What’s on the menu at Holi Taco

This Leslieville hole in the wall is about to be your new favourite taco spot

By Liza Agrba| Photography by Pat Ozols

| September 4, 2024

Name: Holi Taco Contact: 1636 Queen St. E., @holi_taco Neighbourhood: Leslieville Chef: Luis Valenzuela Owners: Luis Valenzuela, Sebastian Foo Accessibility: Not accessible

When chef Luis Valenzuela immigrated to Toronto from Toluca, Mexico, in the early 2000s, he missed the taquerias. In his home city, the best tacos generally came from small quick-service establishments where you could grab them piping hot and be on your way in minutes. In Valenzuela’s opinion, tacos are best served and eaten without delay—and not particularly well-suited to hours-long degustation over white tablecloths.

It would take more than twenty years for Valenzuela to open his own homage to Toluca’s taquerias. During that time, he trained at George Brown, worked his way up through numerous kitchens and opened the now-shuttered Queen West restaurant Carmen Cocina Española. Valenzuela sold his share of Carmen after starting a family in 2018 and came full-circle to teach in George Brown’s culinary program soon afterward.

After the pandemic, Valenzuela started to think about opening a spot of his own again. He went to check out the space that would become Holi Taco—a Burger’s Priest at the time—a stone’s throw away from History, the Queen East concert venue. Tiny and no-frills, it was the perfect setting for his dream taqueria. So Valenzuela jumped on it, hired several of his George Brown students—who now make up most of Holi Taco’s staff—and got to work.

The Food

Think of this as slow-fast food. Assuming there’s no line when you arrive, don’t expect to wait long for your order—but behind the scenes, most items take hours to prepare. The pork shoulder in the tacos al pastor is marinated for 24 hours and slow-cooked all day (under a pineapple, no less), and the brisket braises for up to six hours. Those are just two of the nine taco varieties—available in singles or trios—to choose from, including no-slouch vegetarian options like mushroom and nopal cactus. The tacos emerge from the kitchen unadorned and are meant to be customized with onion, cilantro and house-made salsas—including a killer habanero salsa that should be approached with due caution.

This is the salsa morita—a mild, smoky blend of morita chilis cooked with peanuts. Fun fact: morita and chipotle are both just smoked jalapeño peppers. The former aren’t smoked as long as the latter, so they hold on to more fruity notes, making them a nice complement for the salsa’s peanut base — This is the salsa morita—a mild, smoky blend of morita chilies and peanuts. Fun fact: morita and chipotle are both smoked jalapeño peppers. The former aren’t smoked for as long as the latter, so they hold on to more fruity notes, making them a nice complement to the salsa’s peanut base

From left: the de suadero (brisket), longanisa (chorizo), and campechano (brisket, chorizo, and chicharron) — From left: the de suadero (brisket), longanisa (chorizo) and campechano (brisket, chorizo and chicharrón)

Brisket is cut, cured, and braised with Serrano chilis, cumin, and oregano before it makes its way onto this taco. We topped it with salsa morita, cilantro, and onion. $6, $17 for 3 — The brisket is cut, cured and braised with serrano chilies, cumin and oregano before it makes its way onto this taco. We topped it with salsa morita, cilantro and onion. $6 each ($17 for three)

This is the taco campechano, featuring a trio of brisket, chorizo, and chicharron in case you can’t decide between the three. Topped with habanero salsa, cilantro, and onion. $7, three for $20 — This is the taco campechano, featuring a trio of brisket, chorizo and chicharrón—in case you can’t decide between the three. This one is topped with habanero salsa, cilantro and onion. $7 ($20 for three)

Chopping chorizo hot from the choricera—a concave pan often used to help drain excess fat from meat as it cooks. — Chopping chorizo hot from the choricera: a concave pan that’s used to help drain excess fat from meat as it cooks

Stuffing a tortilla with slow-braised brisket

A mix of brisket, chorizo, and chicharron destined for the tacos campechanos. Topped with very spicy pineapple-habanero sauce, cilantro, and onion. $7, $20 for three — This mix of brisket, chorizo and chicharrón is destined for the tacos campechanos

For the tacos de pescado, haddock is breaded in a mix of corn-flour (incidentally gluten-free), guajillo and pasilla chilis, and garlic before getting fried to a perfect crisp. It’s served topped with shredded cabbage and pico de gallo (tomato, onion, serrano chili, and lemon); we finished it with cilantro and salsa verde. $7, $20 for three — For the tacos de pescado, haddock is breaded in a mix of corn flour (incidentally gluten-free), guajillo and pasilla chilies, and garlic before getting fried to a perfect crisp. It’s served with shredded cabbage and pico de gallo (tomato, onion, serrano chili and lemon); we finished it with cilantro and salsa verde. $7 ($20 for three)

