Fun Drinks and Bites at Tacofino

A few weeks ago, after having a few drinks and bites at La Fabrique St George (post on that to come), the boy and I wandered around the area and found Tacofino. I have been to their Hastings location before (see post here) but this location was new for me. They were surprisingly not busy and we got a seat immediately. This was just a snack but so delicious that we will definitely be back for more. 

For the drinks, I chose the Habenero Mango ($11.50). I love it when my drinks have a hint of spice so this concoction made with cazadores blanco, aperol, mango puree, fresh lime, habanero bitters with freshly muddled cilantro was perfect. 

The other drink on the left is their Classic Lime Margarita ($11.50)with cazadores blanco, cointreau, fresh lime and agave. Oh, and if you're like me, ask them to make it spicy! 

So as mentioned, we had already eaten a bit earlier, we just got their Grilled Chicken Tacos ($8). The chicken had a soy marinade and then topped with a bit of tamarind mayo slaw then smothered with an edamame chimichurri. Bursting with flavour, this really hit the spot! I was surprised by how much chicken there was so it was really satisfying. Can't wait to go back for more! 

Homemade Hunter Chicken

As we may be facing another lockdown, I thought I would share another easy homemade dinner. 

My version of Cactus Club's Hunter Chicken. 

The key component of this dish is the Mushroom Sauté.

Ingredients

1 Tbs. olive oil

1 Tbs. unsalted butter

1 lb. mixed fresh mushrooms (I use 6 oz. shiitakes,  8 oz. cremini and 2 oz. white mushrooms).

Clean them with a damp paper towels, washed, trimmed, and sliced 1/4 inch thick, to yield 5-1/2 to 6 cups

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Freshly ground black pepper

2 to 3 Tbs. heavy cream, broth, or lemon juice (optional)

Additional chopped herbs, such as thyme, sage, and/or chives (optional) 

Directions:

1. Heat the oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat until the butter foams.
2. Add all the mushrooms and minced garlic and stir.
3. The mushrooms will quickly absorb the oil and butter. 
4. Sprinkle with the salt and gently stir with a wooden spoon until the mushrooms start to release their moisture and begin to shrink, 2 to 3 minutes. 
5. Turn the heat to medium high so that you hear a steady sizzle; stir gently. 
6. After 5 minutes or so, when the mushrooms start to brown, give just an occasional stir with the spoon (about once a minute) and allow the mushrooms to brown evenly, maybe for another 3 minutes. 
7. Turn off the heat and toss the mushrooms with the parsley and pepper to taste, adding more salt if needed. 
8. Stir in some cream just to wet the mushrooms again.
9. Add other herbs if you like.

For the other parts of the dish, simply pan fry the chicken breast on a non-stick pan for a few minutes, and then place into a 350 degree oven to finish cooking.

Cactus Club serves this with mashed potatoes and some steamed asparagus as well. I suggest elevating your mashed potatoes by adding a few tablespoons of shredded cheddar cheese and some green onions.

Let me know if you try this or if you have suggestions on how to make this better!