The question kept popping up: “Have you been to the taco disco yet?” And every time I heard it — which was at least four times in the past month — I couldn’t help but wonder if it was the punch line to a joke. But this is no joke. Los Tacos de Mauro is the real deal. Yes indeed, fresh, homemade authentic Mexican food is being served — by the white-aproned cook himself — in a downtown nightclub called Discoteka…disco balls, light-up dance floor and all. The setting may be slightly surreal, but the owner infuses the place with genuine hospitality and the food is a notch above.

On a global scale, Mexican food has moved into the spotlight. As I mentioned here back in October after my City Bites Live event featuring Toronto Chef Francisco Alejandri, traditional Mexican cuisine was recently recognized by UNESCO for its “Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity”. But how many of us here in Ottawa have tasted genuine Mexican food, rather than Tex-Mex or some watered-down version of it? Chef Alejandri’s food — so light, fresh, and far from cheese-smothered — convinced me I hadn’t. I am delighted that a trip down the 401 is unnecessary, the tacos at Los Tacos de Mauro in the Byward Market are a game changer for this city. (more…)