Taco “omakase“ in a hawker centre? Taco Liberation Co. at Amoy Street serves under-S$10 mystery taco sets
You know how people nowadays are infatuated with blind boxes and gacha?
Here’s how you can put your faith in Lady Luck, when it comes to your meals, too!
You can now get taco “blind boxes” at Amoy Street Food Centre’s newest stall, Taco Liberation Co.
The stall is located on the second floor of the hawker centre and catches the eye with its snazzy yellow signboards, which call to you from afar.
Going up close will reveal something very interesting: There’s no real menu, except for a choice of meat or veg, just like your usual caifan stall!
It’s certainly a fresh and creative way of selling tacos — Taco Liberation Co calls it “taco blind boxes”, but it seems more omakase-style. (Omakase just means “I leave it to you“ in Japanese, and often refers to menus where the chef chooses what to serve.)
The whole concept is pretty unique, really. “Selling taco blindboxes in a hawker centre“ might actually be a brand new sentence that’s never been said before.
Don’t worry, though — you’re in good hands. The couple behind Taco Liberation Co. used to work in restaurants, which includes cult-favourite artisan pizza brand Yeastside.
Hawker centre omakase?
When it comes down to it, if you ask us, the most important element is definitely the price.
Prices start from S$5.90 for two veggie tacos, and go up depending on your chosen combination of meat versus veggies.
The prices are as follows:
- Veggie tacos: Two for S$5.90, three for S$6.90
- Meat tacos: Two for S$8.50, three for S$9.90
- Mixed tacos: One meat and one veg at S$7.90, two meat and one veg at S$8.90
That’s under S$10 for three tacos, each loaded with a decent amount of fillings.
That will set you back quite a bit more, at most sit-down taco restaurants in the CBD, especially taking into account GST and service charges.
Tacos aren’t the cheapest things around.
So, what do you get in your taco “blind box“? You never really know, since the couple says it really depends on their mood. They don’t want it to get boring — both for them and customers!
That ethos is reflected on its signboard, boldly emblazoned with the slogan: “I cook what, you eat what!“
For the carnivores, you’ll get some scandalously juicy and saucy meats that are messy in the best way possible.
One very unique meat filling that Taco Liberation Co. served on our visit was the Coke chicken, which gushed with juice.
It may sound unorthodox, but the distinct sweetness of the Coke melded pleasantly with the rest of the condiments.
Taco Liberation Co. also had a kimchi pork that will definitely satisfy those who enjoy the acidity and spice of kimchi, which was just *chef’s kiss* when combined with the luscious pork.
Besides these, we also had a bak kut teh chicken taco, and the couple also listed some of their other meat creations, including bolognese pork, white curry chicken, and kopitiam Western-inspired black pepper chicken.
Tasty veggies and…tiramisu?
The vegetarians aren’t forgotten, either. Taco Liberation Co. churns out some remarkably hearty veggie tacos that can rival the meats in flavour.
The couple gets real creative with their ideas for veggie tacos, including using Chinese barbecue-spice powder to give it that punchy, cumin-laden profile that Dongbei cuisine is known for.
It’s been used to make both Chinese BBQ eggplant and Chinese BBQ potato, with the latter being particularly memorable, featuring immensely soft and fluffy chunks of potato.
On other occasions, you can also indulge in curry powder cauliflower and gochujang mushroom tacos.
Vegetarian options are usually an afterthought, for most F&B joints, but if you ask us, the veggies here are just as good as the meat options.
Plus, there are flavours from all around the globe — talk about variety.
But that’s just the tacos: Its menu also features a few sides that customers can top-up to complete their meal, including nachos chips (S$1) and avocados cubed (S$5).
And it’s not just savouries: Taco Liberation Co. also serves tiramisu (small for S$4.50, whole for S$13)!
Tiramisu in a hawker stall? Yes, and it’s actually a pretty solid one that’s rich with silky cream and a good dose of coffee fragrance.
With all these unique little quirks, Taco Liberation Co. makes for quite an interesting spot for CBD-dwellers who want to spice up their lunches.
Don’t worry about it being too messy, too, since disposable gloves are available on request!
This was a hosted tasting.
For more ideas on what to eat, read our stories on The Fresh Pasta, a new pasta spot in a hawker centre and the newest international brand opening, all the way from Hong Kong!
Tue 10am - 3pm
Wed 10am - 3pm
Thu 10am - 3pm
Fri 10am - 3pm
- Tanjong Pagar
- Telok Ayer
Evan started off writing about food on Instagram, before joining outlets such as Buro and Confirm Good to pursue his passion. His best work usually comes after his first whisky shot in the morning.
Read more stories from this writer.New Openings Hawkers Mexican Tacos Amoy Street Food Centre Telok Ayer Tanjong Pagar Central CBD
