Flynn Tedesco prepares a burrito in the kitchen of Blanca Estrada, a pop-up Mexican eatery by Michael Toscano inside the former location of a UPS store, Friday, December 6, 2024, in Charleston.
Michael Toscano's four restaurants have thus far focused on Italian-inspired cooking. The chef's newest venture strays from the pastas, Roman-influenced pizzas and porchetta sandwiches served at Le Farfalle, Da Toscano Porchetta Shop and Fugazzi at Revelry Brewing Co., respectively.
Blanca Estrada Taqueria is now open in Charleston, serving lunch and dinner from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. The pop-up restaurant, in a former UPS Store next to Le Farfalle, draws on Toscano's Mexican heritage.
Named after his mother and grandmother, Blanca Estrada's tacos, enchiladas and burritos are based on family recipes rooted in Mexico. Tortillas are made by hand at Le Farfalle, walked next door and heated to order.
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"It's not only childhood recipes but it's also my love for regional Mexican cooking," Toscano said.
The small square space has been reimagined since its days as a package center. Stark black counters and communal seating juxtapose a colorful chalkboard menu and salsa bar across the room. Salsa verde, salsa roja, pico de gallo and salsa macha await for those who place an order at the counter, where family photos and ceramics line a pair of shelves.
The tacos are transcendent, the house-made corn tortillas firm but pliable. One, filled with guisado, or braised meat, has the texture of pot roast, but it's far more robust. The strands are adequately sauced, with notes of chilis and warm spice within the coating. The cochinita pibil, a product of Mexico's Yucatán peninsula, features bright bits of pork and shares the same white onion and cilantro topping as all tacos at Blanca Estrada.
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Toscano is calling Blanca Estrada a pop-up, but he plans to make it a permanent destination. He wants to turn its current space at 15 Beaufain St. into a pizzeria and move Blanca Estrada to a new larger location.
For now, diners can find enchiladas, burritos and bowls plus tacos filled with cauliflower, dried chilis and pineapple steps away from King Street.
For more information, follow Blanca Estrada Taqueria on Instagram @blancaestradachs.
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