Remember when Winter Park landmark PR’s Taco Palace opened new locations on Kirkman and in Lake Mary – and then closed them both? Bucky and Big Tim, a couple guys from the Kirkman PR’s, have now struck out on their own, taken over the nearby Underground Bluz, and christened their new joint Sloppy Taco Palace.
At the moment, STP is kinda hidden. The new occupants still light up the “Underground Bluz” sign each night, confusing newbies and the Bar Bites writer acting on a hot tip. Inside, an L-shaped bar fills one corner and a small stage sits opposite, big enough for a duo or a really skinny quartet. On both my visits, the stage was empty but Skynyrd was on XM and basketball was on TV.
Scoping: Sloppy Taco Palace is very guy-heavy. I’d say, on average, the mix is 90 percent dude and just 10 percent dudette. Ladies, whether that scares you off or offers an excellent opportunity, is up to you.
Drinking: STP has a full liquor license, but its focus is on the beer. In fact, there’s a chalkboard over the bar listing the beer of the moment. They’ll sell it until it’s gone and then stock something else. I’d tell you how that beer tasted, but STP had run out the night before. It’ll change again by the time you read this anyway.
A pint of Guinness is $5 and a pint of Blue Moon is $4.69. Bottled beers run a little more exotic. If you’re an IPA lover, Lagunitas runs $3.50 and Acme is $3.29. A margarita on the rocks served in a pint glass is $5.75. Happy hour runs from 4-7 p.m. and 12-2 a.m. with $2 domestic pints and $1 off wine.
Chewing: Right next to the beer chalkboard is another one listing the salsa of the day with chips ($2.50). I somehow managed to visit exactly between the time that the mango salsa had run out and the tomatillo salsa was still being prepped. Since mango was still up on the board, my server (Bucky? Big Tim?) comped an order of freshly-fried chips and threw in some queso along with the hot and mild salsas. Bar owners -that’s the right way to make up for being out of a menu item.
The stuffed jalapenos ($5.25) took me back to a time when “poppers” were a new idea and restaurants made them fresh and by hand. STP starts with fresh (!!!) peppers and stuffs them with a cream cheese blend. Then, the jalapenos are lightly breaded and deep fried. Once you’ve had the real deal again, it’ll be hard going back to those thickly-battered, frozen things that only use half a pepper. STP includes a side of the homemade queso for dipping. After three, I broke into a sweat and ate three more. Next time, I’ll try the version that includes bacon.
Mini fundido ($5.25) is like a Mexican egg roll, though the tortilla wrap is a little softer than its Chinese cousin. Inside, you get either chicken or beef and a cream cheese filling. For me, the chicken version was too mild, but after the stuffed jalapenos, almost everything is.
And now, the sloppy taco ($3.50) itself. If you’ve ever had PR’s truckstop taco, it’s similar but different. The shell is a flour tortilla, fried to puff it up a bit. Then, it’s filled with your choice of chicken, steak, pork or ground beef. After that, a healthy (or is that “unhealthy?”) dose of queso is poured on. The shredded pork (or “poke” as the menu says) is hot and juicy and full of flavor. Yes, it is sloppy and drippy, but that’s how you want it. The steak version also deserves mention for the nice crispy bits. I’m guessing someone’s got a cast-iron skillet back in that kitchen.
For the non-sloppy among us, STP will make you a more conventional crispy taco or soft taco for $2.25. You can also opt for the fish taco (no giggling, please) at $3.50. I thought the bits of griddled fish were on the dry side, but I’m at least grateful STP didn’t use glorified fish sticks like I’ve seen some other places attempt.
Going: The men’s can has your basic array of beer mirrors and band fliers. I suggest you screw that original artwork to the wall or some drunkard is going to try and sneak it home one night.
Departing: From talking to patrons, it’s pretty clear that a lot of the Kirkman PR’s fans have made the move over to Sloppy Taco Palace. Maybe you should too. If enough eaters and drinkers find the place, maybe they can spring for a new sign … and STP won’t be such a buried treasure.
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