Chimichanga and beef chili pasta date night in Cheongna: Taco Dot

When I'm craving Mexican food in Cheongna, this is the place that comes to mind — Taco Dot Cheongna Branch. I'd been here before with my kid and had the fajita platter, and it was pretty tasty, so this time I came back with my husband, just the two of us. Since we'd already tried the platter, we wanted something different this time, so we ordered the chimichanga and the beef chili pasta.

Taco Dot Cheongna Branch / Address: 27 Damji-ro104beon-gil, Seohae-gu, Incheon, South Korea, 1st floor / Hours: Mon–Fri 11:00–22:00 (break time 15:00–17:00), Sat–Sun 11:00–21:00

Back at Taco Dot after a while

When I visited with my kid last time, we ordered the platter so we could try several things at once. Since Mexican food isn't something I eat often, I was a bit unsure what to pick on that first visit, but tasting a bit of everything with the platter turned out to be surprisingly delicious and memorable. So this time, visiting with my husband, we picked something a little different. The one with the unfamiliar-sounding name was the chimichanga.

First time trying chimichanga — think of it as a fried burrito

Chimichanga might sound unfamiliar at first, but the easiest way to think of it is a fried burrito. It's a wheat tortilla stuffed generously with filling, rolled up and fried, and honestly, I really loved the texture of that tortilla. The outside is fried, but it's not just crispy — it has this chewy, nutty quality that made it taste even better than I expected.

The sauce drizzled on top was salty with a nice depth of savory flavor, and it went really well with the fried tortilla. Best of all, the filling inside was quite generous. It wasn't just a fried shell with nothing inside — it was properly packed, so one order alone left me pretty full. If you're new to chimichanga like I was, just think 'fried burrito' when you order and it'll make a lot more sense.

The beef chili pasta was even better than expected

But there was another dish I actually enjoyed even more that day — the beef chili pasta! This one really suited my taste. True to its name, it's loaded with beef. Some pastas only give you a few scraps of meat, but here the beef was tender and generous.

The sauce is on the spicy side, so it never felt greasy and I kept going back for more. With the spices and heat typical of Mexican food mixed in, even though it's technically a pasta, it felt totally different from a regular tomato pasta. Personally, of the two dishes I had that day, the beef chili pasta was the tastier one.

A great Cheongna spot for a couple's outing too

Last time I came with my kid and had the platter, and this time, coming with my husband, I picked something a bit different — and I think it's fun to choose different menus each visit like this. The platter was great for eating a variety of things together with my kid, and this time, as a couple, splitting the chimichanga and pasta we each wanted to try was just right. Especially the beef chili pasta — if you like spicy food, I think you'd really enjoy it.

New to Mexican food? Where to start

If you usually stick to Korean food or other familiar dishes, tacos and Mexican food in general might feel a bit unfamiliar. I felt that way too at first, but after trying the platter at Taco Dot, I realized it's actually not that intimidating.

The chimichanga I had this time also had an unfamiliar name, but once I tried it, thinking of it as a fried burrito made it easy to understand, and the chewy tortilla paired nicely with the salty seasoning. And the beef chili pasta is built on a familiar pasta base with added spicy chili flavor, so I'd recommend it even to people trying Mexican food for the first time — it shouldn't taste too foreign!

Taco Dot was satisfying again on a repeat visit

I enjoyed my visit with my kid before, and this time trying different dishes with my husband, I found a whole new charm in the place. I loved the chimichanga's chewy wheat tortilla, salty seasoning, and generous filling, but above all, the beef chili pasta was really delicious. With plenty of beef in that spicy sauce, the two of us happily ate it down to the last bite.

If you're craving something a bit different in Cheongna, or if you love Mexican food like tacos and burritos, try out the range of menus at Taco Dot Cheongna Branch. This visit came about through a good opportunity, but since I already had a satisfying memory from visiting with my kid before, this return trip was pretty enjoyable too. :)