One of my favorite ways to discover new and hidden eateries, bars, and markets is to get lost in a neighborhood. Just pick a spot and drive around, hoping to find that next great sandwich, taco, treat or drink. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. A lot of times I find myself curving through questionable stretches wondering if I am going to make it out all right. One case that worked out far better than expected was during a trip down south Sixth Avenue, just past the rodeo grounds. I came across a quaint building with a Dia de los Muertos mural and a colorful butterfly painted near the front entrance.
Wait, I know this place. Taqueria La Esquina. Have I been here before? Maybe. But the look of it was quite different. Between my curiosity and a belly ready for lunch, I opened the door and took a gander about.
No, maybe I haven’t been here. It seems familiar while at the same time not.
“We just opened our cantina a few months ago,” said chef and co-owner, Alejandro Bohon. “So, if you haven’t been here in a while that’s probably what’s different.”
Okay, I have been here before. It’s the cantina that’s unfamiliar. Gotcha.
Taqueria La Esquina’s Bohon stands behind the newly crafted bar in his newly crafted cantina serving up newly crafted craft cocktails. The wall behind him is a sea glass rainbow of bottles all containing spirits to get his guests lifted in the best way possible. He insists that I try his Cuban Libre. It’s a bit early for me but, sure, even though I’m not much of a rum or cola guy.
The first sip was really surprising because it wasn’t overly sweet at all — the main reason I abstain from these types of drinks. That cloying sugary whip from soda and rum just doesn’t do it for me.
“We make our own cola here,” said Bohon. “It has coriander, anise, our simple syrup, and some other secrets in there. In fact, all but three syrups here at the bar are made in-house. That’s why it tastes so different and good.”
Good? This drink was straight-up scrummy. Alejandro, or Alex as he is often called, then had me try his Paloma, made with tequila, freshly squeezed lime, and Squirt. Not just any kind of Squirt, the best Squirt — a bottle of Squirt from Mexico. It’s delightful and is to the point. Wow, I found myself kind of falling in love here.
Nothing like a good buzz in the late afternoon on a random Tuesday. Luckily, the rest of my day was free so I decided to make Taqueria La Esquina my hangout for a while and Alex my new best friend.
La Esquina started out as a food truck eight years ago. It was basically some tables under a tarp in the parking lot the new and improved taqueria stands now. Like all good food truck success stories, they eventually had to expand. The commissary they used was transformed into Taqueria La Esquina and its been growing and thriving ever since.
Bohon informed me that his family has been in the east side Tucson restaurant business for over 40 years, and with two other eateries not too far from where we were chatting. He himself started out as a dishwasher and through the years grew into the inventive chef that he is today.
Traveling and relocating are always helpful for an artist to gain new perspectives and to exit the daily headspace in all too common quarters. He found himself cooking in the kitchen of Tempo Cantina in Los Angeles years ago in his burgeoning chefdom, and during his time there he helped the restaurant win a taco competition. Bohon submitted an apple mole and kimchi entry.
It didn’t take long for him to start missing the kitchens of home as he had big plans for La Esquina when he returned.
“There is something about the kitchens in Los Angeles,” said Bohon. “They smell different like they’re too sterile. I missed that Tucson funk.”
Before coming home, Bohon spent some time in Oaxaca doing even more research, but after a while, he became bored with eating the same style of food every day. The call of the Sonoran culinary landscape and all of its flavors grew too loud, so he immediately made his return to Tucson and got to work.
The menu at La Esquina reflects their commitment to east side Tucson cuisine, the Bohon culinary legacy, and his own take on what it means to cook exquisite Mexican food — both traditional and enterprising.
That said, their take on the beloved Sonoran Dog is just plain awesome. It has all of the essentials there, all of the stuff we need from, well, let’s just say it, the signature dish of the Old Pueblo. I really appreciated that kick of refinement and playfulness.
Do yourself a favor and get one each of their tacos. No, seriously. Bring your friends, order all of them, tuck in, and get busy. The Achiote Pollo, which is braised chicken with pico de gallo, cabbage, and cilantro lime crema, and the Surf and Turf, a carne asada and bacon-wrapped shrimp combination, were two standouts for me personally. Then again, the Quesabirria was outstanding as well.
I felt like some rock star trying to figure out which Ferrari to drive around that day. They’re all so good. Can’t I drive them all at once?
Here is one aspect that Bohon flipped and gifted for us all: the menu now has full-on vegetarian and vegan options.
As a guy that literally eats everything, I couldn’t be happier when a place can correctly execute both proteins and plants. The Papas and Frijol tacos were so packed with flavor. They’re a generous gambol on portion and intuition that even the mightiest of carnivores will likely raise their head after taking a bite and exclaim, “Hey, you know what? Yeah!”
Whether you are a veggie or not, order anything and everything with Jackfruit Birria or Mushroom Adobada. The taste and textures are insanely delectable. On, in, or by the side of a housemade tortilla — it’s a feast rapture that anyone can get taken away with and happily fade into the food horizon.
Bohon just smiles when I ask what the “ups and downs” are about owning a Mexican restaurant at south Sixth and Irvington since there are so many other options available in the area.
“There is a very small downside to what we do here,” he said. “I love this community. All of the restaurant owners get along, although there is a bit of competition as well. But we need that. Even though a lot of the food that we cook and serve might look the same, it is all very different.”
Bohon and Taqueria La Esquina have set their own pace with food and cocktails. They are not just different, they are distinctive.
Speaking of which, now that the cantina is open, locals stop by on a nightly basis to make a party of it. Apparently gleeful happenings can get loud when tequila and chorizo are involved, and as a big fan of both, I will make it back one night to join in on the cacophonous revelry.
See you there.
Taqueria La Esquina is located at 4876 S. Sixth Ave. For more information, visit taquerialaesquinatucson.com or follow the restaurant on Instagram and Facebook.
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