Tacos are my all time favorite food. Hands down. No question. F.A.V.O.U.R.I.T.E.
I’ve been to (almost) every taco joint in London; every Mexican restaurant, food truck and back street taco hideout (well, maybe not the last part, but you get the gist) in search of the best tacos possible.
My quest has taken me to all corners of this city, and last night I found myself in the depths of Shepherd’s Bush to try out Habanera. My BFF has just returned from holiday and had the severe post-holiday-blues, so I dragged him to West London and promised him at least good company if the food wasn’t all that. I was praying that Habanera would be able to help me get him out of his funk. It did.
When we arrived, we were seated at a leafy booth at the back of a VERY colourful restaurant. The perfect seat for a few drinks, some food and an expletive-laden rant from the BFF. Before we even looked at the menu, the lovely manager Jenny suggested she bring us a couple drinks. (She could see we needed them!) We were swiftly given two of their signature margaritas: Raspberry & Rhubarb and a Pineapple & Cardamom. Odd pairings, but both worked. These are some of the best (and most unusual) margaritas I have ever had; refreshing, fruity and just the right amount of tequila to take effect.
Habanera is all about sharing, and this starts with the ‘salsa bar’. For starters, you can chose from their list of six homemade salsas, served with fresh cooked corn chips. There is a salsa for everyone here, but as we were mid-rant, Jenny chose for us and brought them over. We were given guacamole (smooth, with the right amount of avocado chunks, tomatoes and seasoning), verde (a mild green salsa made with tomatillo with fresh coriander and chilli) and habanero (a fiery red salsa that packed a real punch). If there is not a salsa on the list that is hot enough for you, don’t worry – Jenny has a stash of hot sauces that range from extra spicy to near death. One of them (Oblivion) is so hot it comes in a tiny glass bottle with a pipette so as to ensure only one drop is administered. We were told that only a few people have tried it, and it’s made grown men cry. We gave that one a miss!
Now, on to the main event and the reason I was there. Habanera’s taco list is impressive. There are 16 types of tacos to choose from, prices range from £5.50 - £7.50 and they are served in racks of three. The suggestion is to order 2 to 3 racks per person, but me and my BFF don’t live by the rules. We wanted to try them all but managed to cut it down to half: eight racks of tacos coming our way!
We went for (are you ready?!):
• Wild mushroom (with spiced garlic sauce and herb crumb)
• Blackened Salmon (with avocado, coriander, sweetcorn and lime)
• Carne Asada (the classic steak with avocado, ranchera and salsa verde)
• Cochinita (slow cooked pork shoulder, pickled red onion and habanera salsa)
• Chilli Chicken (house chilli blend, avocado and habanera salsa)
• Three Little Pigs (pulled pork, chorizo and bacon)
• Goat and Cherry (slow roasted goat with Mezcal soaked cherries)
• Chilli Con Carne (with salsa verde and sour cream)
Seen as there were three tacos per rack, and two of us, we decided to divide out the remainder tacos in a fair way; we rated them from our favourite to our worst and hoped that we disagreed. The problem was, we didn’t. In fact, the problem was, we loved every single one equally. Except the Chilli Con Carne, that one was the best. Ever. Like, EVER. If you visit Habanera and don’t get the Con Carne tacos then you’re dead to me. Seriously.
To help the feast go down (not that we needed it), we tried out the other flavours of margaritas – Kumquat & Coriander and Watermelon & Pink Peppercorn. Both amazing!
If you have ANY room left, make sure you go for the desert platter; a taste of all Habanera’s creations; Mexican Banoffie (sliced plantain slices with salted caramel ice cream), Key Lime Pie, Impossible (chocolate cake topped with crème caramel) and the classic Mexican Churros with chocolate dipping sauce.
And if you’re a Mezcal fan (as I am), take a look at the tequila and Mezcal tasting menu – you won’t be disappointed. There is a tipple for everyone here ranging from smooth, fruity Mezcal to more deep, smoky flavours. Each one perfect to sip while waiting for your (very reasonable) bill to arrive.
Habanera is proper Mexico. Everything is full of flavour, heart and soul. After years of searching, my quest for the best tacos in London is finally over. Thank you Habanera!
Habanera__, 280 Uxbridge Road, Shepherds Bush, London W127JA T: 020 8001 4887