Rolando Frias always yearns for tacos after he finishes working a dinner shift in the kitchen. But the chef-partner of Osteria al Volo in Adams Morgan has never been able to find a taqueria in the neighborhood that cures his cravings.
“We just wanted a place we could hang out at the end of the night,” says Frias, who admits he has high standards after living in Mexico for six years and visiting frequently; his last trip was in December to Mexico City and Oaxaca.
He decided to take matters into his own hands. He opened Taqueria al Lado in the space next to his Italian restaurant (‘al lado’ is Spanish for ‘next door’) in mid-January. The slender spot has a few seats indoors, a quartet along the front window outside, and a 20-seat patio in back.
Frias and his team makes tortillas from scratch. They employ the traditional technique of nixtamalization, which unlocks and unleashes corn’s nutritive properties and flavor. Starting with blue conico corn from Atlacomulco and Oaxacan white olotillo corn, they treat the kernels with lime, boil them, dry them, and then grind them into masa, which is pressed to make tortillas.
Filling choices are almost entirely meat with several styles for each protein. The most popular is the quesabirria. A crunchy tortilla hides a succulent center of stewed beef and gooey cheese, and comes with a side of beefy broth for dipping. Other beefy options include birria (stewed beef), lengua (tongue), and suadero, rich beef brisket that’s brined, confit, and chopped up. “They’re popular in Mexico, because they’re usually very fatty,” Frias says. “Taquerias are a place you go after you drink. So, you want as much fat as you can get, so you can continue drinking.”
For those looking to pig out instead, there’s al pastor, chorizo, carnitas, or campechano, a mix of chorizo and birria. Rounding out the menu are classic chicken tinga; fried cod dressed up with slaw, pico de gallo, and chipotle mayonnaise; and a single vegan option: jackfruit barbacoa fired up with chipotle peppers.
Taqueria al Lado doesn’t just sell tacos. Huarache might be a dish that’s less familiar to some Americans, but the components are familiar. Masa is formed into an oblong oval thicker than a tortilla and slightly chewier. The disc gets topped off with refried beans, pico de gallo, cotija cheese, crema, and lettuce. Adding meat is optional. There are also triangular tetelas, a Oaxacan specialty. Masa is stuffed with any combination of beans, cheese, and pork.
Dress up dishes with three salsas: a verdant green one made with serrano peppers, avocados, and tomatillos; a red built on a foundation of chiles de arbol; and spicy habanero.
Naturally, most of the beverage menu is focused on tequila and mezcal, though there are a few other liquors and a half a dozen beers available. For those seeking a zero-proof accompaniment to their meal, there’s house-made jamaica agua fresca and horchata, as well as Mexican sodas.
The taqueria has been even more successful than Frias anticipated. In the early days, they were forced to close early because they ran out of masa or meats. After ordering a bigger grinder from Mexico and amping up the amount of food they prepped before service, they have been able to handle the demand. Best of all for Frias: he doesn’t need to go anywhere to get his taco fix.
Taqueria al Lado is located at 1792 Columbia Rd. NW. Open Sunday-Thursday 11 a.m.-10 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m.-12 a.m.
