To say there’s a lot going on at Condado Taqueria would be an understatement. The new Mexican restaurant opening Downtown this week offers tacos, salsa, queso, guacamole and cocktails, with options spread across at least five menus.
Condado is based in Columbus, Ohio; its new outpost takes over the spot at 10th and Liberty recently vacated by Tonic. In a statement, Condado owner Joe Kahn said that “we have been looking at locations in the Steel City for over a year.”
The build-your-own taco menu is the highlight. There are 10 different proteins, including ghost-pepper-marinated steak and BBQ pulled jackfruit. There are tortilla options like Sweet Lucy (a soft flour and hard-corn combo with guac and queso spread between) and Peezler (same combo, but refried beans, guac and sour cream). Then choose from six toppings, three cheeses, four salsas and seven sauces, like the cilantro-lime aioli and Condado’s secret taco sauce.
Too many choices? Condado also offers a menu with taco suggestions. There’s the Purple Haze Bowl, with tofu, rice, black beans, red cabbage, tomatoes and mango-habanero sauce; and Surf N’ Turf with queso fresco, rice, ghost-pepper steak, shrimp ceviche, lettuce, onions, roja salsa and dirty sauce. And the drinks menu has an extensive selection of cocktails — including, of course, margaritas.
“A lot of people do tacos, but we try to offer a value that nobody else does,” says Condado manager Chris Mendoza. “We have a lot of options, so people can get what they want and they can drink what they want.”
