Hang 10 - TacoLot (Review)

On a random Tuesday night, my friends and I embarked on a mission to taste the 'best' tacos in Ottawa. We had heard good things about TacoLot and so we decided to give it a try. We drove out to the location at 999 Wellington Street West, but we were sadly disappointed to find that the restaurant was already closed.

We didn't give up on our mission though, and we went straight to our iPhones to find an alternative solution. We came across an article indicating that TacoLot had set up a sister shop at the corner of Bronson and Gladstone....and so we piled back in the car and off we went! 

When we arrived at the sister shop, we had been expecting to see some type of 'TacoLot' sign or logo, but instead, we only saw a large graffiti-style sign, with the words 'Hang 10.' 

We apprehensively entered the restaurant, but we were immediately surrounded by the aroma of fresh tacos! Clearly we had made it to the right spot! 

After perusing the menu, we each decided to go all out and order the taco platter for $12. It consisted of three tacos, salad, rice and slow-cooked beans. We also had the option to choose five different taco fillings, either slow-cooked pork, chicken, spicy beef, shrimp, or vegetarian (which consisted of sweet potato, squash, brown rice, and beans). 

I decided to go with the slow-cooked pork, chicken and spicy beef. My friends all got similar combinations, while no one ventured to try the vegetarian. We also went for an order of homemade tortilla chips, which came with a side of guacamole, pico de galo and mango, blackbean salsa for $5.

As a big fan of tacos, I can confidently say that these tacos were done right! The tacos were made on authentic soft corn tortillas, which were slightly toasted, creating a nice combination of soft and hard. All of the ingredients were fresh and tasty, and topped with a touch of cilantro. 

My favourite taco had to be the slow-cooked pork, which was juicy and flavourful, while my friends all had a different favourite...some favoured the spicy beef, and others the unique taste of freshly grilled shrimp. The homemade tortilla chips were also a big hit, however, we would have preferred a bigger serving of guacamole (you can never have too much guac!)

Overall, we had a great experience, and we would definitely recommend this restaurant for other taco lovers. TacoLot or Hang 10 is a great alternative to your local fast food joint or chip stand.

Verdict: Simple, delicious, freshly prepared tacos

Cost: 1 taco $5, 1 burrito $8, taco platter $12

Hours: Daily noon - 8 p.m. (Friday and Saturday until 9 p.m.)

Hang 10, 707 Gladstone Avenue, Ottawa ON