Spruce Taqueria

Spruce Taqueria – 320 Tanglin Road, Phoenix Park

I've had a gnawing hunger for simple, no frills Mexican food since Taco Bell closed down; leaving tacos only available at mid-range restaurants and above. For a country priding itself in food mania, Singaporeans are sadly unreceptive to cuisines outside the Southeast Asian comfort zone. In any case, after a long wait, Spruce Taqueria has opened its doors to people sharing my ache for the taco stand concept. My cousin and I tried almost everything on the menu for a mere $42.

We started off with the day's special, a Crab Taco Set ($12) inclusive of 2 tacos and a drink. We found the crab a little on the fishy side but the crustacean proved a most welcome adoptive addition to the Mexican family. The delicate, sweet flesh was lent weight by the creamy guacamole while being simultaneously accentuated by a mild salsa as well as a refreshing combination of lime and cilantro; textural variety was accorded by crisp radish and lettuce. The side of nachos was delightfully crunchy and dangerously moreish. The tortillas could have been a fair bit thinner though.

The Watermelon and Lime Aqua Fresca (part of a set or $2 a la carte) was unusual to say the least. While one might expect the lime to dominate, it was actually watermelon juice with a hint of lime instead of the other way around. The citrus characteristic really only presented itself as a fragrance in this thirst quenching cooler.

We followed this with a Grilled Snapper Quesadilla Set ($9) and quickly found that these warm stuffed flatbreads were our preferred medium for flavour, truly outshining the tacos. The robust, meaty fish lends itself well to the bold flavours in the marinade while the textures were a lovely combination of soft flakes of fish, crisp char and chewy, gooey semi-molten cheese.

Yearning for more, we ordered a Pork Carnita Quesadilla($6) which satisfied with moist, tender chunks of pulled pork that proved extremely filling alongside the cheese.

We followed this immediately with a Poblano Chile Quesadilla ($6) which proved a much lighter alternative with the tangy salsa lent depth by earthy mushroom notes and the caramel of grilled peppers.

A bit of remaining space dictated our ordering a final Short Rib Quesadilla ($6), beef tongue was tragically unavailable. We were recommended to try this done extra spicy and it did not disappoint; it was firmly my favourite of the whole delicious lot. The divinely soft, medium-rare morsels were accorded sultry spicy warmth and accentuated by creamy cheese. This was THE quesadilla that finally sated my long-standing gnawing hunger for Mexican.