Rico’s Tacos

15 Meagher St
Chippendale, NSW 2008
https://ricostacos.com.au/

Remember when I said Rico’s Tacos do the best tacos in all of Sydney? Well now you can enjoy them sitting down in their new(ish) digs in Chippendale, lest you faint from joy upon the first bite. The décor is garishly bright, and the vibe carries an exuberant shabbiness that immediately bring to mind traditional family-run taquerias filled with pride for their food, nay, artform. For those who don’t think tacos are appropriate as a pre-noon meal (what is wrong with you), they also have a delicious selection of tortas if sandwiches are more your jam, as well as a quesadilla or two. The only problem with this place? They took their pancakes with chorizo crumbs off the menu, and have not said a word about bringing them back. Disgraceful.

Rating: 15/20 – still the best tacos.
Good to know: cutlery is limited to what’s at the end of your arms, but if you ask nicely they’ll give you some disposable stuff.

The Beef and Bean Barbacoa Taco ($7ea) is a classic, with its mixture of succulent slow-cooked beef and beans, dolloped with surprisingly potent hot sauce that drips out with every bite. More on the breakfast-y end of the spectrum is the Chorizo and Potato Taco ($7ea), which boasts their coarse and smoky house-made Mexican sausage, along with fluffy potato chunks and plenty of salsa.

Of the three sandwiches, the Fried Fish Torta ($16) is the one to get. Instead of your traditional crusty bread roll, here we have a glossy brioche bun, all sloppy and saucy with its mixture of chipotle aioli and salsa, filled to the brim with fistfuls of slaw and crisp, oily fish. It may not be classy, but it is so fresh and delicious, and probably the closest thing we get to street food in Australia.

If the fish torta sounds way too heavy, you can always get the Ricos Fish Taco ($7.5ea) instead, which promises the same experience, but goes a little more lightly on the rich sauces, and holds off on the buttery bun altogether.

For those who have had a big night, the Chorizo Quesadilla ($14, 2pcs) will bring you back from the dead. All cheese, meat, and gloriously burnished edges, this is a shamelessly indulgent treat that will cure what ails you. The side of smoky, tangy house-made salsa roja is a must.

And because this is brunch, don’t forget to wash it all down with a Hash Brown ($4ea). Though fried to an absurd crunch, this has none of the off-putting greasiness you usually associate with hash browns. Instead, this golden potato disc has been anointed with a generous shake of smoky chipotle salt, ready to be dunked into more of that phenomenal salsa.