Authentic flavours at Vamos Taco

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 22/05/2014 (4151 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

In truth, my visit to Vamos Tacos happened by accident.  

My friend and I were to rendezvous at another restaurant in the same strip mall for lunch.

When we arrived at 12:15 p.m., we found that our original destination did not open until 1 p.m. Since we don’t get a chance to see each other very often and wanted to make every minute count, we decided to switch our yearning from Chinese to Mexican fare.  

A lovely young lady came over to take care of us as she plunked down premise-made tortilla chips and salsa. She introduced herself, indicating that she and her family were new owners of the restaurant.  The chips and salsa were so good that we made short work of them but were still chatting away and had not looked at a menu.  So, we extended our casual visit by ordering a second batch of chips, guacamole and pico de gallo. Both were made from scratch and the guacamole was particularly good.  

Have you ever taken a vacation to Mexico?  Usually, what is set in front of you when you arrive at a loncheria (snack bar) are tortilla chips and pico de gallo — although the locals sometimes call it salsa fresca for the sake of the tourists. It literally means “rooster’s beak,” though I have yet to determine the reason why.  Typically the ingredients centre on chopped tomato, white onion and jalapenos. I like mine with lots of freshly squeezed lime juice and plenty of cilantro. Vamos’ version included all of the above.

When it came time to order, we were pretty full from our snack, so we concluded that we should share an entrée. If I may boast, I am a Mexican food aficionado, as I have traveled to the Yucatan peninsula over a dozen times. The shredded pork enchilada was so scrumptious and authentic that I suspected there was a cook from Mexico in the kitchen! The filling was plentiful and subtly spiced, the tortilla tender, and the from-scratch sour cream sauce was the perfect way to pull all of the tastes together.

When I got to meet the cook, it turned out to be Marvin Dubon, the owner of “JC Tacos and More” with two locations in the city.  This was once his restaurant, but he had recently sold it to the Heo family and was preparing to set them out on their own. JC Tacos’ commitment to 90% local products, including free-range chicken, will not change when the sign does. If you travel there anytime soon, the new signage should be up, but to be on the safe side, just look for them at the north end of the strip mall.

Kathryne Grisim’s foodmusings.ca blog was named best local blog in Uptown Magazine’s Best of Winnipeg readers’ poll