Everything Is Under $20 At This Vibey Mexican Eatery In Lavender—Here’s What We Thought

Bored Tacos has affordable Mexican food in Haji Lane

I love Mexican food. In fact, my friends often call me the Guzman Y Gomez girl, judging from how many times I drop by the place, whether for lunch, dinner, or even breakfast. But recently, I was introduced to Bored Tacos, a vibey Tex-Mex spot making waves on social media platforms. It’s even garnered an impressive 22.2K followers on their IG at the point of writing, which made me wonder: could this be my next it spot for great Mexican food?

My colleague and I were the lucky few who visited before the grand opening of their third outlet at Jalan Klapa, a street near Haji Lane. Without further ado, here’s our honest review of what we thought of the Mexican eatery.

10 Best Mexican Restaurants In Singapore For Beef Tongue Burritos, Fusion Tacos And More

 

Food at Bored Tacos

Bored Tacos specialises in Tex-Mex classics, which is the Americanised version of Mexican fare. On their menu, you’ll find nacho chips, tacos, and quesadillas with different fillings—all at nett prices. 

Let’s start with our favourite, the Beef Chilli Cheese Quesadilla ($12.90). The name alone didn’t excite us much, but visually, the quesadilla looked much better than it sounded.

The quesadilla came perfectly golden brown, packed with fragrant minced beef in a tangy tomato sauce, gooey melted cheddar, and bits of diced tomatoes and onions. It sounded simple, but this combo hit all the right notes, both flavour and texture-wise. 

A bite of the cheese-packed tortilla quickly earned our nod of approval, but what really stole our hearts was the tortilla itself. It was slightly crisp on the outside and chewy and soft on the inside. Plus, it held all the ingredients together well, allowing us to get a bit of everything each time we took a bite.

If quesadillas aren’t your thing, go for the Birria Beef Taco ($18 for three) instead. It sees slow-cooked birria beef in a hard-shelled tortilla. This time, the meat was paired with melted mozzarella cheese, which was much milder in taste than the cheddar we had previously.

The tacos were served with a side of house-made consomme, a light brown broth that gave off a meaty aroma. While we appreciated the pairing, especially since the tacos leaned a little dry, we couldn’t help but wish the dip packed more punch. A smokier, thicker broth could have helped elevate the otherwise plain tacos.

Texture-wise, the birria beef was slightly tougher than we liked. If you’re considering between the tacos and the quesadilla, we recommend getting the latter. 

Seafood lovers can try the Garlic Prawn Tacos ($19 for three). At first glance, we were impressed by how the tacos were packed to the brim with all kinds of ingredients. Each piece was loaded with about five prawns, fresh purple lettuce, sweet mango cubes, and then finished with a spicy salsa drizzle.

The prawns were sautéed till golden brown, boasting a plump and juicy texture. We wished they could have been in the pan a little longer to unlock that deep, savoury umami flavour. That said, the savoury prawns and sweet mango chunks were a lovely combination.

We found the purple lettuce a bit much, though. If you’re not a fan of veggies in your tacos, we encourage you to ask for less lettuce when placing your order.

Also, it’d be helpful to note that the dish leaned on the wetter side, so be ready for some mess.

Pair your mains with their delicious Loaded Nachos ($14.90), starring crispy nacho chips stacked with gooey mozzarella, nacho cheese drizzle, and a dollop of salsa and guacamole on the side. 

The nacho chips were pretty thin and became soggy quickly when left out for some time. Perhaps thicker, crispier nacho chips would do the trick! 

Nevertheless, we thought this dish was worth getting to share. We recommend dipping your cheese-laden chip into the creamy guacamole and topping it off with a bit of salsa for the best experience. 

Wash down the grease with their popular range of Jarritos for $4.50 each. You would have seen these flavoured soda bottles in most of the Mexican restaurants in Singapore. The made-in-Mexico drink is essentially a soda that comes in a range of fruity flavours. The Mango Jarritos is great for those with a sweet tooth, while fans of citrusy flavours will love the Lime Jarritos. 

Ambience at Bored Tacos

Bored Tacos’ new outlet at Jalan Klapa isn’t the biggest, with only about 30 indoor seats. But what it lacks in size, it makes up for in charm. Think bold blue walls, warm lighting, and a mini graffiti corner that make up the casual yet vibrant atmosphere.

The restaurant is a convenient eight-minute walk from Lavender MRT Station, so you don’t have to walk far to get your taco fix.

Bored Tacos – Eatbook review

Now, back to my question of whether Bored Tacos is my new potential it Mexican spot. The quick answer is no, only because the tacos—a huge cornerstone of Mexican fare—were a bit of a letdown. But even with these misses, there are surely hits, as proven by the incredibly delicious quesadilla and nachos chips.

Overall, Bored Tacos is worth visiting when you’re in the area and craving some decent Tex-Mex dishes!

In related content, check out our GastroBeats food guide for XL fish and chips, lok lok and more. Alternatively, find out more about the popular local burger joint Burgs restaurant that reopened nearby with loaded burgers.

Address: 2 Jalan Klapa, Singapore 199314
Opening hours: Daily 11am to 8pm
Website
Bored Tacos is not a halal-certified eatery but uses no pork or lard.

Popular Local Burger Joint Burgs Reopens In Bugis Shophouse—Is It Worth A Visit? 

Photos taken by Tan Tao Zhi.
This was a media tasting at Bored Tacos.