PopSugar San Francisco

Tonight's the Night: Tacolicious II and Adjoining Tequila Bar Mosto Open in the Mission!

Julia Millay Walsh — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:45:00 PST

Tacolicious's second location (741 Valencia St., 415-626-1344) was originally scheduled to open on Nov. 7 in the Mission but was delayed due to PG&E holdbacks. Finally, tonight, the restaurant, along with its adjoining tequila bar, Mosto, will officially open to the public! The doors open at 5:30 p.m. for dinner, and it will be open every day from 11:30 a.m. till midnight.

If you didn't read all the details about Tacolicious II that I shared last month, you should know that the menu will include eight staple tacos, including carnitas, guajillo-braised beef, shot-and-a-beer chicken, and Baja-style fried rock cod, wrapped in freshly made tortillas from SF tortilleria La Palma. There'll also be a few playful items, including chile con queso; the Chocolicious taco, a house-made riff on the Choco Taco, a corner-store ice cream treat; and a $10 booze-driven, prix fixe meal of a taco, a Tecate, and tequila shot. You'll also see brightly flavored salsa, fresh salads with jicama and pumpkin seeds, albondigas, and seafood dishes like classic shrimp cocktail and albacore tuna tostadas.

Read on to hear about the new tequila bar, Mosto, and to see a sneak peek photo!

Tacolicious Opens in the Mission Nov. 7 - All the Details!

Julia Millay Walsh — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:15:00 PDT

Trendy Marina hot spot Tacolicious will open its second outpost in the Mission on Monday, Nov. 7! Photos to come, but here are all the details!

Where?

The new taco destination will be located on the burgeoning Valencia Street corridor at 741 Valencia St. Restaurateur Joe Hargrave lives with his family just a few blocks away from the restaurant!

When?

The Mexican eatery will be open daily from 11:30 a.m. 'til midnight.

The Menu

Harkening back to its farmers market roots, the new restaurant will serve only the best quality, local ingredients. The menu will include eight staple tacos, including carnitas, guajillo-braised beef, shot-and-a-beer chicken, and Baja-style fried rock cod, wrapped in freshly made tortillas from SF-based tortilleria La Palma. There'll also be a few playful items, including chile con queso; the Chocolicious taco, a house-made riff on the Choco Taco, a corner store ice cream treat; and a $10, booze-driven, prix fixe meal of a taco, a Tecate, and tequila shot. You'll also see brightly flavored salsa, fresh salads with jicama and pumpkin seeds, albondigas, and seafood dishes like classic shrimp cocktail and albacore tuna tostadas.

What won't you see on the menu?

Don't expect to find a burrito on this menu. The restaurant has chosen not to compete with that Mission District favorite.

Continue reading for details about the drinks, the design, and a special surprise!

Tacolicious to Welcome Guest Chefs to the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market

Julia Millay Walsh — Fri, 20 May 2011 16:15:00 PDT

Next Thursday, Marina hot spot Tacolicious will be kicking off a guest chef series at the Ferry Plaza Farmers Market, which will run weekly for the next 10 weeks, open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Mexican eatery will welcome chefs from buzzworthy places around town, such as flour+water, Bar Tartine, Humphry Slocombe, and more. Better yet, all proceeds will benefit the Center for Urban Education about Sustainable Architecture (CUESA).

The guest series seems like a smart move for founder Joe Hargrave, who recently admitted he's been too busy preparing to open his new Valencia Street location to spend time there lately. Tacolicious was open this week at the farmers market with rock cod fish tacos, strawberry-kiwi slushies, grilled asparagus, and more, though. From the sound of it, we have a delicious Summer ahead of us; I can smell the carnitas already. I just hope ice cream alchemist Jake Godby (of Humphry Slocombe) knows how to braise short rib.

Pop 5: Best Margaritas in SF

Julia Millay Walsh — Wed, 04 May 2011 07:12:01 PDT

For this week's Pop 5, we asked you all for the best margaritas in SF. While burritos may be San Francisco's claim to fame, the tequila-based Mexican favorite also holds its own across the city. So in honor of Cinco De Mayo, I bring you the five margaritas we've found truly stand out. Thanks for the suggestions, and tune in tomorrow for the next Pop 5 listmaking.

