Considering they just opened a few weeks ago, I think Saint Pablo's is on to something good, and I'm rooting for them. I don't particularly love their "more is more" approach to tacos, but I have to give them credit for bringing a ton of flavor in a town where flavor is sorely lacking.
The shop itself is small and super-casual. The counter and kitchen takes up half of the space, and four (or maybe five?) tables make up the rest. It's tight, but if there's an open seat, grab it. Order at the counter; they're native English speakers, and they take EC and credit cards.
Assuming these would be small, Mexican-style tacos, I asked if I should order two or three. The guy taking my order said if I was really hungry, I could probably eat three, but two is probably plenty. I went with a chicken and a pulled pork. There was a little snafu with my order (they forgot about me), but it was quickly rectified with many apologies.
The restaurant describes their tacos as being inspired by Mission-style burritos (as in San Francisco), which I guess makes sense when you see them: big tortilla, lots of cheese, refried beans, meat, lettuce, lettuce, avocado mousse, salsa, and pickled onions. The good part is that there's a ton of flavor; they let the cheese melt with the tortilla on the flattop, so you get little crispy bits of cheese around the edges, and then they dust the whole thing in a cotija-like cheese for a little extra oomph. The downside, for me anyway, is that I almost couldn't taste the meat filling among all the other flavors.
The menu offers tacos, quesadillas, and burritos, with a changing list of fillings, mostly meats, but also veggie options. They have beer on tap and in the refrigerator, along with margaritas and soft drinks.
I look forward to coming back and trying more of their food. read more