A post shared by Cabrón (@cabrontacobar) on Apr 23, 2017 at 10:53am PDT

It’s no surprise that Cabrón Taco Bar, a new Mexican spot on popular Bree Street, has gained much attention from Capetonians. This fresh take on the theme features bright yellow and red touches and succulents, combined with skull light bulbs and a golden bull skull. Perfect for a night out with your friends or a drink after work, Cabrón is casual to a fault, right down to the plastic knives and forks.  

Fast facts

Cost: On average about R45 per taco (order two to three per person)
Serves: Tacos and nachos
Parking: It’s on Bree Street so limited parking is available
Best for: A night out with the mates
Star rating: Food 3, Service 2, Ambience 3  

 

  A post shared by Cabrón (@cabrontacobar) on May 2, 2017 at 9:58am PDT

 

Food

Painted on the wall, the menu is small and simple. Choose between a tuna taco (R50), a pork, beef or vegetarian taco (R45) or a prawn taco (marked as SQ, so remember to ask, but at the moment it’s R65). There are also nachos (R50) and a corn salad available (R45). We go for an early lunch and both the tuna tacos and corn salad are unavailable, which is disappointing for a restaurant with a menu so small. Cabrón is newly opened, though, so it might just be due to growing pains.

The nachos come first. The chips are tasty, topped with chile con queso (a cheese and mild chilli sauce), but some falls by the wayside and it doesn’t make for easy scooping on the wooden boards topped with wax paper. (A bowl would help.) All this is made up for, however, with the accompanying Mexican crema and moreish chilli-and-sweet-pepper salsa.

As for the tacos, Cabrón serves the table, not individuals, which means the boards become communal. It’s a lovely concept for sharing, but becomes problematic in practice without a plate to catch the inevitable crumbs. Each taco has a coleslaw base laced with slightly overpowering apple-cider vinegar. The beef is generously portioned and tender and succulent, but could use a little more seasoning. Topped with a radish, the pork taco makes for a stunning dish and delivers on flavour. The vegetarian option is also delicious: with a base of coleslaw and chunky hummus, it’s topped with slivers of red pepper and zucchini. The prawn taco looks impressive but, as it’s placed inside the taco still completely inside its shell, makes for messy eating.

A post shared by Cabrón (@cabrontacobar) on Apr 28, 2017 at 9:50am PDT

Drinks

Draughts on tap and beers by the bottle are available. The generously poured sweet margaritas (R50 each) are refreshing. Get a bucket of six ice cold Coronas for R200.

Service

The staff and kitchen could be much better organised, but Cabrón still needs to find its feet.

Ambience

The Mexican vibe at this tiny spot is evident, with a mix of uptempo music and festive décor. The sidewalk tables put guests at the mercy of whatever’s happening – good or bad – on the street, but there’s also seating on high chairs inside.

And…

Go on Tuesdays for Taco Tuesdays, when you can get three for the price of two to get your money’s worth.

Eat Out critics dine anonymously and pay for their meals in full. Read our editorial policy here.

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