Tacos, Nachos and Unexpected Hero Status

Hey Sidekicks,

Like us, do you ever get that I-ate-too-much-guilt? Well we've discovered the perfect antidote where overindulging and stuffing your face actually does good for someone in need (no #spoileralert yet but read to the end to find out more). There are multiple locations in London but we strolled along the Broadway to Zambrero Crouch End where there's no judgement on over-ordering.

In the past, we'd always found Mexican restaurants quite samey - I mean how wild can you go with nachos? But recently we've changed our minds completely with places like Trejo's Tacos in Notting Hill and El Cenote in Camden. We hadn't been expecting a lot from a chain fast food spot except that we were going to be full, so we came armed with the kind of hunger that makes sensible decision-making impossible. What followed was a highly scientific experiment in “how many Mexican-inspired things can two people share before they need a lie-down.”

It was quite a challenge to decide what to have with multiple menu options to choose from and they all sounded so tempted. Even worse, each item is completely customisable with a rainbow of vegetables, sauces, salsas, proteins and extras. I'm sure the staff could see us looking a little overwhelmed so just before we were going to pick from the pre-designed menu options, a lovely server offered to talk us through the menu.

hit your 5-a-day with Tacos that look like a rainbow 🌈

I went for the Tacos and hit my first hurdle instantly. How do you choose between soft or hard tacos?! That same server said, "you can have either or you can have both". A combination I've been making at home and is the only non-messy way I can eat a taco. He then gently walked me through the proteins, then the salads, sauces and toppings - each time offering tips on pairings and respecting my (no meat and nothing too spicy fussiness). By the end we had created an incredible looking basket with three loaded tacos that I couldn't wait to devour. 🌮 😍

Our combined creation had black beans, cheese, sour cream, guacamole, tomato salsa, corn salsa and a proper hit of lime. They arrived looking like the kind of plate that would make a food photographer weep with joy. The crunchy shells delivered that satisfying snap, while the soft ones hugged the fillings like they’d known each other for years. The corn salsa brought sweetness, the tomato salsa brought brightness, and the lime stopped everything from tipping into “yes, but is it too rich?” territory.

Spoiler alert: it was not too rich. It was perfect.

You vs mario Challenge: can you eat this without making a mess 🌯

Meanwhile, Mario went full Classic Burrito mode: black rice, pinto beans, barbacoa beef, sour cream, guacamole, cheese, corn salsa, coriander and onion. It was the size of a small child and somehow still managed to taste balanced. He struggled a lot less with deciding than me - always picking the spiciest, meatiest option and saying yes to every ingredient. He ended up with extra sauce and extra everything. I thought my tacos were going to be a mouthful but watching him tuck into his Frankenstein-ritto while making mmm sounds made me giggle as chilli sauce dripped down his face.

He thought the barbacoa was properly slow-cooked and smoky, the rice and beans gave it structure, and the whole thing held together until the final heroic bite. Impressive engineering, really (and he used to be an engineer which if you've ever met him, I'm sure he's told you).

Learning to compromise with a picky starter

And then something we could share - Loaded Nachos. We could have been fussy, fighting over the toppings we wanted but the other didn't but after creating the tacos for me and burrito for him, we were more than happy to compromise and eat around the ingredients we didn't like. We topped them with the classic melted cheese and tomato salsa combo but elevated them with chipotle chicken and jalapeños for Mario and cooling sour cream and guacamole for me. These were not polite, dainty nachos. These were “we’re going to require a strategic fork and possibly a brief emotional recovery” nachos. The chipotle chicken brought heat without chaos, the verde sauce added a bright, herby kick, and the jalapeños made sure no one got too comfortable. We attacked them with the focused intensity of people who know sharing is caring… but also that someone’s going to end up with the extra cheesy corner.

What makes the whole experience even better is the quiet knowledge that while you’re busy demolishing tex-mex, Zambrero is off doing something genuinely useful. Their Plate 4 Plate programme already donates a meal for every burrito or bowl sold. Now they’ve gone and launched Power 4 Plates via the Zambrero Power Run Club on Strava. For every kilometre the community runs, walks, rides or swims, they donate another meal. The current goal is 5,000 km = 5,000 meals. So yes — you can eat like a king and still contribute to someone else’s dinner. It’s almost suspiciously efficient.

The Crouch End branch itself is bright, friendly and staffed by people who seem genuinely pleased you’re there. Service was quick, the place had a proper neighbourhood buzz, and no one judged us for the increasingly messy state of the table.

If you want Mexican-inspired food that actually tastes fresh, customisable and slightly life-affirming, this is the spot. Bring a friend (or a very understanding solo appetite), order the tacos and the nachos at minimum, and leave feeling like you’ve both had a great lunch and secretly helped the planet one kilometre at a time.

Just don’t be surprised if you find yourself checking Strava on the way home. Those 5,000 meals won’t log themselves.