I know this is going to sound a bit dramatic and somewhat overboard, but I couldn’t think of a better way to describe my recent and, most importantly, first visit to Tako Cheena. Here goes: It was a mind blowing experience. Sure, anyone can put together a meatless, even vegan, burrito. But, the question is, can they infuse as much flavor into it as Tako Cheena does?
Tako Cheena is the brainchild of another Central Florida favorite: Pom Pom’s Teahouse and Sandwicheria. I didn’t love Pom Pom’s but I do plan on going back to give it another try. So, before going to Tako Cheena, I was already planning for it to be so so. I will go ahead and admit that I was oh so wrong.
To begin, the place and the people (both the patrons and the employees) were ultra cool. Just being there, I felt like I was part of the cool clique. The inside, which they describe as “A Cross Between A Food Truck And A Restaurant,” was small but the way the tables were situated, it fit a lot of people. Plus, they have a great sitting area right at the front window, which is where I grabbed a seat to dine. Now, on to the good stuff: the food.
Before arriving at the restaurant, I had already picked out what I was going to order. But, just to make sure that I hadn’t missed anything, I grabbed a menu and did a bit more research. Good thing I did, or I would have missed out on probably the best part about Tako Cheena, especially for vegetarians and even more so for vegans: The menu is filled with meat dishes that can be transformed into vegan dishes. How cool is that! So, here’s what I had: Thai Panang Tofu Burrito and a Indian Yellow Curry Dusted on Crispy Tofu Tako. Plus, I ordered a side of their Fried Crispy Churros, which were no where near vegan—thank you to the kind gentleman who quickly informed me of this.
To say everything was good or even great would be an understatement. The flavors that the burrito and take were packing blew my tastebuds away. Check out the pictures below along with descriptions for more details about the food I tried.
I had to get a picture of this cute sign that sat right at the order desk.
Meet my Thai Panang Tofu Burrito! It was incredible and very big. It was stuffed with chunks of crispy tofu, crunchy green beans and bell peppers, and jasmine rice. For me, the best part was the sweet panang sauce that was infused throughout the burrito. I must say that it tasted even better the next day!
A little up close and personal with my Thai Panang Tofu Burrito. Before biting into it, I thought what I saw was cheese in the burrito. But the gentleman who took my order assured me that there was no cheese.
Talk about spicy! The Indian Yellow Curry Dusted on Crispy Tofu Tako had my mouth on fire. I am not a fan of spicy food, but I liked this. I probably liked it because of the fresh veggies that topped it. There was cilantro, celery, scallions, and cabbage. Plus, there was a little bit of sweetness mixed in there. This was also vegan.
Here’s a closeup shot of a piece of tofu hanging out in the Indian Yellow Curry Dusted on Crispy Tofu Tako.
Oh, my goodness the churros were so good. But honestly, when aren’t churros good? They were sugary and crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside. Plus, they came with not one, not two, but three different dipping sauces. I believe the flavors included chocolate, caramel, and I couldn’t quite put my finger on the white sauce. Either way, the churros were great.
