A Story of Tacos

Sometimes lineage is genetics and destiny. How much does it define us? For example, my great-great-grandmother, my great-grandmother, my grandmother, and I have made a living through food. The story of the Velázquez family is similar. They carry tacos in their DNA. And you know the saying: “tacos before batos.” But for that family, “tacos before anything else.” Generally, taco chains disappoint us over the years: either the meat that started off good ends up decreasing in quality, or the costs increase so much that the equation falls short. However, the story of Maestro Taquero is a success story that has stood the test of time. Perhaps you don't know this place because it's new, but its history is not. The experience of years shows. As soon as you enter the three-story restaurant, you are welcomed with a beer. The tacos are prepared in view through glass. Unlike a conventional taquería, the cooks wear pristine white uniforms. There are no metal or plastic tables here, but equipales very much in the Jalisco style. Of course, Chente or Recodo plays in the background, and on the table, according to the friendly waiters, there are salsas for every type of taco. I confess that what resonates in my head as a restaurant chain makes me suspicious. But the tacos I tried on my visit lowered the temperature of my judgmental palate. It’s the law of tacos that one cannot find under the same “güero” good tripa tacos and good asada or pastor tacos, however, at Maestro Taquero each specimen tasted like authenticity from the corner: they had the complex flavors of the street but with the quality of a good steakhouse. The suadero, pastor, and arrachera tacos were unforgettable. And as I say, the story does not begin here, in Condesa, but in the Central de Abasto thirty-five years ago. The tapatía María de la Luz Velázquez had the gift of cooking, so she began selling quesadillas de guisado in a tiny shop among the diableros, fruits, and vegetables. The need to offer more variety of food led her to venture into the world of tacos. Years went by until her shop in aisle 4 of that area became one of 50 square meters. The family that wove around the matriarch was always entrepreneurial. Each member remembers having been trained behind the grills and stoves of Aunt María de la Luz. This happened with her brother, Mr. Francisco Velázquez, Francisco's mother, and even his children.When what they had in the Central became too small, the synchronicity of the universe led Mr. Francisco and his mother Doña Rosa to get lost on Avenida Cuauhtémoc. Upon reaching a corner, she had a vision: she imagined that they could expand their business in that place. The following month, the lady passed away, and Don Francisco returned to the shop to fulfill his mother's wish. Thus, the taquerías Don Frank were born. In his native Jalisco, Don Francisco was dedicated to livestock and agriculture without much success, so this new business opened doors to new opportunities. At Don Frank, he now offered different types of tacos than those in the Central: chicken, breast, rib, arrachera, and others. The business was a success. Soon they went from having a shop on the second floor to owning the entire corner. The venture continued, and they opened a second branch between Pitágoras and Paseos. In 2012, Don Francisco's father passed away. Nostalgia led him back to Jalisco, where he bought land to start again as a rancher. In this way, he and his family could have absolute control over the meat they offered in their taquerías.As expansion is a league that stretches, the Velázquez family opened the third branch of Don Frank on Mier y Pesado, and years later, Don Francisco's sons, Eduardo and Juan Francisco founded Huerta loca, from where they supply fruits and vegetables. A win-win business.When the pandemic hit, the dining areas of their shops had to close, however, they opted to offer tacos for takeout. This way, they survived the crisis and created Maestro Taquero. With some shots of tequila on the table, the young Velázquez brothers dreamed of opening a restaurant that would transport diners to the provinces, where after-meals could be prolonged, where one could serve everything from cantaritos to good tequila, like the one they had in front of them. The image that adorns Maestro Taquero shows the face of Don Roberto Lozano, the maternal grandfather of the Velázquez children. Maestro Taquero not only honors him but also all the unsung heroes who extinguish hunger, ease the hangover, and warm the soul regardless of the hour of the morning. It also honors the men and women who rise with the sun and sleep later than anyone; cooks who with their flavors, good salsas, and grilling secrets brighten the days, the nights, and the in-betweens. At Maestro Taquero, the experience is premium, yet it does not strain the wallet. The tortilla is longer, as it must support the weight of the meat cut. The salsas are made for each type of taco. For example, the pulla and árbol chili salsa pairs well with the bistec and cheese tacos. The chipotle and boiled morita salsa is the one for the pastor finished on the stone. In the end, the dream of tequila was fulfilled abundantly: together with Tequila Don Ramón, the brothers produced a bottle with Swarovski crystals that can be ordered to pair with a good alambre, a good taco.This is just the result of thirty-five years of family legacy, the perfection of recipes and love for cooking. The story of the Velázquez family is one of success that teaches us that not only talent but also courage and desire run in the blood.