We seem to be having an explosion of fresh, new Mexican places, right now. Many people have been gripped by the arrival of Bodega, while I spotted another taco place due to open, imminently, in Tollcross. Taco Mazama, on Hanover Street has joined this happy band, having opened a couple of months.
Exterior
The place is mainly set up to service takeaway business, but has a few tables to cover those who wish to linger. I was tempted, as I’m a pretty messy eater, but figured that the tie I was wearing today had proved fairly resilient in the past, so I was willing to risk eating on the go.
I fancied something that was heavy on the vegetables, so was pleased to see aubergine and mushroom as their veggie filling choice. When I placed my order, it was good to hear that there was a second veggie filling option, in the shape of butternut squash. I stuck with the former, choosing to have it as the filling of a small burrito.
Burrito and bag
The counter woman assembled things, efficiently. As usual, I responded in the affirmative to any questions that were asked, and chose “hot” from the options of mild, hot or very hot sauce. I was soon toddling back along the road, and can thankfully report that no ties were harmed in the consumption of this lunch.
Sadly, the burrito proved to be rather bland. The hot sauce didn’t pack much of a punch, even for a relative chilli lightweight, like me. There was no real freshness or zing about it, making it more of a functional filler than a satisfying treat.
Partially eaten burrito
So overall, Taco Mazama struggled to capture the imagination. For a fast bite on the run, it’ll serve you fine, but it’s not somewhere that will set your heart aflutter. In what seems to be an increasingly competitive market, I just don’t get what their selling point is, as they’re neither particularly cheap nor particularly good, which is not a great combination.
Scores
Blythe scores Taco Mazama
2/5 for food
2.5/5 for presentation
3/5 for service
3/5 for setting
giving an overall 10.5/20
I ate: small aubergine and mushroom burrito
I wore: brown brogues
Total bill: £3.99
