TJ Baja Taco Shop, located in the Kroger shopping center at
Rayford and Kuykendall, brings a cuisine that is brand-new to our area. Tacos, yes, but not the Tex-Mex variety we’re
all familiar with. Prepare your palate
for a visit to Southern California.
Co-owner Enrique Soberanes is originally from Tijuana and
owns the El Vason bar franchise in Mexico.
He emigrated with his family to the United States and settled for a time
in San Diego. They came to The Woodlands
to visit relatives and fell in love with our area. They believe this is where their dream of
supporting their family as restaurant owners can come true.
The menu is very diverse but doesn’t lose focus. A “must try” that I have found nowhere else
is the marlin taco—marlin cooked with peppers and cheese. Marlin is a very “meaty” fish, and this eats
like a very tender beef taco. The tortilla
bowls (a mix of traditional ingredients in a taco salad shell) are the best
seller. They also offer baskets with
fries, burritos and salads. For the more
adventurous, they offer aguachiles—raw seafood marinated in acidic juices. They also have ceviche if you prefer your
seafood cooked. Once the restaurant gets
its liquor license, they will add micheladas—Mexican beer with spices—to their offerings.
The restaurant is responsive to customer requests. They have added carne asada, barbacoa and pulled
pork to their menu as nods to local flavors.
In response to customer feedback, Soberanes elevated his queso from a
menu placeholder to a delicious starter—it’s got great depth of flavor and a
nice kick. Some inventive vegan versions
of tacos, tortilla bowls, and ceviche are also available.
Soberanes has been in the restaurant business for 12 years,
but before that he had a 15-year career as an engineer and loves working with
his hands. He designed and built the
interior of the restaurant himself. The
beautiful ocean theme puts one in just the right mood for coastal dining, and
the tables don’t wobble (a pet peeve of mine)
Soberanes also owns Very Fresh Clamatos & Snacks, just
up the road near El Chaparro. They look
forward to growing their business into multiple locations and a franchise. It’s a great way to travel to the west coast
without leaving home.
TJ Baja Taco Shop: 24230 Kuykendahl Rd, Suite 250, email
spring@tjbajatacoshop.com
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