Omnivore - Pure Taqueria an instant hit?

Open only a few days, it was packed Tuesday night

We checked out the new Pure Taqueria on North Highland in Inman Park tonight and had a pleasant meal. The place was packed, noisy as hell and featured a young, energetic staff that might end up becoming known as the city’s best looking.

The redo of the former tenant’s interior in a huge improvement and has a lot in common with the Taqueria del Sol look — lots of windows, a long bar (above) where you can eat and swill margaritas.  Unlike TDS, however, you don’t stand in line to order. Although,  you may have to wait for a table. We waited about 20 minutes. That’s not an experience one has in Atlanta restaurants much these days, especially on a Tuesday night.

Most of our food was good. Probably my favorite dish was a starter of grilled shrimp with an avocado-habanero salsa (right). For an entree, I tried chicken enchiladas with mole, which, like much of the food here, tasted a lot better than it looked. The mole was quite good, in fact.

As at the new Lupe, tacos are sold three-to-a-plate but you can mix and match. That will drive the price up a bit, since you also have to order side dishes — even the omnipresent rice and frijoles refritos --  a la carte.

A surprise was a tres leches cake made with coconut. It works!

Look for more in a future Grazing column.

(Photos by Cliff Bostock)