Located right on Stoke Newington high street, TA-KO is a unique spot on the London restaurant scene serving up delectable Asian-inspired tacos and small plates. Writer Alissa Stroud opens the menu to find out more
‘Taco’ ’bout delicious. Visiting on a deliciously warm July evening, my guest and I sat on the al fresco tables that spilled right onto the street, watching the world go by as we sipped on a sensational Pickled Jalapeno cocktail. This perfectly spiced pour was made up of Cazcabel tequila, fresh lime, agave and pickled red jalapeno, with a spiced salt rim – perfection.
Inspired by the ingenious street food trucks of California, the menu focuses on the big, bright and bold flavours of Asia paired with Mexico’s famous soft corn tortillas. As we perused the menu, we tucked into the house tortilla chips that were beautifully crisp and wonderfully salty, served with a selection of homemade dips – kaffir lime, ginger & tomato salsa, and white bean, miso & sesame.
The food comes as it’s ready, and first up we had the seabass ceviche tostada with wasabi mayo, fennel, pickled watermelon and togerashi. The fish was as delicate as you like, and brought to life with the vibrant flavours of wasabi and fennel and the touch of sweetness from the watermelon.
The Kare Kare + Crispy Rice saw deep fried crispy sushi rice balls topped with a slow cooked mix of oxtail and beef short rib, finished with pickled red onion. This bite was full of umami goodness and had a satisfying sticky, chewy, yet crispy texture.
The main event is the Asian-inspired tacos, served on 12cm soft corn tortillas. They are quite small, with the team recommending 2-3 per person, and given they’re only a bite or two they are a little challenging to share. But, if you’re eager to try as many as possible like my guest and I were, you can definitely make it work!
A surprise highlight was the char siu jackfruit and shiitake taco with mango and pickled red onion – the veggie option was seasoned to perfection and was rich and meaty tasting, packed full of flavour.
Palm sugar glazed beef shortrib was loaded with pickled kohlrabi and blackberry sriracha for a touch of sweetness, whilst red pepper pork collar with kimchi and mango salsa tasted decadently indulgent, the meat incredibly tender. Smoked aubergine was piled on top of blackened river trout and finished with lime labneh, for a beautiful blend of flavours and textures that was a delight to the senses.
Sides are not to be missed, either. We opted for the infamous ‘MSG Fries’ – crisp on the outside yet fluffy on the inside nori fried potato discs served with a moreish kampot pepper mayo dip. Another stand out was the chilli charred corn, loaded up with puffed feta and creamy feta, finished with mayo and a chilli crisp.
We finished on a sweet note by sharing the Dough-Jos – TA-KO’s take on a doughnut with unique shaped pillowy soft bites to dip into palm sugar salted caramel. Definitely one to share as it’s quite a rich plate, but the perfect way to round off an altogether delicious meal.
The Wordrobe Verdict
TA-KO has a crowd-pleasing menu, warm and friendly service and chic and stylish interiors. Whether you’re a Stoke Newington local, or simply looking for your next North London dinner spot, TA-KO is worth a visit.
Make it happen
Where: 18 Stoke Newington High St, London N16 7PL
How: Find out more and make a booking via ta-ko.uk
Words by Alissa Stroud, freelance writer
