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| - There's a tremendous amount of competition in the Toronto taco space, and Campechano's entry is one that has been designed to appeal to the general broad tastes in Toronto.
That's not a detriment to the restaurant, either. The sometimes-maligned Tex-Mex is still a success story in America, and California-style tacos are, without question, one of the great fusions of culture (don't @ me).
My order at Campechano included two tacos and a drink: the Pollo Al Pastor, Bistec, and a Mexican Old Fashioned.
Overall, my experience was decent - I had the Pollo Al Pastor first, and was impressed with it. The salsa, a thicker, creamier, and certainly more American style, was well spiced, and added a great kick to the taco. I missed the crispness I have come to expect out of Pork Al Pastor, but no worry - this was a solid entrant as well.
The Bistec, meanwhile, was too strong on many fronts: too salty, too spicy, and with too much that wasn't meat. While the spice worked well with the Al Pastor, to have a similar spice for the Bistec was a letdown.
When picturing a Bistec taco, I picture a slice of meat on top of a tortilla, with a side of salsa. Now - my ideal is far from what a Bistec taco SHOULD be. But Campechano's version of the Bistec was not executed with enough restraint, making for an overall mediocre taco.
To me, Mexican and its American variants are hands-down one of the greatest cuisines in the world. Part of what makes it great are the complex flavours and spices, something that I missed here.
Importantly, the tortillas here were quite good - but a taco like the Bistec made it difficult for them to shine. Corn tortillas, just the way I like it.
Lastly, the Mexican Old Fashioned was nice and spicy, and was generally a pleasure to sip.
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