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| Review: Pink Taco’s food isn’t a reason to go | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| By Shanna Hogan, Get Out | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| February 28, 2007 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
Add a load of cultural stereotypes and a paradoxical mix of funky, nontraditional accents and you get Scottsdale’s Pink Taco restaurant. Even before its October opening, the restaurant was propelled into the spotlight when Scottsdale Mayor Mary Manross got wind the name was slang for a part of the female anatomy and asked the restaurant to change it (the company refused, claiming that the name refers to the signature dish). Ever since the short-lived dispute, the Pink Taco has ridden the wave of national publicity, attracting swarms of curious patrons who circle the block on Friday and Saturday nights. It’s impossible to live up to its hype, but it’s not a bad place to grab a bite. Cheesy cool The funky atmosphere alone makes the place worth checking out. The interior is embellished with Day of the Dead skeletons, oversized Catholic crosses, rhinestone mosaics and chandeliers crafted from elk antlers. The decor — along with a musical mix of pop, rock and disco — creates a campy appeal. The ambience is Scottsdale casual-chic; a tremendous amount of effort went into creating a laid-back atmosphere (like a model who goes clubbing in jeans and a rhinestone tank top). Similar in style is the service: The beautiful waitresses, who look like Barbie dolls, seem genuinely friendly and unpretentious. On a Thursday afternoon, the place is scattered with patrons, but there is no wait for a table. Ethnic nonconformity If you’re not expecting authentic Mexican cuisine, you won’t be disappointed. The appetizers are the most titillating part of the menu. The chicken nachos ($8.95) are piled high with grilled chicken, beans, peppers and chipotle cheese sauce. Add thick handmade tortilla chips and you get a gooey, gratifying combination. The appetizer platter ($13.95) provides hefty samples of five, mostly tasty dishes. The white cheese quesadilla is light, crisp and not at all greasy. The sweet corn tamales are moist and taste similar to corn bread. The taquitos, filled with cheesy mashed potatoes, are delightfully unique. The only disappointments are the chicken and carne asada skewers, which are salty, dry and chewy. The entrees, on the other hand, leave something to be desired. The restaurant’s namesake (yeah, right), the Pink Taco ($8.95), is disappointingly mediocre: Greasy chicken on soggy corn tortillas, topped with sickly sweet pink pickled onions, make for a brightly colored but lifeless dish. More satisfying are the chicken and cheese enchiladas ($11.25), served with half red, half green sauce. While the sauces are flavorful, the insides are a bit dry. The worst part is the bland rice and beans, which are on par with what’s slopped onto the tray in a school cafeteria. As for dessert, the ice-cream-filled chocolate tacos ($5.95) are only slightly better than the ones sold out of an ice-cream truck. Despite a few lackluster dishes, the Pink Taco experience is generally enjoyable. Take it for what it is — a cool hangout that also happens to serve food. Pink Taco 7135 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale (480) 675-7777 or pinktaco.com Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday Prices: Appetizers $3.95-$14.25, salads $8.95-$11.95, tacos $8.25-$11.50, entrees $9.75-$16.95 Menu sampler Appetizers: Beer battered shrimp, served with a chipotle sour cream sauce. Salads: Chicken tostada salad, with tomatoes, avocado, onions, cheese, sour cream and guacamole. Tacos: Carnitas, roasted pork topped with onions, cilantro and guacamole. Entrees: Carna asada, served with a chicken and cheese enchilada and guacamole. Contact Shanna Hogan by email, or phone (480) 898-2339 |
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Reader comments (2)
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James
Hi there,I created the Pink Taco restaurant & bar concept and opened the original in May 1998 -- a year before the Mortons opened theirs.
The controversy and community response to their version is tame compared to what I faced in ultra-conservative Manhattan, Kansas. We had aggressive picketers, petitioners, hate letters, anonymous threats, an onslaught of negative letters-to-the-editor, and police discrimination.
There were many stories in the local papers. The ABC affiliate out of Topeka came to Manhattan and did an on-site story that ran state-wide on the evening news, and the CBS affiliate invited us to join them in-studio for their half-hour morning show (which we declined since things were spiraling out of control).
I would do Internet searches at the time that would call up page after page of hits about me and my store. My Pink Taco dominated the regional news and spread nationwide through online postings and reprinted stories in towns across the country.
Anyway, I have written an article recounting the history of the original Pink Taco and the intense controversy it caused (complete with pictures and links to about a dozen of the news stories). You can read it on my blog if you're interested: http://helpmestartauniversity.com/2008/04/17/the-amazing-true-story-of-the-original-pink-taco-restaurant-bar/
James W. Sperman Suggest removal of this comment
April 20, 2008
James W. Sperman
FYI -- I just moved the story of the original Pink Taco to my blog athttp://jameswsperman.blogspot.com/2008/04/pink-taco-part-1-amazing-true-story-of.html Suggest removal of this comment
May 1, 2008