Los Chapos Tacos, a small local chain of authentic fast-casual Mexican restaurants that began as a food truck business, has opened its new fourth location at 24799 W. S.R. 54 in Land O’Lakes, in the same small strip retail center as Fazoli’s.
Unfortunately, I can’t tell you much about the food at the new Los Chapos Tacos because the restaurant cooks all of its food on the same grills and there are a few shrimp options on the menu.
This kind of bummed me out because there are several unique options on the menu, including Guacamole de Chicharron — slow-braised pork belly finished on the grill with Asian BBQ sauce, served over hand-smashed guacamole with queso fresco, cilantro and chips. I’d also be interested in sampling the elotes appetizer, or Mexican street corn on the cob, with cotija cheese, chipotle aioli, lime and tajin.
There also are house specialties like the Torta Ahogada or “drowned sandwich,” which is a version of the signature sandwich of Guadalajara, with crunchy-outside sourdough bread filled with shredded “Birria” beef and melted cheese, with a spicy dipping sauce on the side. The same birria beef is available on tacos, and there also are “Surf ‘N’ Turf” tacos with grilled steak and shrimp, corn salsa, avocado and chipotle cream on a grilled flour tortilla.
Jannah and I just couldn’t leave without at least letting her sample something and she ended up having that birria beef on a tasty grilled quesadilla with melted cheese (top photo). She said it was delicious, but I (heavy sigh) simply had to take her word for it.
She also tried and enjoyed the lavender sangria (photo right), and Los Chapos Tacos would probably be a place we would frequent fairly often if I could eat the food. My Victoria Mexican beer was ice cold and unlike most fast-casual establishments, the restaurant does have a limited (and cute) full-liquor bar with several different tequilas available (above left photo) to make your favorite margaritas.
Considering that it has two grills in the kitchen, if they could keep one grill dedicated to non-shrimp orders, people like me could still enjoy it.
But, as one manager-in-training told me, “Even if we could do that, we’d still need both grills when we get busy.” Truly sad for me.
Los Chapos Tacos opens for lunch & dinner every day at 11 a.m., except Sun. (when it’s closed). For more info, call (813) 868-3056 or visit LosChaposTacos.com. — GN
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