Cesar Corripio and his Mum at Jarochos Braddon. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
The Jarochos food van has become a Canberra cult favourite, slinging authentic Mexican tacos around town and at festivals in the region. But now taco lovers can find Jarochos at their new location, following their grand opening on Lonsdale Street in April.
The new space allows Jarochos owner Cesar Corripio (and his mum) to flex their culinary muscles without the space restraints of the little food van. They’re now serving eight different tacos on their regular menu with more specials planned in future.
“We want to do lots of different flavours like fish tacos and other menu items,” Cesar told Region.
“We can expand the menu now and do more things.”
Jarochos Braddon has eight varieties of tacos. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
Along with favourites like longaniza (Spanish sausage), pollo (marinated chicken) and suadero (pulled beef), they have added more vegetarian options like the chipotle cauliflower taco and other traditional flavours like birria. For this traditional taco filling, lamb is slow-cooked, and the taco is served with a small dish of the cooking juices on the side.
And the tacos are set to get even better with the introduction of a tortilla machine coming very soon. The machine will also allow Jarochos to sell stacks of their gluten free corn tortillas for people to take away and cook at home, with the optional addition of a very cute tortilla warmer!
Cesar says he’s had a good reception for the new location, and he’s excited to do more with the space. Friday nights will feature Central and South American music and dance like salsa and cumbia, while other nights have meal deals or opportunities for conversation.
“I found at the food van, lots of people wanted to practise speaking Spanish with me when they ordered their tacos. So I thought, ‘okay, we can do something with this’.”
The famed tortilla machine isn’t up and running yet, but it will be soon! Photo: Lucy Ridge.
Jarochos is also now open for weekend breakfast, with traditional dishes like picadas, empanadas, gorditas and chilaquiles on offer. Some of these dishes are new to me, so I’ll definitely be back on a weekend to try them out!
Cesar says there are still improvements to be made to the restaurant space, and he has lots of ideas for different traditional dishes to introduce to the Canberra market. One example he gives is comida corrida – a multi-course quick lunch popular in Mexico City, which usually includes soup, a main dish and dessert or drink for a fixed price.
The signs point to Jarochos Braddon. Photo: Lucy Ridge.
When visiting the space I, of course, had to try some tacos which are delicious as ever. I really enjoyed the juicy birrio and I was pleased to see that the delicious mild, medium and hot sauces are still available. I also had a refreshing homemade pineapple and lime drink, and I noticed there are some Mexican beers which would be great in the evening.
And, of course, the food truck is still part of the business, so you will still be able to find Jarochos tacos at events around town.
Jarochos is located at Unit 60/30 Lonsdale St, Braddon. They are open from 11 am to 9 pm Tuesday to Sunday, and from 4 pm to 9 pm on Mondays. Follow Jarochos on Instagram or Facebook to stay up to date with special events, or visit their website.
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