This is Holi Taco’s take on the time-honoured classic, tacos al pastor. Pork shoulder is marinated with annatto and a trio of guajillo, puya, and ancho chilis for 24 hours. Then, it’s slow-cooked on a rotating spit under a pineapple, which lends all its delectable, tenderizing juices to the meat (an order of al pastor comes topped with pineapple shavings). Pictured with salsa morita and cilantro. $6, $17 for three — This is Holi Taco’s take on the time-honoured classic, tacos al pastor. Pork shoulder is marinated with annatto and a trio of guajillo, puya and ancho chilies for 24 hours. Then it’s slow-cooked on a rotating spit under a pineapple, which lends all its delectable, tenderizing juices to the meat (an order of al pastor comes topped with pineapple shavings). Pictured with salsa morita and cilantro. $6 ($17 for three)

Holi Taco gets its tortillas from Maizal, a no-waste tortilleria on Ossington that sources corn locally and grinds it fresh every day

Housemade salsas habanero and verde, complete with a handy spice guide — House-made salsas habanero and verde, complete with a handy spice guide

Pork roasting on a trompo under a juicy pineapple for the al pastor

Onions, cilantro, and lime for your taco personalization pleasure — Onions, cilantro and lime for your taco personalization pleasure

From left, Lovepreet Singh, Luis Valenzuela, and Alex Lu. Singh and Lu, like most of Holi Taco’s staff, are former students of Valenzuela’s from the George Brown culinary program — From left: Lovepreet Singh, Luis Valenzuela and Alex Lu. Singh and Lu, like most of Holi Taco’s staff, are former students of Valenzuela’s from the George Brown culinary program

For the churros, dough is made in-house with the classic trio of sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon. They’re filled with sticky cojeta—heavily reduced, caramelized milk. $7 — For the churros, dough is made in-house with the classic trio of sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. They’re filled with sticky cajeta—heavily reduced caramelized milk. $7

A simple, killer guac with fresh-fried Maizal tortilla chips—avocados, lime, and tomatillo. The acidity from the lime and tomatillo act as natural preservatives—it stays bright green for much longer than you would think. $6 — A simple, killer guac—avocado, lime and tomatillo—with fresh-fried Maizal tortilla chips. The acidity from the lime and tomatillo act as natural preservatives, so it stays bright green for much longer than you would think. $6

The full toppings station in all its glory

On the left is the taco de nopal, or cactus, which is a labour-intensive business—one has to manually take the spikes out before cooking. The thoroughly de-spiked cactus is cooked down without losing its signature crunch, and topped with Oaxaca cheese. It’s finished with salsa roja, a blend of blistered tomatoes, onions, and jalapeno. ($6, $17 for three). On the right is the taco de hongos con huitlacoche—huitlacoche is a fungus that sprouts on corn before it’s fully ripe. Earthy and savoury/-sweet, it’s significantly more delicious than it sounds, and goes beautifully with the mushrooms and cheese that make up the base of this taco. ($7, $20 for three) — On the left is the taco de nopal, or cactus, which is a labour-intensive business—the spines have to be manually removed before cooking. The thoroughly de-spiked cactus is cooked down without losing its signature crunch and topped with Oaxaca cheese. It’s finished with salsa roja, a blend of blistered tomatoes, onions, and jalapeño. ($6, $17 for three). On the right is the taco de hongos con huitlacoche—huitlacoche is a fungus that sprouts on corn before it’s fully ripe. Earthy, savoury and sweet, it’s significantly more delicious than it sounds, and it pairs beautifully with the mushrooms and cheese that make up the base of this taco. ($7, $20 for three)

The Drinks

There’s cane-sweetened Mexican Coca-Cola, Jarritos, and a handful of excellent house-made drinks like creamy rice-and-almond-based horchata and Agua de Jamaica, a heady blend of hibiscus, ginger and cinnamon. One thing you won’t find here is bottled water—sustainability is a key part of the approach at Holi Taco, reflected not only in its biodegradable takeout containers but in its creative use of ingredients to reduce waste. Hibiscus leaves left over from the Agua de Jamaica, for instance, are repurposed into a tasty vegetarian taco.

Cucumber, lime and mint make up the super-refreshing, not-too-sweet Agua de Pepino. $5

This is the Agua de Jamaica, where tart hibiscus meets spicy ginger. Leftover hibiscus is repurposed into an excellent vegetarian taco. $5

Here we have the horchata, a creamy blend of rice, almonds, cinnamon, and vanilla. For when you’re thirsty and craving something sweet, but not too sweet — Here we have the horchata, a creamy blend of rice, almonds, cinnamon and vanilla. For when you’re thirsty and craving something sweet but not too sweet

The Space

With a takeout counter, three bar stools and a tiny kitchen in the back, there isn’t much room to manoeuvre here—all in keeping with the eat-’em-while-they’re-hot ethos. To the left of the main counter is a neat line of house-made salsas and toppings, with which you’re meant to tailor your taco to your heart’s content. The room is sunny, brightly painted and decorated with Polaroids of happy customers.