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What do you do when your temporary sandwich place, Pirolo’s Panino Pop-Up, turns out more successful than you thought? You turn your steak house into a taco shop by day, of course.
That’s what the Pubbelly boys have decided to do with their new Taco Belly pop-up. Beginning July 3, PB Steak will turn out tacos at lunchtime weekdays from noon to 4. The Pubbelly-style taqueria will feature house-made salsas, small plates, salads, sandwiches, and — duh — tacos. Because it’s summer, you’ll want a few margaritas and micheladas to stay cool during your midday break, and Taco Belly is happy to oblige. There’s also Mexican beer and more.
See also: Pirolo’s Panino Pop-Up at Macchialina: Great Sandwiches, Good Prices
Pubbelly partner Andreas Schreiner says he’s “pumped” to bring another summer lunch pop-up to South Beach, with the idea behind Taco Belly the same as Pirolo’s Panino — to provide a “casual, fun, and affordable lunch concept the area has been lacking.”
For the menu, chef José Mendín is taking cues from his experience as corporate chef at Mercadito and his sous-chef’s Mexican heritage to tweak traditional Mexican taco stands with some Pubbelly twists.
Small plates ($3 to $9) include made-to-order guacamoles; hamachi, Maine lobster, and mahi-mahi ceviche taquitos; quesadillas de elote with charred sweet corn, mushrooms, huitlacoche, and truffle; queso fundido with short rib; and queso sin fundir (whipped burrata with pickled onions, morrones, corn, and coleslaw, served with warm tortillas).
Salads and sandwiches ($6 to $10) include the ensalada Taco Belly (romaine, corn, pico de gallo, radishes, avocado, beans, and chipotle ranch); a Mexican burger topped with guacamole, crema, and queso fundido; and the tostada de bacon, with house-made bacon, salsa roja, heirloom tomatoes, queso, and crema Mexicana on a flat crunchy tortilla.
Tacos ($3 to $6) include carne asada; pescado served estilo baja-style (fried) or grilled with chipotle spicy slaw; camaron a la diabla (roasted laughing bird shrimp, chipotle, crema, and avocado); chicken mole; cochinillo; fried calamari; and bulgogi.
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