a cool scoop of vanilla ice cream certainly did the trick. The balance of smooth and crunchy textures and complexly sweet flavors left us ready to come back again soon.

Penn Appétit’s Picks:
Chase: Tacos de carne kobe, tacos de cordero, ensalada de jicama
Andrea: Huarache de hongos, tacos de lengua, tacos de mahi mahi, churros (make sure to ask for the extra-special caramel sauce!!)

– Chase Matecun and Andrea Breeden

Don’t forget to check back in and see what we thought of Distrito in our Philly Taco Round-Up!

One thought on “CHOW NOW Tacos Week 1: Distrito

  1. Dear Andrea & Chase,

    It was so nice of you both to come to Distrito, taste our food & write so lovingly about it.
    If you ask our Chef our main ingredient . . . the answer is love.
    I am so glad you were pleased & we hope to please every guest in this way.

    Con Mucho Aprecio!
    I hope to see you both soon!
    -Marc Grika, GM Distrito

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