Tac N Roll
“The rude bwoy has a slight kick to it but the pineapples balance it out very nicely.”
“I particularly like the tika tika roll (although the chimi chimi and the pulgogi are also quite good).”
“The "streets" of this hole-in-the-wall "International Street Food" diner run from Mozambique and Korea through Thailand, the Dominican Republic, India and owner Eric's native Hong Kong.”
Tac N Roll
Delivery: Yes
Take-out: Yes
Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
Accepts Apple Pay: Yes
Bike Parking: Yes
Good for Kids: Yes
Outdoor Seating: Yes
PokéStop Nearby: Yes
Price range.
$ Price range Under $10
6 reviews
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I had high hopes for this place, but was pretty disappointed when I finally came. I ordered a beef pulgogi taco and a chicken tikka paratha, which seemed to be the most popular choices among Yelpers. My total only came out to a little over $8 and they have a $10 minimum for card, so I added a passion fruit juice.
The passion fruit juice wasn't what I expected. I've never had a passion fruit before so I'm not sure what they taste like, but I'm familiar with the passion fruit flavor. The "juice" tasted more like a tea–a tea with passion fruit flavoring.
I thought the tacos were just okay. The meat wasn't particularly delicious or juicy. The sauces weren't as strong as I thought they'd be, and the fillings were sparse. It's a good concept, but I think it's spread too thin–they're trying to do Korean, Thai, Indian, and Jamaican food all at once, and I think that makes everything just okay instead of great.
I really wanted to like this place because they have good prices, and the worker at the counter was really nice, but I just wasn't too impressed. 🙁
there's lot to TACO about when it concerns TAC N ROLL! seewhatididthere
the newest addition to the East Village's street food scene does not disappoint. the tiny restaurant tucked a few steps down from street level is packing huge flavors into hand-sized eats. eat in or takeout.
the primary ordered eats is pretty simple.
1) choose a style: taco (soft corn or flour)/ paratha (crunchy flat bread)/ roll (flour)/ or salad bowl.
2 )choose a protein: beef, chicken, shrimp/tofu.
3) choose a flavor (sauce): chimi chimi (dominican)/ "pulgogi" (korean)/ "rude bwoy" (jamaican)/ "street treat" (thai)/ or "tikka tikka" (indian).
tacos are $3.50 and the parathas nrolls are $4.50.
my first order? TACkled a soft corn beef "pulgogi" taco AND a chicken "tikka tikka." if you eat in, your food will be framed by the small metallic trays which only add and constrast with the colors of your food. a plastic basket cradled the newborn taco and paratha with a tissue-ish paper wrapping each eat. while the flimsy plastic baskets fit with the street theme–they seem ill-suited to serve multiple tacos and parathas in bc the baskets themselves are smallish and the food is on the big-ish side. also the plastic containers themselves make for poor holders when your try to frame a seductive foodporn pix for instagram, snapchat, etc. and while that doesn't seem important it actually is bc we live in a visually-driven social-share environment now. in any case, the baskets are reusable (yay for saving the environment–or something like that!) then again using a smallish basket would make the food seem bigger than it is…PSYCHOLOGY n PERCEPTION….
back to the food:
1) the taco was double-wrapped in a soft corn tortilla. the beef was tender and had that nice fat quotient without being greasy or chewy. the "pulgogi" flavor did a nice job of tying the beef, cabbage, onions, and kimchee together. the spice factor was nice and controlled–a nice bit of bite and heat without it being over-the-top. then again i have a lofty threshold for the heat bc i'm hawt. WHAT! nah, it's bc i'm brown…spicy tolerance is stewed into my melani.
the taco itself is filled to the brim with meat (beef in this case) and veggies. the tacos are definitely not crack skinny…more like 90s J Lo. pretty full n firm.
2) the chicken "tikka tikka" paratha was a whirlpool of different tastes, sweet-spicy-savory. all good. the chicken itself was tender, not chewy or dry. the paratha (flat bread) was soft. had a slight crispy and crunchy bite on the outside and did a pretty good job of soaking in the sweat and sauces of meat n veggies…which only made harder to restrain from savaging it in a few bites. RESTRAINT. the only con was the paratha was a bit messy and the "sauce" of the "tikka tikka" will run all over your hand if you tilt it. so keep the paratha parallel to the table and you'll be spill-free–geometrEAT tip! and there are plenty of napkins etc. to aid in any cleanup if you're a messy eater like moi. the paratha is bigger n fuller than the taco (it's also priced a $1 more. it's pretty amply filled, not overflowing like the tacos.
PRO TIP: unless you like mainlining sugar from beverage conglomerations, there's water for the taking, all you do is grab a cup and open the spigot. H20. GRATIS! you're welcome.
the space itself is laid out simply. several two-tops flush to the left side. very bright lighting. not a ton of decor items and clutter: beyond a map on one wall and small Buddha/light/fountain statue. there's a lot of white space and neutral-ish coloring (nothing garish)–it's almost like a palate cleanse for the eyes bc you eat with your eyes first…on the right, is the condiments and utensils: forks, salt, pepper, siracha, and self-serve FREE WATER. there's an old-schoolish Coke Cola refrigerator full of soft drinks (Coke products and Boylans), juices etc. and a little beyond that is the order counter/cashier.
TnR also offers hot soups (4-6 buck range) as well as smoothies, tea, and coffee.
the staff is friendly without being bothersome–meaning they let me be after serving me my food. no fake chit chat. just a friendly 'how's the food' and i liked the minimalism of it. as it wasn't cold, but just the right enough of warm touch and courtesy. Tac-N-Roll does a nice job of bringing the gluttonous experience of street eating without the mess or chaos. it was actually pretty serene to be able to chomp down on a late-ish dinner in peace.
though the only thing that i think is weird is there's no pork here. where's the Carnitas maaaan? the other white meat is MIA…
drops mic bc it's always TACO TUESDAY in this joint. nacho your kinda scene? too bad.
i out.
zzz.
This is the BEST place to order from/dine in when you're not sure exactly which cuisine you're in the mood for. You might be eating tacos, but you're getting Jamaican, Dominican, Japanese, Thai, Indian flavors and Every single taco was unique, flavorful, and true to its roots. We ordered 6 tacos to try to hit every flavor in a variety of combinations (love the fact that you can pick your protein and taco shell with any topping combination). We were surprisingly full for the amount we paid for dinner tonight (~$25 with tax, tip, and zero delivery fee). We'll definitely be ordering from them again, and hope their prices stay the same!!
I orders the Bulgogi taco.
Nothing spectacular here. Certainly not a 5 star. Just a simple taco filled with various types of meat. I feel that they are probably trying to do too many things on the menu.
I went with the paratha, as I've never quite had that as a "taco" vehicle.
I asked what was recommended with shrimp and beef and got the Street Treat with shrimp and Chimi Chimi with beef.
The bright Thai flavors matched well with the shrimp as it's wrapped in a supple, chewy paratha.
The Chimi Chimi and beef turned out a bit salty though. Not as cohesive as a bite as the previous taco, but still a satiating experience.
2 is a reasonable meal. I would go with 3 if you're very hungry.
It's a neighborhood gem. They give you plenty of options for your tacos. All of the protein and sauces are delicious. The meat is cooked tender but with a bang of flavor. They also had a butternut squash that was so delicious. It was sweet and savory with a surprising kick. The service is so friendly.