Spring is finally upon us in Montreal which means my regular excursions to Jean Talon Market are occurring once more. Outside of the wonderful produce available to us at the market, there are some very interested options for anyone looking for a good meal. One of these is El Rey del Taco, a Mexican grocery store with a terrasse space overlooking the market and dishing out some south american food. With the recent rise of tacos in the city with Grumman 78, Icehouse and Mais amongst others, El Rey del Taco can get overlooked as a worthwhile option but I am here to tell you that would be a disservice.
Over the last month, I went for a quick lunch twice. As soon as you sit down, you are greeted with complementary tortilla chips with 3 different salsas, one mild, one spicy and one salsa verde. All 3 are enjoyable – the salsa verde in particular packs a pretty good punch.
To cool down from the heat, I ordered a glass of horchata. For the uninitiated, horchata is a rice based beverage which I absolutely love. Nice hints of vanilla and cinnamon within this cold drink. Great refreshing beverage to balance nicely the heat of the dishes. One of my favorite summer non-alcoholic drinks.
First up, I ordered the cheese quesadilla with guacamole. The guacamole has a nice thick consistency with the right hints of coriander, lime and tomato with the avocado. The quesadilla was quite good as well. The tortillas had the right crispness to them on the outside without becoming too brittle in general. The cheese in the middle was perfectly melted and had the right tang to it.
As a main, I chose to go with the chorizo tacos. The chorizo was broken down and cooked perfectly well with the natural spiciness of the sausage coming out very well. The little sauce added to the mix further enhanced that flavor. Topped with some coriander and onion to add some freshness and sweetness, these were very nice balanced tacos.
On the second visit, I went for the lamb tacos. In contrast to the spicy chorizo, the lamb was mild in flavor but had a more tender consistency and a much fattier taste as well. Topped with the same onions and coriander as the previous tacos, these tacos were quite tasty as well. I could have easily eaten the lamb by itself as a meal. Juicy, tender and falls apart without any effort. Just a wonderful cooking job there.
El Rey del Taco is a great option for anyone looking for a good taqueria in Montreal. Service is a little up and down but the price is reasonable and the quantity are plentiful. If you come to Jean Talon Market with any regularity, you need to stop by at least one and enjoy a good meal.
Cheers!
El Rey del Taco
232 Jean Talon Est.
514 814 3813
Ramblings from the Complex Mind of a 30 Something 
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