Taco Del Mar-5th Ave Place Calgary

[Hart50]

By way of a heads-up, I just noticed at lunch today that a Taco Del Mar is going in beside Opa in the 5th Ave Place Food Court. I'm not sure when it opens but I peaked in and it looks like it won't be too far off. Has anyone had any experience with this chain that they can share?

[kritafo]

We went as a family up in the NE location which I believe is the newest. We all ordered different things.

It was insanely slow, to the point of wanting to go behind the counter and doing it myself.
Everything tasted like it had 10 pounds of salt added. The meat, the chicken.
rice was undercooked.

It will be a long time before we go back.

[freakpirate]

I've had it in Vancouver and at the University location in Edmonton. The food is just lousy. And the service at the Edmonton location was some of the worst I've ever had. I don't know if the guy working was just having a bad day or if he's always an asshole but it took me ten minutes to order my food (the place was empty) because he stood there staring at me from behind the counter and I was forced to repeat my order three or four times. I'm never going back there.

[aktivistin]

I visited this 5th Ave Place location today and had two "seasoned pork" tacos today. Maybe it was because I went after the lunch rush, but the corn tortillas were kind of tough and a bit dry. The pork was HORRIBLE: dry, tasteless, and chewy. Guac was okay, better than your typical Taco Time/Bell. In concept, TDM seems better than these fast-food "-mex" places, but I wasn't impressed.

However, at $4.99 for two tacos, the price was quite reasonable.

[23skidoo]

I stopped in today and had a chicken burrito for lunch. It's pretty good! I could taste cilantro, and the chicken wasn't that pre-boiled crap you see at the competition (taco time, taco bell, wrapture).
I think this is a welcome addition to the +15 lunch selection.

[Hart50]

I had lunch there yesterday and ordered two tacos (one beef and one chicken) and I thought that for fast food they were quite good. Although, perhaps it is not saying much they were vastly superior to Taco Time.

[zipper]

TDM is a chain. Need I say anything more? For those people who have never tried REAL texmex before, then I suppose this is a start. If want something quick & easy go there. If you want quality authentic texmex then go elsewhere

[sharonanne]

"If you want quality authentic texmex then go elsewhere."
But where? The lack of such food in Calgary is something we have discussed here for a long time. If you have a secret spot, spill the refired beans!

This lack makes us desperate enough to go to chains.

[Hart50]

I must admit I'm not much of a TexMex expert but I did enjoy the food at Baja Fresh the last time I was in Washington DC a couple of years ago. Hopefully, this new TDM will be somewhat comparable.

[John Manzo]

taco del mar is cal-mex, not tex-mex.

[John Manzo]

zipper, there is no alternative anywhere in Canada. Nada.

[sharonanne]

I wonder if it depends on what you order? The day we tried it there was some scary looking ground beef mixture in a pot. I had chicken after seeing that and it was ok.

[John Manzo]

Finally, I can give the Canadian version of this place a try. I've had a chicken burrito in Portland at one, and while it was nowhere as good as a real taqueria, t was also better than any burrito I've had in Calgary (aside from my own of course).

I tried Red Burrito when I was in Vancouver, as well as Steamrollers- I'd welcome either of these here!!!

[Catch22]

There's been one open in the south side of Calgary for almost a year and can't say I was impressed. Even for fast food, my one and only trip there was pretty bad - the food just was not good (like sub-Taco Bell quality)
I've been thinking I might give them another try since they had just opened when I went and may have been struggling with quality. If it hasn't improved then at least I know not to waste my time and money in a TDM anywhere else.

[yen]

Ick, lousy, terrible. :)

To try and be more helpful, there's a really big TDM thread somewhere from about a year ago. Pretty mixed reviews, but i hated it. It was no better than Taco Time. At 30% higher cost. People on the west coast seem to like TDM a lot more... (all my Van friends like it). I don't know if the BC TDM's are different, but i've tried the one in Leduc, and the one in Calgary, and i like neither of them.,

Hope that helps

[cleopatra999]

Wow...Yen, we disagree on something ;)

I have had it up here in Edmonton a few times and for what it is (fast food mexi) I found it quite good. Leaps and bounds above Taco Time IMHO. Great fresh salsa, big warm whole wheat tortillas, ample fillings, tasty beans. Maybe the one I have been going to (University) is better??

[yen]

I know!! At least people won't think we're the same person anymore.

Anyway, maybe the Uni one is better. Or maybe what im used to for fast food mexi is different too (Freebirds, Baja Fresh, and sometimes Chipotle). For fake, fast food mexican, those are the establishments i like. TDM can't compare to them imo.

[cleopatra999]

are those places in Calgary?

[John Manzo]

If they were some of us would immediately die happy. No. But I've heard Chipotle is opening in Toronto!

[alau2]

REALLY REALLY REALLY? Ohhhhh! I looooooove Chipotle.