Digg’s Taco Shop offers numerous dining options, from tacos to carnitas to a burrito bowl, pictured here. They also serve their drinks in a brown paper bag. (MICHAEL DANSER/The Daily Campus)
You may have noticed a new neighbor in University Park. No, not the girl that came back from studying abroad or the awkward guy who moved to your floor after the break, but a new restaurant called Digg’s Taco Shop that opens today.
Located right off Hillcrest, Digg’s is a convenient and tasty bite to eat that is sure to attract the SMU clientele. The taco shop channels both South-Austin flare and Highland Park sophistication, making it at once laid-back and gourmet. I see Digg’s as an ideal culinary crossroads for SMU students and the University Park community. It’s the kind of place where the grungiest of college kids and the preppiest of soccer moms could both grab a bite to eat.
What’s more, the taqueria offers a diverse variety of food – from burritos, salads and quesadillas to “hamburguesas” and french fries.
Indeed, there were a lot of options on the menu, but when I stopped by Digg’s, I decided to stick to their specialty: tacos. But before we get to tacos, let’s talk chips and guacomole. In my book, any meal that begins with guacamole is off to a good start. The guacamole was a very simple mélange of avocado, parsley and onions. Although slightly under-salted for my taste, it was some of the freshest guacomole I’ve had in Dallas. The chips, although crispy, were not spectacular.
Ok, on to tacos. First off, they are a complete steal, especially considering the locale. Priced at only $6, the “Taco Combo” scores you two tacos of your choice placed between a cup of black beans and a mound of cilantro rice. Wrapped in soft white-corn tortillas, each taco offers a well-seasoned, tangy handful.
I tried the braised (free range) chicken, roast pork carnitas, healthy veggie mix and fried mahi tacos. The chicken tacos combined beautifully-marinated shredded chicken, lettuce, red cabbage, a delicately delicious cheese, and their house sauce to create a classic, delicious chicken taco. Give this one a try. The pork carnitas, while also very well marinated, were unquestionably oily and borderline greasy. Unless you’re a pork fanatic, I’d go for another option.
The veggie taco, however, was well executed and original. Uniting grilled carrots, red bell peppers as well as the normal taco fare into this “healthy veggie mix” extracted a smoky, sweet final product that tasted subtlety of barbecue. I thoroughly enjoyed this little creation.
Perhaps the biggest disappointment, however, was the mahi taco. Admittedly, I have very high standards when it comes to fish tacos. Nevertheless, this fish taco did boast a tasty lime-dill mayo and a lightly fried mahi – both were good. The Achilles heel of this fish taco was the coleslaw placed on top. Its dressing overpowered the whole taco, stole the tang thunder from the mayo, and left my taste buds sadly unsatisfied.
Ready for dessert, I let the fish taco gaffe slide and gladly dug into the “crispy jelly donut holes”. These donut holes and Digg’s margarita popsicle are the only items on the dessert menu. Reminiscent of a mini beignet, these pop-able donut holes are a fun, creative way to end a meal.
In terms of service, it was quick and friendly, leaving me with no complaints.
My favorite part of this place is the atmosphere. Digg’s succeeds in creating a fun, relaxed atmosphere that leaves you wondering, “Are they playing my iPod?”.
This taco joint rocks out with speakers lining the walls, Hendrix albums on the shelf and even an art installment of cassette tapes. Combining clean woods and a simple color palette with industrial fixtures and clean lines, this place walks the line between classic and trendy.
Overall, Digg’s provides quality food, sensible prices, and unrivaled convenience.
(MICHAEL DANSER/The Daily Campus)
