[Food Review] MasMais Taqueria - a funky addition to Amsterdam's Mexican food scene, near Erasmus Park
On Easter Saturday, I walked down Amsterdam up to Erasmuspark. My Mexican colleague told me about a great Mexican taco place around this area - MasMais Taqueria, so I quickly researched the location on Google maps and arrived there after quite a walk.
(Be sure to check out the video below for a one-minute video of MasMais Taqueria)
Though it was Easter weekend, the restaurant was bustling with activity when I arrived. Though many people were back home, the restaurant seemed to be an exception. . Fortunately, I was able to secure a seat at the bar top.
Luckily, I was able to secure a seat at the bar top. The menu, printed on paper, offered four tacos with traditional names and one with a somewhat unfamiliar ingredient - pumpkin, along with a quesadilla. They also had a variety of daily specials, including chicken quesadilla and other options.
They had a special drink for the day, the Blood Orange Margarita, which I ordered. I received a glass of refreshing margarita with spicy red salt on the rim, which reminded me of the salt served with sundae in Seoul and its vicinity.
MasMais Taqueria began as a pop-up store but has now become a permanent outlet near Erasmuspark. According to their website, they cook up and serve at the bar what they learned during their visits to Mexico, sticking closely to the bold flavors found in the streets and markets.
Their journey starts with choosing corn, from which they make their own tortillas for the tacos. These tacos are made on the grill next to the bar, and you can see the process from where you sit.
For my appetizer, I ordered chilaquiles and followed it with a taco named after my favorite Mexican dish, cochinita pibil (11.5 €/2pcs). However, the dishes were served in the reverse order, with the tacos arriving first.
Nevertheless, I found the tortillas to be quite interesting, reminiscent of those made by my friend from Guatemala. Although the taco with cochinita pibil was good, it was not outstanding. It's worth noting that pork in the Netherlands may not be as flavorful as that found in other countries, and the pork at MasMais taqueria was no exception.
After finishing the taco, the friendly bartender - I have to mention this, the staff in this Taqueria is super nice - asked if I wanted to order more. I reminded him that I had not yet received my appetizer and he realized the order was missed. I received my chilaquiles quite quickly, and in the meantime, I placed an order for another plate of tacos.
The colorful chilaquiles were quite good, served with feta cheese and chili slices. Although it would have been better if I had received them on time, the combination of flavors - salsa verde, red onion, feta cheese, and chili slices - exceeded my expectations.
The highlight of my visit was MasMais Taqueria's signature pumpkin tacos (9.75 €). It was truly a signature dish, and I wasn't expecting much after the cochinita pibil. But, it was much more than just good. The grilled orange-colored pumpkin was cooked to perfection and combined well with the salsa macha and crushed peanuts. I highly recommend this taco. It's a must-try if you're visiting.
After the taco, I debated between a quesadilla and dessert. The person next to me seemed to be enjoying the cheesecakes with raspberry quite a bit, soI decided to give it a try. However, it wasn't to my liking. The texture was somewhere between a Basque cheesecake and a New York cheesecake, which meant it didn't quite fit into either category.
Overall, it was a good taco experience. In Amsterdam, we have Bacalar, which is located across the sea to the North. However, we needed more additions to this cuisine. I'm not sure if MasMais Taqueria is truly a next-gen taqueria, but they are more than enough to satisfy the current generation's thirst for Central American cuisine.
MasMais Taqueria
Address: Hoofdweg 456, 1056 DJ Amsterdam
+31 06 26814921
Thanks for reading!
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