24/11/16 - updated with soft launch details.
London may be down one Mexican joint with the closure of Santa Remedio, but come November there'll be a new taqueria to boost our spirits. Corazón is opening in Soho on Poland Street (taking over the spot where Posini's used to be). So if you're after casual, comfort food with a kick, this is where you'll need to be. Expect to be mesmerised by watching all their homemade tortillas being freshly made in front of you with an inhouse tortilla machine.
The woman behind the restaurant is Laura Sheffield. She may have spent the past 10 years working in London restsaurants like Fischer's and The Riding House Cafe but she hails from Texas so should know her stuff. Along with chef Paul Daniel (tries to avoid making a magic pun and fails) they'll be conjuring up ten signature tacos, and a variety of daily specials.
Taco fillings will include:
- Chorizo verde - house made green chorizo, confit onions, coriander, salsa verde
- Carne asada - citrus & soy marinated steak, confit onions, roast garlic & jalapeno crema
- Duck carnitas - confit of duck in root beer, pickled onion, coriander, salsa verde
- Barbacoa - 12-hour slow roast lamb rib, neck & shoulder, pasilla rub, new potatoes, mint & tomatillo salsa
It's not all tacos though - they'll also serve up ceviches, tostadas, and salads. If you work around here, prepare to get in line for their lunchtime special - Torta ahogada which they describe as a ‘drowned sandwich’ of pork carnitas, chile de àrbol salsa and pickled onions.
After work the drinks list will revolve around margaritas, agave and rum-based cocktails, as well as imported Mexican and American beers. There'll also be an intriguing-sounding house-made Tepache; a lightly alcoholic, fermented pineapple juice as well as freshly-made Hibiscus iced tea.
This wouldn't be a new London opening without a dedicated brunch menu and at the weekends the brunch menu will include a selection of breakfast tacos including Huevos Benedict (ham hock hash, caramelised onions, eggs and green chilli hollandaise), Divorced Eggs (fried eggs, crispy corn tortillas and salsas rojo and verde), and buttermilk blue corn pancakes served with caramelised bananas, toasted pecans and cajeta.
Corazon opens at 29 Poland Street, London W1F 8QR. There's a soft launch on the 29th (dinner) to 30th (lunch and dinner) with 50% off food, walk-ins only.
Opening hours are Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday: Midday to 11pm; Thursday & Friday: Midday – Midnight; Saturday: Brunch 9am – 4pm, Dinner 4pm – Midnight; Sunday: Brunch 9am – 4pm, Dinner 4pm – 11pm. There will be a limited number of larger tables available for reservation, along with space for walk-ins. Keep up with their news on Twitter @corazon_uk
