A new Mexican spot will open in town, and the conversation that follows invariably goes like this:
Does Redding really need another Mexican restaurant?
The owners of the new Tacos Las Espadas downtown know the refrain and say the answer is yes. They’ve set out to bring something fresh and unique for their customers.
“We try to be a little bit different,” says grill master Tako Sierra, who along with his younger brother, Martin Jr., and their parents, Martin and Angelina Sierra, operate the Tacos Las Espadas taqueria.
“We have different things than what everybody else has, like the sword (Espada Quesadilla) and Quesabirria Pizza,” Tako said. “We would like to say we’re very authentic.”
The family formerly ran Pasta Pronto at their 2151 S. Market St. location near Jiffy Lube and in December made the switch from Italian to Mexican food.
Pasta Pronto’s history dates back some 30 years when it was in the FoodMaxx shopping center. Before that, you could find it at Hilltop Landing on Hilltop Drive.
Now, the Mexican eatery offers creative menu choices such as the swordlike Espada Quesadilla, which refers to the restaurant’s namesake.
“That’s where our name came from because down in Mexico where my parents are from, that’s the way they would sell the quesadillas,” Martin Jr. said.
“It’s a handmade corn tortilla that’s a lot longer and it looks like a sword. That’s one of our specialty items. That’s what we’re known for,” he added.
What sets Tacos Las Espadas apart, according to the family, is the way their meats are grilled in the traditional Asador style – over mesquite embers for a smoky, charred flavor.
Their logo proclaims “100 percent al carbon,” translating to over charcoal.
“We try to bring a different flavor to Redding – that Redding hasn’t seen – because everywhere around town is all the same,” Martin Jr. said. “We brought a concept over here to be different from the rest.”
New menu launched
The taqueria’s new menu, which came out in mid-March, features a lineup of carne asada, al pastor, carnitas, chicken, tripa, lengua (beef tongue), shrimp, fish such as cod, ribeye and arrachera (flap meat).
Their al pastor is thinly-sliced marinated pork that’s been roasted on a vertical rotisserie, or trompo.
For toppings, customers can head to the salsa bar.
“We have five variety of salsas, from mild to spicy. We have pickled onions, cucumbers, radishes, limes,” he said.
Give credit to their mother, Angelina, for making all the sauces.
Other distinctive items are two types of Mexican-style pizzas.
The Pizza Loka is made with a 10-inch flour tortilla that’s crispy and includes a choice of meat, guacamole, sour cream, Cajun ranch, queso fresco and pico de gallo.
The Quesabirria Pizza is cut into six slices and comes with a consume broth for dipping.
“The Quesabirria Pizza is really our signature, I would say,” Martin Sr. said.
“You can’t find it anywhere around here with onion, cilantro and shredded beef,” the father added.
A chile relleno burrito is another new menu item.
“I like it because you get a sense of spiciness from the poblano peppers and the cheese. It’s something good if you like a little bit of heat,” Martin Jr. said.
Aside from the food, the owners have created some fun activity themes. They hosted a St. Paddy’s Sip and Paint Party in March where customers could paint, get something to eat and down a beer.
They recently staged a karaoke night and they’re looking into offering a Latino night with a DJ.
The Sierras also are known for bringing their dishes to pop-up stands, such as during the Hispanic Heritage Festival in Redding and elsewhere in Anderson and Red Bluff.
“A lot of people gave us good comments about it,” Martin Jr. said.
They’re also popular for catering.
“Right now we’re thankful for being booked for the month of April,” he said.
The restaurant promotes daily specials along with kids specials.
Martin Jr. said the family-run restaurant would like to be known for focusing on a top-quality menu that offers both classic Mexican favorites and specialty plates.
“We’d rather have it more simple, more unique,” he said.
If you go: Tacos Las Espadas
Mike Chapman is a veteran Northern California reporter and photojournalist who retired from the Redding Record Searchlight. His byline also has appeared in the USA TODAY Network, Siskiyou Daily News and the Eureka Times-Standard.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: Redding taqueria a stand out with mesquite-grilled meat
Reporting by Mike Chapman, Redding Record Searchlight / Redding Record Searchlight
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
