The Tacos We Serve at Cheat Day, Why, and What We’re Going to Change
Tacos were the first thing we really wanted to bring to Ericeira. Not because we thought we could make the most authentic version, but because they are a format that lets you build huge flavour out of simple things.
At the moment we keep three tacos on the menu: slow-cooked pork, birria beef and our vegan Portabella taco. They are very different from each other, but they all started with the same question: how do we make something you want to eat again, not just something that looks like a taco?
What got me hooked
One of the things that fascinates me most about tacos is the use of animal parts that are usually ignored in most kitchens. Tough cuts, strange textures, sometimes a whole cooked cow’s head. I like the idea of using the whole animal instead of only chasing prime cuts. It often needs more patience, more spices and long cooking, but that is exactly where a lot of the good stuff happens.
I once drove into the centre of Albania with two friends and stopped at a restaurant on top of a pass. There was nobody around. We went inside, ate a really good goat dish, and then the cook came out with a guitar. I got mine, and suddenly we had a little band going — drinking, singing and hanging around for two hours. After that he brought out a few small rolls. When I asked what they were, he explained that it was basically sushi made from goat organs. That kind of food experience stays with you. It is not about being fancy. It is about someone knowing how to make every part taste good.
The green magic
For a long time I kept trying to work out where a certain bright, fresh taste in Latin food was coming from. I had a few suspects, but I only really solved it in a Cuban restaurant when I asked the waiter what was in there. He explained the green magic to me: coriander. That opened up a lot of flavour for me. It is one small thing, but it can make rich meat, cheese and chilli feel alive instead of heavy.
The three tacos at Cheat Day
Pork: slow-cooked pork, pickled pink onions and red salsa. This one is about depth, sweetness, acid and a bit of heat.
Birria beef: slow-cooked beef with cheese, onion, coriander and salsa verde. It has become one of the things people most come back for, and we are still working on making every element sharper.
Vegan Portabella: crispy beer-battered mushrooms, vegan cream cheese, pickled carrots and salsa verde. It is not there as an afterthought. It is there because it is properly delicious — crunchy, creamy, acidic and messy in the right way.
What we’re going to change
None of these tacos are finished. We keep tasting, changing sauces, looking for better ingredients and learning what works in our kitchen in Ericeira. The goal is not to freeze the menu in place because something is already good. The goal is to make it better without losing the reason people liked it in the first place.
That is probably the best thing about tacos: there is always another version to try.