This week our search for the best taco in Chatt town brought us to a restaurant well-known by the locals called Taqueria Jalisco Ania.
I was fortunate this week to have the company of my co-worker and Power 94 on-air personality Zainab Kay. She’ll be joining me again at other locations as we look to add a video component to these dining experiences. It’s our way of providing our readers with an immersive look at the food and places we visit.
Zainab is also a gifted writer. Here is her review:
If you’re looking for your go-to spot for tacos on a Tuesday, you might want to visit Taqueria Jalisco Ania. Located along Rossville Ave., it offers the perfect blend of culture, flavor, and authentic Latin cuisine to satisfy your lunchtime cravings.
Once inside, you’re captivated by the life-size works of art on the walls, marble tables, and a spacious bar—it’s almost like a bougie version of a taco truck, paired with your choice of upscale or vintage drinks.
On the taco menu, there are multiple meat options, and I chose grilled beef tongue, tilapia, and grilled chicken. Each taco came in two corn tortillas with pickled vegetables over the meat. The grilled tongue—my favorite—was unlike anything I’ve ever tasted. It was soft, tender, and packed with just the right amount of flavor.
The grilled chicken was decent. While it didn’t stand out as much taste-wise compared to the tongue, I wouldn’t mind eating it again. Lastly, I had the tilapia, which was refreshing and light. It was well-seasoned and juicy. While it won’t leave you feeling too full, I do wish there had been more meat inside the taco. The few pieces included weren’t enough to make me feel completely satisfied.
Overall, I rate the entire experience a 4/5 and recommend visiting anytime during the day. Even if you’re not into tacos, there are plenty of other options on the menu to satisfy your craving for Latin flavors.
I must say I agree with Zainab. I was immediately drawn in by the exterior’s industrial look which includes a large covered outdoor seating area and a patio swing in the corner. Inside the ambiance is bright, trendy and high-end. It’s more akin to a fine dining restaurant without being expensive. Zainab used the word bougie and it fits. There is a good reason why this place was mentioned in a January Southern Living Magazine article about the best 18 things to do in the Scenic City.
I arrived a bit earlier than Zainab and was seated at a table. The server brought out a glass bottle filled with cold water and filled my glass. The interior is elegant. The bar has an ornate neon light display, and I was bummed that it was daytime and therefore not lit.
I knew the food was going to taste good, so I took a huge risk and ordered a beef tongue taco in addition to a shrimp and al pastor taco. Taqueria Jalisco Ania is not the first place to have beef tongue taco on the menu. Many of the places I’ve been to have it on their menus as well. But tongue is one of those things where it can be the best thing you ever tasted or the worse experience of your life. Unfortunately, for me it’s been the latter to the point that I stopped eating tongue tacos to avoid the ones that just tasted awful, or like rubber, or left me feeling ill the next day.
Zainab and I took the risk, and it was the best reward ever!
That was the best beef tongue taco I’ve ever had. Tender and soft. It was juicy and tasted like diced filet mignon. Hat’s off to the kitchen staff for doing beef tongue right!
At Taqueria Jalisco Ania you get three street tacos with your protein choice for $9 on their lunch menu. The beef tongue taco is an additional .75 cents.
The shrimp taco had four large shrimps and was topped with cabbage in addition to the onion and cilantro. The al pastor taco was tender with chunks of diced pineapple – truly authentic.
I ordered the guacamole appetizer. It was more like a dip as it was all pureed together, not chunky house-made style. But it was delicious!
Their lunch menu includes the Mexican Street Tacos plate, American taco plate, various tortas, burritos, quesadillas, fajitas, huaraches, tostadas, brunch options with eggs and special brunch cocktails.
The protein options are al pastor (marinated pork), carnitas (braised pork), chorizo (spicy sausage), lengua (beef tongue), barbacoa (braised beef), tinga (chipotle chicken), pollo (grilled chicken), asada (steak), pescado (grilled Tilapia), camarones (shrimp), nopales (cactus) and rajas (Poblano peppers).
This place is business casual meets fancy-like and was a pleasurable experience. I will visit again at night and try their dinner options as well as a few cocktails.
Taqueria Jalisco Ania
- 1639 Rossville Avenue
- (423) 541-4410
- www.taqueriacha.com
- $$-$$$
What’s your favorite taco place and why? Send me an email at Pattyl@brewermediagroup.com