For the past couple of years Corrochio’s has been the Dalston strip’s best kept secret. But as anyone who has ever overheard something scandalous in the garden of the Spurstowe knows, you can’t keep a secret in east London for long. This tucked-away taqueria was bound to break out of its basement home and Corrochio’s has finally leapfrogged up to street level.
The new restaurant is about four times the size of the original, with the added bonus of windows. Fans of the OG subterranean Corrochio’s (which Hackney-frequenting millennials may remember as cocktail lounge Ruby’s) do not fear, as that is reopening as Cinco, a bar dedicated to tequila, mezcal and other assorted agave spirits.
Walls are draped with handmade rugs, colourful crucifixes, a few well-placed animal skulls and a giant Mary de Guadalupe statue
What strikes you about the new Corrochio’s is the commitment to authenticity. Ignore the double decker buses chugging past and you could be in Mexico City. The sandy floor tiles of what was once a Turkish supermarket have been painted hacienda red and the walls are draped with handmade rugs, colourful crucifixes, a few well-placed animal skulls and a giant Mary de Guadalupe statue found in a gas station in Oaxaca.
Which would all be pointless if the food wasn’t also the real deal. Raised in Guadalajara, chef and founder Daniel Carillo knows what he’s doing. His short but punch-pulling menu revolves around regional specials (including huaraches, a flatbread-ish dish rarely found in London’s Mexican restaurants) and the three Ts; tacos, tortas and tostadas.
Start, by all means, with the just-chunky-enough guacamole and a dreamy pot of queso fundido; a stringy and chewy, cheese dip with a delightful skin and topped with slivers of slippery but sweet cactus, but these are mere teasers for the main event.
A tostada with immaculately-cooked octopus (not chewy and just soft enough) made for a masterpiece mouthful; sloppy in all the right places, and bedded onto bouncy jalapeno mash with a scattering of radish flowers to make it ready for its Instagram close-up. A chunky prawn version with avocado, crunchy cucumber, charred habanero and pineapple sauce was even juicier, thanks to a liberal dash of lime mayo.
Portions here are hearty but manageable, with two big-side-of-medium tacos per order. The birria beef short rib comes in a corn tortilla with the optional add-on of a layer of grilled cheese. Add it on. The result is overwhelmingly full-on, an 18 tog duvet of meat and dairy decadence. You might clutch your stomach after and think; have I gone too far? I can assure you, you have not.
The pork taco was equally potent, but a continued stream of some of the mightiest margaritas in town helped to balance everything out. The margarita a la diabla was the spiciest of spicy margs (though not so hot as to overwhelm your palate for the rest of the night), while the smoky mezcalita might just be the most moreish restaurant cocktail in all of Hackney; tart and zingy thanks to jalapeno syrup and an all-conquering Tajin rim.
Corrochio’s dedication to getting the booze just as right as the food is part of what makes it the perfect party restaurant. This is the kind of place you and your pals can cackle away together and not feel guilty about disturbing a romantic anniversary dinner on the next table down. Almost too much fun.
The vibe A glammy east London crowd starting the night right in a roomy, fun space on the Dalston strip.
The food Mexican classics made with love and attention.
The drinks Margaritas for miles, made with tequila, mezcal and a range of hibiscus, chilli, pineapple syrups. Start with the smokey mezcalita.
Time Out tip Come for the 6-7pm happy hour, with classic margaritas at £8 a pop.