Tasty tacos take over High Point

By: Jennifer Zeleski

Wicked Taco has finally opened its doors in High Point. It took little self-convincing to get to the door of the taco joint. Based on the line and packed dining room, it didn’t take much for others either.

After taunting the High Point community with construction updates, taco pictures, and a menu release throughout the summer, the time had finally come to grab a bite. The restaurant is set up assembly-line style, much like other competitors in the area. It was easy to note that the meat options were impressive, and the toppings and sides were abundant.

You have the chance to “build your own” if you dare, but the menu is loaded with taco creations that are hard to pass up, with catchy – if not a bit odd – names and flavor combinations.

As it turns out, all of the combination meals are about the same price, but the Wicked-style combo comes with one 7-inch taco, the street-style comes with two 3-inch tacos and the “two Wicked-style” comes with two 7-inch tacos. Each combo comes with a side: chipotle cream corn, borracho beans or Spanish rice, or another for an upcharge, as well as a fountain drink.

I was a little disappointed to have chosen the street-style tacos, considering their size, and knew I would come to regret it if the tacos were as good as they looked.

Luckily with the taco combos, you can mix and match any taco option on the menu, regardless of meat or toppings.

The Wolfie, a roasted chicken taco with Wicked sauce, red bliss potato, Mexican slaw, and Hatch queso was my first choice. The toppings made it stand out as unique to the location, and it was worth getting to try potatoes on a taco for the first time. Just one modification: I skipped the queso since my boyfriend, Peyton, who couldn’t pass up a chance for tasty tacos, decided to get it as a side, and I prefer it with chips rather than overwhelming a small taco anyways.

My second choice was the Psycho-Billy Cadillac, which struck me as an intriguing name, but was more convincing thanks to the toppings consisting of roasted chicken, grilled pineapple, guacamole, pico de gallo and jack cheese. Peyton, who had the smarter order of the two when it came to sizes, chose the two Wicked-style tacos. To switch it up, he chose two that could not be more different on the taco spectrum.

The Wicked One, which included beef brisket, Wicked sauce, onions, chipotle cream corn, jack cheese; and the Endless Summer, the only vegetarian taco, which held chile poblano, corn, onion, mushroom, mozzarella, frijoles, habanero sauce and microgreens.

There were several other beef options, as well as pork and seafood, including crunchy breaded Alaskan pollock, and quarto tostada breaded shrimp. The two that really stood out, although might not be the choice of many, were the breakfast tacos that are sold all day. The “Moo Eats Two” had farm-fresh eggs, Applewood bacon, red bliss potato and jack cheese. The “Juan in a Million” also had eggs, roasted chicken, Applewood bacon, bell peppers, onion, habanero sauce and Hatch chile queso.

So if you’re looking for a wake-up call in taco form, you’ll have to wait until they open at 11 a.m., but it might just be worth skipping brunch. Peyton and I made sure to get every taste of the “salsa temple” which included six options of salsa, as well as fresh lime and lemon slices, and an array of hot sauces typically found at a local taco spot.

The standouts were the cranberry salsa and pineapple salsa, with the cranberry as the real star. It surprised us both with its sweet, tart and smoky flavor, whereas the pineapple was just sweet but bright and a great twist on more traditional salsas.

Once we refrained ourselves from overdoing it on the chips and salsa, it was on to our tacos. Once again, I was reminded of my own failure in ordering the street-sized tacos. I may be a small human being, but the tacos were only about four bites each. And if you were lucky, all of the toppings didn’t fall out at once.

But the flavor combinations? Great and noteworthy. The Wolfie was good from the first bite, with a soft and fresh tortilla and a few larger pieces of the roasted chicken. It’s not shredded, so it wasn’t dry and still had flavor. The Mexican slaw, although I couldn’t identify what it consisted of, made the taco have a slight freshness and crunch that it needed in combination with the potatoes. Speaking of the red blisses, they weren’t all that noticeable but could be filling on a larger taco. If the taco had been drenched in queso, I am not sure that I would have enjoyed it as much, so consider opting out if you don’t enjoy cheese sauce. However, the side of queso paired with the chips was quite addicting for Peyton, and I had to agree that it was creamy, sweet and savory.

Disclaimer: It’s not bright orange, the texture is smooth with every scoop, and the 2-ounce side portion was more than enough for two people.

My second taco, the Psycho-Billy Cadillac, didn’t have the same flavor dynamic as the Wolfie, and I had hoped for more from the grilled pineapple. I made up for it by topping it with some of the pineapple salsa, which took it to another level. Guacamole on a taco is always a bit of a struggle to maintain, but it was nice to have another flavor to pair with the chicken.

The guacamole as a side, at 2 ounces, was also more than enough for two people to share and was loaded with chunky avocado, tomato, onion and corn. It could have used some more lime juice and salt, but it was better than other guacamole I’ve mistakenly ordered.

Peyton’s vegetarian Endless Summer was a delicious option that held up to both of our standards. The texture was great, the corn added a savory flavor that paired well with the chili poblano, and there were even the diced mushrooms that made an appearance. We hadn’t considered mushrooms on a taco before, but Peyton enjoyed their presence and didn’t miss the absence of meat or protein.

However, the beef brisket on The Wicked One was the real winner. Peyton found the brisket to be flavorful and tender, unlike traditional ground beef tacos that can be less appealing. The brisket offered a barbecued, smoky flavor and great texture. We both found that the Wicked sauce wasn’t really noticeable, but we would be interested in knowing its ingredients.

The prices were slightly higher than those in the area, but affordable for a weekday lunch as long as you order per your appetite level.

Peyton and I are both hoping the homemade horchata, and agua fresca will be available soon, but until then, margaritas, bottled Mexican sodas, and beer can all be swapped for a fountain drink (some include an upcharge).

Grab a side of chips, a few napkins, and some hungry friends. You can toast some tacos and play cornhole outside, all while wishing summer wouldn’t fade away just yet.

Jennifer Zeleski is a student contributor to YES! Weekly. She is originally from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, and is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Communications at High Point University.

Wanna go?

Wicked Taco is located at 2005 N. Main St., in High Point.