Provo’s Taqueria Eclipse will keep you coming back for more
The steak fajitas, foreground, and sopes at Taqueria Eclipse in Provo.
Taqueria Eclipse is located in the parking lot where the Provo Food Truck Roundup is hosted, just east of the Startup Building.
The steak fajitas at Taqueria Eclipse in Provo.
Sometimes you try something new and it works out. Other times, well, not so much.
I’ve rhapsodized before about the inherent dilemma of dining reviews — namely, that one’s visit might not be representative of a restaurant’s actual quality, service, etc. That being the case, I decided I’d make multiple visits to Taqueria Eclipse, a Mexican restaurant across from the Startup Building in South Provo.
If you’ve been to the Provo Food Truck Roundup, you’ve likely seen Taqueria Eclipse. It’s housed in the warehouse-type building that shares a parking lot with most of the food trucks.
Now, my first visit to the restaurant was great. The second visit was a letdown — not because of the food or service or anything, but because it was closed. That’s my bad, not theirs. I really needed that second visit to try more of their dishes. Story deadlines being what they are, though, I must soldier on.
If you hit up Taqueria Eclipse, be aware that the staff’s English is really minimal. At least that’s how it seemed on my visit. My friend that came with me spoke Spanish, which came in handy. (No, you aren’t hopeless if you don’t speak Spanish; Taqueria Eclipse has satisfied plenty of English speakers.)
All right, Court, enough with the exposition. Let’s get to the food already.
Taqueria Eclipse’s menu is somewhat streamlined compared to other Mexican restaurants — around 10 different entrée options — but not lacking in variety. It was tough to decide what to order, but this is why I’m paid the big bucks. We opted for the steak fajitas, two sizable sopes (one chicken, one steak), a few beef tacos and some horchata. Everything we had was great. Everything we had seemed fresh. Genuinely zero hang-ups here. My fajitas were brought to our table piping hot, the sizzling and crackling sounds taunting my grumbling stomach. The steak rested beneath a layer of green, yellow and red bell peppers, with shredded jack cheese melting over it all, and a basket of hot tortillas on the side. These were great fresh off the grill, and have been great as leftovers, too.
My friend ordered the sopes, and thank goodness she did. For those unaware, sopes are a traditional Mexican street food that features fried masa shaped like a shallow bowl, holding meat, refried beans, lettuce, onions, salsa and sour cream. These were delicious — so delicious, in fact, that I repeatedly reached over the table to grab a bite, eventually eating about half of what my friend had ordered. I feel a little bad about this in hindsight, but at the time I couldn’t resist.
The tacos were your basic street taco, with just the meat and tortilla, and toppings you add yourself. Not much to embellish on here, and no need. If you like street tacos, you’ll like these.
Will I go back to Taqueria Eclipse? Absolutely. I still have to make up for my lost visit. But even if I didn’t need to, you bet I’d be back anyway.
TAQUERIA ECLIPSE
Location: 591 S. 100 West, Provo
Hours: Tuesday through Sunday during lunch and dinner hours
Prices: $5-$10
Info: (801) 638-2325, “Taqueria Eclipse Provo” on Facebook