The Best Unusual Tacos in the Country

Courtesy of Project Taco

Chef Paul Qui doesn’t think a taco needs to be bounded by a tortilla. While brainstorming for the Austin Food & Wine Festival in April, Qui and his team discovered that Japanese buckwheat soba can taste “even more like Mexico” than corn. The result? A soba fritter “taco” topped with aged beef tongue, crema, onions, avocado and coriander blossoms.

Qui is on to something: Foods from halfway around the world sometimes taste pretty similar. Mimi Sheraton recently proclaimed that West African food is going to be the next Big Thing, precisely because it reminds us of familiar dishes from New Orleans.

So let’s talk about tacos. I like to think that every culture has one. Here are 10 tacos that transcend fusion to be their own delicious category.

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Octopus Taco at East Side King (Austin)

Nicolai McCrary

I’m not sure if it’s more fun to say “tako taco” or to eat this butter-poached octopus with vegetable ceviche in a fried moo shu wrapper. Chef Paul Qui turns the idea of the taco on its head with a crispy Asian-inspired homage to the Mexican original.

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Lamb Shoulder at Goa Taco (New York City)

Courtesy of Goa Taco

This NYC darling forgoes the tortilla in favor of the Indian paratha (think buttery layers). Try the spicy recado rojo lamb shoulder with tzatziki and eggplant salsa to transport to India with a side of Greece.

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Short Rib Taco at Kogi (L.A.)

Eric Shin

Asia meets Mexico again at Los Angeles’ Kogi taco, where Korean bulgogi nestles into tortillas. They’re so good that they’ve inspired Korean-Mexican copycats around the country. The king of kings? Double-caramelized short rib with salsa roja, cilantro-onion-lime relish and chili-soy Kogi slaw on griddled corn tortillas.

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Tuna Poke Taco at Beauty & Essex (NYC)

Courtesy of Beauty & Essex

This clubby, extravagant spot on the Lower East Side doesn’t exactly feel like a laid-back vacation to Hawaii, but you might be transported with its fusion taco, tuna poke on crispy wontons topped with micro cilantro, radish and wasabi kewpie mayo to kick things up a notch.

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Roast Duck Taco at Kung Fu Tacos (San Francisco)

Tricia N. Soto / CheekyAttitude.com

Roast duck might be the crowning glory of Chinese cuisine, with its crispy skin and succulent flesh. This Daly City spot makes it even more irresistible by wrapping it in a corn tortilla and topping it with red onion and mango salsa.

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Chicken Satay Taco at Fusion Taco (Houston)

Fushion Taco

So far we’ve hit Japan, Korea and China, but now it’s time to move on to Thailand. Long the standard appetizer of American Thai food, grilled chicken satay gets turned on its head with grilled onions, peanut sauce and red cabbage slaw in a thick tortilla at the creatively named Houston restaurant.

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Fried Paneer Taco at Velvet Taco (Dallas)

Velvet Taco

Fried cheese? Count us in. Rather than go with queso flameado, this spot transports us to India with indulgent cheese topped with tomato chutney, Thai basil, tikka sauce and raita crema on a flour tortilla. Good luck eating this one without making a mess.

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Souvlaki Taco at Death Ave. (NYC)

Death Ave

Despite the foreboding name, you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the lively food at this Chelsea eatery. A traditional Greek dish, souvlaki becomes taco when served in thin pita “tortillas” with yogurt-cucumber sauce, sautéed onions and tomato with your choice of steak, sausage or chicken.

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Banh Mi Taco at Peached Tortilla (Austin)

Courtesy of The Peached Tortilla

The banh mi has become so ubiquitous that we’ve almost stopped ordering it. Thank goodness we didn’t, because this quirky Austin locale serves its version as a taco with Vietnamese-braised pork belly, pickled daikon carrot, sriracha mayo and fresh cilantro on a house-made tortilla.

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Lox Breakfast Taco at Project Taco (L.A.)

Courtesy of Project Taco

Some might say it’s sacrilege to take lox away from a bagel, but that’s because they haven’t tried it on a breakfast taco. This Hermosa Beach food stand serves up a cold taco with smoked salmon, lemon-caper cream cheese, cucumber, onion, tomato and cilantro.

Replay gallery

10 Unusual Tacos Redefining the Genre

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Octopus Taco at East Side King (Austin)

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Lamb Shoulder at Goa Taco (New York City)

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Short Rib Taco at Kogi (L.A.)

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Tuna Poke Taco at Beauty & Essex (NYC)

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Roast Duck Taco at Kung Fu Tacos (San Francisco)

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Chicken Satay Taco at Fusion Taco (Houston)

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Fried Paneer Taco at Velvet Taco (Dallas)

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Souvlaki Taco at Death Ave. (NYC)

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Banh Mi Taco at Peached Tortilla (Austin)

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Lox Breakfast Taco at Project Taco (L.A.)

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10 Unusual Tacos Redefining the Genre

1 of 10

Octopus Taco at East Side King (Austin)

1 of 10

2 of 10

Lamb Shoulder at Goa Taco (New York City)

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Short Rib Taco at Kogi (L.A.)

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Tuna Poke Taco at Beauty & Essex (NYC)

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Roast Duck Taco at Kung Fu Tacos (San Francisco)

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Chicken Satay Taco at Fusion Taco (Houston)

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Fried Paneer Taco at Velvet Taco (Dallas)

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Souvlaki Taco at Death Ave. (NYC)

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Banh Mi Taco at Peached Tortilla (Austin)

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Lox Breakfast Taco at Project Taco (L.A.)

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