Taqueria Picoso

[weezy]

A Mexican street food shop located at the Shops at Mark Center off Beauregard in Alexandria https://www.taqueriapicoso.com/

Picked up some take-out last night.  It's a nicely decorated place, tables are well spaced and everyone was using good safety techniques.  It was on the early side, about 5:45, and only 1 small group plus 1 other person waiting for take-out were there.  My sister and I tried the lamb taco, brisket tacos and pulled pork taco, as well as the rice & beans and the corn.  As packed to go, the double tortilla tacos are stuffed with the meat and rolled in paper, with the toppings and sauces packed separately, so I sort of had to guess which went with what.  The meat are served generously, the tortillas are handmade on site, as are the sauces.  I was comparing to Taco Bamba, which is my go-to taco joint, but this place is right on the way home from work if I use the back roads, so I went in hoping it was as good or better so I could have that option.  The pork was a little dry and it was roasted but not smoked, although the sauce for it was chipotle-based, so a smoky topping with picked green onions, with some cilantro and a squirt of lime gave it moisture.  Overall, good not great.  The brisket was very nice, a bright cilantro-jalapeno sauce for it, chopped white onion, could have used some crema but I liked it enough to order again next time.  My sister had the lamb and said it reminded her of the goat taco at TB but not as good, spice-wise, and she also had the corn and said it also wasn't as good as the TB elote.   However, the tortillas are superior (and you can purchase them separately), and the rice&beans are excellent, sort of a red-beans-and-rice with Mexican spices.  Definitely would order those again.  

So, definitely worth a stop, but need to try some other things on the menu.  Oh, and once dine-in feels safer to me, this place is much quieter than the eat-in Taco Bamba locations and doesn't seem to be in such a rush to get you out the door.