Poblacion’s Taco-Mata to close down

MANILA, Philippines – One of Poblacion’s famous taco joints, Taco-Mata, is unfortunately closing down after three years in business.

In a Wednesday, January 18 Instagram post, Taco-Mata’s owners, husband Arthur Dancel and wife Arra Dancel, announced that they would be closing Taco-Mata for now until they get back to Manila. The overseas couple has recently had “their hands full,” raising their newborn baby boy Santino.

Taco-Mata will be open only until Saturday, February 18. Customers can still dine al fresco at the Poblacion branch, or order for pick-up and delivery via GrabFood. The branch is open from Tuesdays to Saturdays, 6 pm to 12 am, and on Sundays from 5 pm to 11 pm.

“Thank you for all the support. We appreciate you all, and we’ll see you soon,” Arthur added.

The popular night hangout spot is known for its unique, New York-inspired soft tacos, in best-selling variants like the Soho Taco, made with thinly-sliced tenderloin steak au poivre cooked sous-vide, served with caramelized onions, potato strings, and brandy-infused peppercorn sauce; and the Harlem Taco, made with southern-inspired fried chicken, brined in buttermilk, and served with slaw, muscovado sugar, crushed peanuts, and mild green sauce.

Other tacos (including a vegan option), burritos, burrito bowls, and sides are also available.

Taco-Mata is not traditional Mexican food – they are “gourmet fusion tacos inspired by the multi-cultural diversity of NYC,” which is where Arthur and Arra previously worked in corporate and Wall Street, respectively, before moving to the Philippines.

“As New Yorkers, we would like to share our NYC inspirations with you, using the Mexican tortilla as a vehicle to present our favorite flavors,” the website reads.

Taco-Mata is located at 5686 Dona Carmen, Poblacion, Makati City, near the corner of Kalayaan. For more information, you can check out Instagram. – Rappler.com