Quick Dish Review: Tortilleria Perches

Review of the Shredded Beef Taco and Pork Tamale at Tortilleria Perches.

By Dylan Whitaker

During a recent Tasty Tuesday outing, I had the pleasure of giving Tortilleria Perches a try for the first time. I had always heard great things from our Facebook and Twitter peeps, so I was giddy when I found out they were going to be doing a Tasty Tuesday special with us. I was so excited, I went through tthier entire website the night before, planning out what I was going to eat. That's lame and kind of sad, I know. But I dig good food, so don't judge me.
The first thing I wanted to try was the fresh tortillas that they make in-house on the tortilla machine that is smack-dab in the middle of the kitchen. Fresh tortillas are not something you see every day in Springfield, so I had a feeling they would be good. I was right.
I ordered a shredded beef taco that was topped with diced white onion and a tiny bit of cilantro. It was perfect for me, because I think cilantro's strong flavor can kind of kill a dish. It was all folded in between a fresh soft taco shell. The shredded beef was juicy and loaded with flavor; the white onion added a nice crunch and a whisper of sweetness to each bite. The soft taco didn't get soggy at all. It really held up and soaked up some of the juice from the beef, so the taco shell turned into bonus flavor. I also ordered the tamale plate that came with rice and refried beans. My pork tamale was smooth and creamy with a little hint of spice. I am not usually a fan of rice, but this place had me cleaning my plate. The refried beans also had great flavor. The best part about my tamale plate, however, was the sauce that was served on the side. I asked our waiter what it's called, and he said it's their green sauce or house sauce. This sauce had the perfect balance of heat that keeps you going back bite after bite but doesn't overwhelm you. The green sauce was made from tomatillos, fresh jalapeños, garlic, onion and some other spices that our waiter shared with us. It had such a fresh flavor that it really made my food taste better. After seeing what Tortilleria Perches can do with lunch, I want to come back and see what they can do for breakfast!