Tacolicious (2031 Chestnut St., 415-346-1966) With more than 50 tequilas (including a few mezcals), this Marina hot spot makes freshly squeezed margaritas to order, ranging from the classic margarita de la casa, with el Jimador tequila, fresh lime, and orange liqueur, to the sweet margarita fresca, with Herradura Blanco, citrus, blood orange, and agave, to the spicy margarita picante, with el Jimador tequila and red pepper chili vinegar. You can't go wrong here, no matter how (un)adventurous you are.
Tropisueño (75 Yerba Buena Lane, 415-243-0299) This downtown destination has an array of specialty el Jimador margaritas to suit every taste. The house margarita, made with agave nectar and an arbol chili salt rim, is a no-fail staple; the Violeta, made with violet liqueur and vanilla salt, is a rare, refreshing choice; and the namesake Tropisueño, with Canton ginger liqueur and rose-infused sugar and salt, offers a keen balance of comfort and kick.
Cantina (580 Sutter St., 415-398-0195) With an extensive catalog of artisanal cocktails to choose from, a margarita may not be your top choice here, but rest assured, the five-spice margarita, made with el Jimador Tequila Blanco, Qi White Tea Liqueur, lime, and five-spice infused agave nectar, will knock your sombrero off. I've also heard the jerez margarita, made with Pueblo Viejo reposado tequila, Grand Marnier, fresh lime, agave nectar, Savory & James Amontillado Sherry, is a crowd-pleaser.
Mamacita (2317 Chestnut Street, 415-346-8494) The no-fuss la original margarita, made with Herradura Silver, agave nectar, and fresh lime, is a first-class standby and your best bet if you're ordering by the pitcher, but The Hank Moody, named for David Duchovny's unorthodox character in Californication, made with Casa Noble tequila, muddled mango and pineapple with cherry, agave, lime, and a brown sugar rim, is also a sexy option.
Tortilla Heights (1750 Divisadero St., 415-346-4531) If fruit is what you fancy, you've got lots to choose from here with mango, strawberry, and pomegranate flavors, but the Pac Heights restaurant's classic margarita, made with 100 percent blue agave tequila, organic agave nectar, and fresh lime, will do you no wrong. I'm also partial to the top shelf margarita, made with Partida Blanco Tequila, Partida 100 percent organic agave nectar, and fresh-squeezed lime, but you know, I have simple tastes.

10 Margaritas to Wash Down Your Mexican Food

Nancy Einhart — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 13:51:12 PST

San Francisco has no shortage of taquerias. Fewer and far between are Mexican restaurants where you can order at your table and order a real margarita - made with tequila and not some low-alcohol-content substitute. Thankfully, the past five years have found even more margarita-focused establishments opening, so we have plenty of options beyond Chevy's. Here are 10 of my favorite margaritas in town.

Velvet Cantina (3349 23rd St., 415-648-4142) The house margaritas are good if you're ordering pitchers, but start by treating yourself to whatever seasonal fruit margarita is on the menu, especially if it's the watermelon.
Tropisueño (75 Yerba Buena Lane, 415-243-0299) This unlikely downtown destination has a handful of creatively mixed margs, but the margarita de la casa, made with agave nectar and an arbol chili salt rim, is my favorite. For a twist, try the Tropisueño, with Canton ginger liqueur and rose-infused sugar and salt.
Puerto Alegre (546 Valencia St., 415-255-8201) Puerto Alegre is nothing fancy - it specializes in the sauce-and-cheese-covered style of Mexican food you probably grew up eating - but it's the rare sitdown Mexican place in the Mission where you can also order a killer margarita. Soon, it's expanding next door, which should help ease the waiting pain.
Nopalito (306 Broderick St., 415-437-0303) Tellingly, when Nopalito got a liquor license in April, it didn't bother building a full bar, pretty much stocking tequila and nothing else. Make your decision easy and get the simple, well-mixed margarita.
Tacolicious (2031 Chestnut St., 415-346-1966) Don't let the name fool you: Tacolicious transcends the taco stand, with fresh-squeezed margaritas featuring more than 40 different choices of tequila.
Tortilla Heights (1750 Divisadero St., 415-346-4531) I once wrote off Tortilla Heights as a locally owned Chevy's clone, but boy was I wrong. The margaritas (pictured above) elevate this spot beyond chain-restaurant regularity, but beware: they go down all too easy.
La Barca (2036 Lombard St., 415-921-2221) Perhaps it's telling that I can't remember much about the food here. But this SoCal-style Mexican restaurant in Cow Hollow is perfectly suited to getting the party started - especially on $5 Mondays.

Nick's Crispy Tacos (1500 Broadway, 415-409-8226) Less of a sit-down spot and more like a taqueria with a bar attached, Nick's (pictured above) focuses on the tacos to addictive success and lets the Rouge bartenders mix the margs.
Tres Agaves (130 Townsend St., 415-227-0500) Consider it a good sign that this place has "agave" in its name and hosts tequila tours in Mexico for its staff. All the fuss is over the no-fuss margaritas: lime juice, tequila, and housemade agave nectar.
Tommy's (5929 Geary Blvd., 415-387-4747). Even if you don't live nearby, Tommy's feels like your neighborhood Mexican joint, only with a connoisseur's approach to tequila. You can order a margarita made with any of the extensive, carefully chosen tequilas. Not willing to endure the often interminable wait for a table? Buy Tommy's mix to take home.