Streetlight Taco- Authentic Mexican. It’s all about the ingredients.
Chef-partner Michael Brannock shares his passion and knowledge for the carefully curated ingredients used at Tampa’s new Streetlight Taco.
You’ve heard many restaurants being called authentic. Sometimes, it’s because the owners hail from the same region of the world as the food, and sometimes, because you leave feeling as though you experienced the ethnic soul of the place. At Streetlight Tacos, Chef-partner Michael Brannock, who has long wanted to open a Mexican restaurant, visited Mexico eight times in two years to learn the food, ingredients, and processes unique to that country. He brought that knowledge and, more importantly, his sources back to Tampa and to his new eatery on Henderson Blvd in Tampa. His passion for the food shows. He spent a few minutes with us (and will for anyone else who asks) explaining the differences in the 59 varieties of corn from Mexico, the different chilis used in their kitchen, and the significance of their nixtamalization- the process that gets raw corn prepared to make the perfect tortilla. The ingredients used here are subtle yet complex. The processes, such as using a volcanic stone to grind the corn into masa and a manual press to make each tortilla, are old school. This is authentic Mexican food.
Medallions of masa dough rest following the specialized nixtamalization process.
After the masa has rested, tortillas are individually hand-pressed and grilled e for service
Brannock co-owns the restaurant, which opened in January. He partnered with Jack Murray and Nick Reader, both experienced in the restaurant space and investors in the Michlin-starred Rocca in Tampa.
Streetlight’s interior is bright and modern, with an L-shaped dining room surrounding the full-service bar and open grill kitchen. Al fresco dining is also available on the patio facing Henderson Blvd. According to Murry, they have modernized the tableside ordering process, where diners are encouraged to use QR codes to see the menu and order. Streetlight chose this system to improve service and cut down on labor costs.
One half of the L-shaped Streetlight Taco dining room.
The Bar and open kitchen are lined with counter space where customers can get an up-close look at the action.
The drink menu, as one might guess, is tequila-forward. There are seven house Margaritas, ten signature craft cocktails, some specialty frozen drinks, a list of imported and domestic beer, Mexican juices, sodas, sangria, and a short wine list. The bar showcases its impressive collection of Mezcal.
The simple food menu offers 8 different tacos, some with stone-ground heirloom corn tortillas and some with flour. The corn tortillas have an interesting look, marbled with different colors. Much of the menu is shareable.
Admittedly, I'm a kitchen voyeur, so we sit at the bar counter to watch the action. Streetlight's food line is fun to watch as six chefs work cohesively in a quiet concert of food prep.
Guacamole- avocado, lime cilantro, jalapeno, red onion with house made tostadas
We start with guacamole, as my tablemate is an aficionado of the green goodness. Chunky, creamy guac, served with four whole fried tortillas plated vertically, is a cool presentation. Thin slices of jalapeno accent the mash, and a slice of lime tops it off. With the tortillas hot and crispy, she gives it an enthusiastic thumbs up, saying the flavors are balanced and full of avocado richness.
Elote- Wood grilled sweet corn on the cob with house made mayo, cojita cheese, guajillo peppers
Next is the Elote (aka Mexican Street Corn), wood-grilled sweet corn on the cob, coated with creamy house-made mayo for flavor and as a binder for the generous serving of Cohita cheese and sprinkled with guajillo peppers. It is a warm, corny, sweet, buttery treat.
Zucchini- wood grilled zucchini with avocado with goddess dressing and chive
Streetlights Wood-grilled zucchini comes in four strips of thinly sliced squash with seared grill marks on both sides and topped with avocado goddess dressing and chive. There's a strong smokey overtone with a creamy finish, but this dish is bland. It doesn’t rise to the flavor standards of the other dishes we’ve tasted so far.
Sweet Potato Taco- sweet potato wedges with an agave glaze, scallion, goat cheese pomegranate, jalapeno, sesame salsa matcha
Okay, let’s talk tacos. We start with the house Sweet Potato Taco. It’s built on those beautiful marbled heirloom corn tortillas with sweet potato wedges topped with agave glaze, scallion, a smear of goat cheese, dotted with pomegranate, thin slices of jalapeno, and sesame salsa matcha. The creamy cheese nuzzles the sweetness of the potato and pomegranate, with the peppers and salsa adding a mild zing. It’s a vegetarian taco dream.
Shrimp Tacos- poblano peppers, onion, melted cheese, cilantro, tomato, avocado goddess aioli on a flour tortilla
Next, shrimp tacos are served on a flour tortilla with 3 medium shrimp: poblano peppers, onion, melted cheese, cilantro, tomato, and avocado goddess aioli. The shrimp's natural sweetness complements the poblanos and cheese, rendering a rich, luscious bite.
Flan- with piloncillo (brown cane sugar)caramel and orange zest
Espresso Martini with espresso, Mr. Black Coffee Liqueur, coconut milk and simple syrup
We wrap it all up with flan. It’s a typical ramekin-sized disc of custard topped with piloncillo (brown cane sugar) caramel. Mexico celebrates its flan by offering many different flavors, and this version is very orange-forward, being topped with orange zest. If you really like orange, you’ll like this!
Streetlight Tacos brand new building on Henderson Blvd., Tampa
Are you ready for a culinary trip south of the border? Try Streetlight. Prices are moderate for this part of town, service is friendly and snappy, and management loves discussing their approach, ingredients, and mission. Just ask. Parking can be challenging during the day, but it expands to surrounding businesses in the evening.
Tues - Wed: 11:30 – 9, Thurs - Sat: 11:30 – 10, Sunday: 11:30 – 9, closed Mondays.