Toby Wilson is cagey about what goes into his al pastor marinade, but the owner of Ricos Tacos has no qualms asserting that the al pastor is the best taco in the world.

After operating out of a food truck during the pandemic, Wilson opened his popular Chippendale taqueria in early 2022 and has just added dinner service. The al pastor taco is on the night menu – along with carne asada tacos, and a selection of tostadas and sides.

The al pastor recipe is from his days at Waterloo’s George Hotel, where Wilson’s tacos were the stuff of legend.

We think you might like Access. For $12 a month, join our membership program to stay in the know.

SIGN UP

“We take a well-marbled piece of pork and marinade it in an adobo with four different chillies, which are there for depth of flavour rather than heat. Then we slice it super thin and stack it on a vertical spit called a trompo,” he says. It cooks for a few hours until it’s caramelised and crispy on the outside. “We serve it on a corn tortilla with a slice of super-ripe pineapple and a vibrant salsa verde made from avocado, tomatillo, lime juice and garlic. That cuts through the fatty pork.”

The carne asada is equally elaborate. A five-kilogram sirloin is cut into thin steaks and chargrilled to order. It’s served on a corn tortilla with salsa macha, made from garlic, sesame seeds, nuts and chillies. Wilson describes the salsa as the Lao Gan Ma (a staple brand of Chinese chilli oil) of the Mexican condiments world. The taco is topped with a thick slice of avocado and a squeeze of fresh lime.

The toppings on Wilson’s slow-cooked meats and complex salsas are often simple, unadorned and fresh. He says it’s about balance. “We put a lot of care into the fillings, and the salsas are our signature. I guess you don’t want to put much more on top because that will upset the balance of flavours in the tacos.”

Churros are the only dessert. The centre of a crisp, deep-brown Ricos Tacos churro is almost gooey, like custard, and the dessert is tossed in chamomile sugar in place of cinnamon, and served with dulce de leche.

Dinner service in the aqua blue corner shop doesn’t mean Ricos Tacos has gone upmarket. The diner has retained all the charm of its food-truck origins, serving food on paper plates and offering counter service only. The charming pink metal chairs aren’t designed for a long meal, but these tacos – paired with hibiscus lemon myrtle iced tea, OK! Margarita Seltzers and Grifter beers – will make you want to stay.

ricostactos.com.au

Ricos Tacos
15 Meagher Street, Chippendale

Hours:
Wed 11am–2.30pm
Thu to Sat 11am–2.30pm, 5.30pm–9pm
Sun 11am–2.30pm