What’s on offer?
Tacos Lupillo opened in a small unit beside Cleary’s pub on Sarsfield Road, Kilmainham, Dublin 10 in December last year, attracting long queues for their Mexican food. Plenty of customisation is available, with the options chalked up on blackboards. You choose your base – tacos, burrito, tortas (sandwiches) and volcanes (crisp, fried cheesy tortillas with toppings); choose a filling – beef, chicken, al pastor etc; and order at the counter. It’s a small room with one round table, a few stools at the shelf along the side, and a few outdoor tables. You can also eat in Cleary’s pub if you buy a drink. Deliveroo is also available.
The owners are a Mexican couple. Jose Guadalupe Zamudio (Lupillo), from Celaya in the state of Guanajuato, is the chef who you can see at work in the open kitchen, and his wife and two teenage children work front of house.
What did we order?
Tacos al pastor, alambre chicken, vegetarian volcanes, beans and pico de gallo.
How was the service?
It’s a little tricky understanding how the menu works, but it is explained well when we reach the top of the queue on a Wednesday evening. Our order is taken, we get a number and wait for 30 minutes. We opt for takeaway.
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Was the food nice?
Tacos al pastor, three of them, are filled with pork that has been marinated in achiote and vinegar and sliced off the spit of a shawarma grill and topped with red onion. The pineapple that is placed on top of the meat while it grills adds some sweetness.
The alambre chicken comes as a mix of grilled peppers with melted cheese and mushrooms piled over the chicken. There are five hot tortillas and you assemble them yourself.
The vegetarian volcanes are particularly good, three crispy tortillas topped with a mixture of peppers, mushrooms and cheese which have been grilled so that it’s nicely burnished.
A small side of beans, refried with onion and chilli, is tasty and the puréed pico de gallo has a good punch of jalapeño.
What about the packaging?
Food is packed into a paper bag and a mixture of cardboard containers and tinfoil are used to contain the food.
What did it cost?
€47 for dinner for three people: Tacos al pastor, €14; alambre chicken, €15; vegetarian volcanes, €12; beans, €3; and pico de gallo, €3.
Where does it deliver?
Open for eat-in, takeaway or delivery, Tue-Sat, 12pm-9pm, and Sun, 12pm-6pm. Deliveroo delivery within 5km radius.
Would I order it again?
Yes. A great spot for a sunny day where you can sit outside with a beer while waiting for your food.
