Taco Tuesday: Taco Bamba Pop Up at Black Jack
It’s all about Taco Monday at Black Jack this December, where chef Victor Albisu is testing out his forthcoming joint Taco Bamba on Monday nights. The menu is creative and changes each week. I’m glad he came to town, because let’s be honest, I won’t be venturing out to Falls Church for tacos.
Cocktails: $$$ Creative but pricey at $12 a pop; I especially liked the Sassafras, mostly because I like to say “sassafras,” but also because it’s made with a smoky single malt scotch and served with smoked cherry ice, which makes the cocktail even more delicious as it melts. I love smoky drinks.
Food : $$ It’s not authentic, but it’s not trying to be. The tacos are creative and the ingredients fresh. They definitely don’t skimp on the meat or the flavor, but with tacos ranging from $6-8 a pop, they better not. The tacos aren’t large — similar to the $2 tacos at El Centro — and our group of four easily put back 16 of them.
My favorites were their name sake taco, the Taco Bamba with skirt steak, chorizo and chicharones, and the Duck Tinga Taco with duck leg, crispy skin, charred endive and chipotle crema. The wood grilled bone marrow was also popular with our group!
Taco Tuesday Specials: It’s all about taco MONDAY this time around! But hurry, December 17th is the last week Taco Bamba will be at Black Jack!
Atmosphere: Black Jack is yet another example of why I should really make more of an effort to venture from my neighborhood. Upstairs the Pearl Dive, this cocktail bar has high-top tables for smaller groups and an area for large groups to sit in the back. Our group determined that it definitely has dancing potential! They also have a bocce room in the back, with bocce and other games, although it was closed off for a private party.
Service: A little bit slow, particularly on the cocktails, but I think they might have been slammed with the private party in the back. Overall I wouldn’t complain.
