Cheetos-covered street corn, breakfast burritos: Sneak peek at Lexington’s new taqueria

There are several popular restaurants and lesser-known food truck options around the city serving Mexican food. Now Lexington has its first Southern California-style taqueria.

Bandido Taqueria Mexicana traces its roots to San Diego and opens 10 a.m. Sept. 25 at 535 S. Upper St. in the CenterCourt complex near the University of Kentucky campus.

What makes the food Southern California style?

“It’s our seasonings and our salsas and our type of meat. Everything is fresh. Just like you would find south of the border,” notes Albert Ochoa,” one of the restaurant’s three managing partners. “You won’t find any canned food here.”

Albert and his brother Gerardo and their cousin Vincente Diaz decided to open a Lexington location after learning a lot of people living in Lexington were driving to Louisville to eat at one of the two Bandido Taqueria Mexicana locations there.

The Louisville-based chain features assorted tacos, burritos, and quesadillas—all at wallet-friendly prices.

Here is a “first bite” look at what you will find on the menu here.

Bandido’s “Signature Burritos” include:

▪ The Wildcat Burrito — the size of your forearm — made from two overlapping flour tortillas stuffed with beans, rice, salsa fresca, guacamole, sour cream, lettuce, cheese and French fries (also available with grilled steak or chicken);

▪ The Nacho Burrito (grilled steak or chicken with crispy tortilla chips, beans, guacamole, sour cream, jalapeños and shredded cheese);

▪ The Surf & Turf Burrito (grilled steak and shrimp, chipotle cream sauce, guacamole and rice); the California Burrito (grilled steak, French fries, sour cream, and cheese);

▪ The namesake Bandido Burrito (grilled steak, bacon, grilled jalapeños, beans and cheese);

▪ The Buffalo Chicken Burrito (crispy breaded chicken smothered in buffalo sauce, romaine lettuce, rice and homemade ranch dressing);

▪ And the Diablo Shrimp Burrito (one dozen grilled shrimp smothered in spicy diablo sauce, refried beans and cheese).

Albert says the California Burrito is the most popular item on the overall menu.

“The mix of the steak and fries and cheese and sour cream… Wow! Try it and you will see.”

The menu at the Lexington location is the same as at the two Louisville restaurants. Almost. The ‘Cardinal Burrito’ was renamed the ‘Wildcat Burrito’ for Lexington—for obvious sports rivalry reasons.

There are also other burritos to choose from including the Carne Asada (steak), Pollo Asada (chicken), Carnitas (pork), Bean & Cheese, Veggie, and the Fish burrito.

Or perhaps Breakfast Burritos are more to your liking — available all day. There is the “Build Your Own” Breakfast Burrito (2 eggs plus 1 choice of protein from ham, bacon, or sausage, and any 3 sides); or the Steak & Egg Burrito; the Bandido Breakfast Burrito; the Chorizo Burrito; the Machaca Burrito; or the Steak and Egg Burrito. There are also Burrito Bowls in choice of Carne Asada, Pollo Asada, or Carnitas.

Should you prefer Quesadillas, you will find Carne Asada, Pollo Asado, Carnitas, Cheese, and Diablo Shrimp Quesadillas on the menu.

Every day will seem like Taco Tuesday with the vast array of tacos. From the Carne Asada, Pollo Asada, Carnitas, Baja Fish, or the Maui Wowie (Al Pastor) soft or hard tacos, to the shredded beef rolled tacos, to the “Tijuana Style Street Tacos,” Bandido Taqueria Mexicana lives up to the “taqueria” in its name.

Tijuana Street Tacos are smaller, like those found in Tijuana, notes Albert, and sold three per order.

Still hungry? Add a heaping order of Bandido Super Nachos, Bandido Super Fries, Buffalo Chicken Fries, or the Surf & Turf Fries.

On the not-to-miss list are the Elotes — Mexican street corn. Available in Original (corn on the cob covered in mayo, Cotija cheese and butter) or Flamin’ Hot Cheetos flavored, Takis flavored, or Doritos flavored. Unlike most Elotes which are roasted, Bandido’s Elotes are boiled which makes them more juicy and more flavorful. Hard to beat and a treat to eat.

Gerardo adds that the food at Bandido’s is “love at first bite” and that it is not unusual for first-time customers to return soon thereafter for more.

There will be a DJ performing on Fridays and Saturdays each week from 6:00-10:00 p.m.

Bandido Taqueria Mexicana is bringing the taste of Cal-Mex cuisine to Lexington with cheap and tasty eats in generous portions. Available just in time to celebrate National Taco Day on Oct. 4.

Bandido Taqueria Mexicana

Where: 535 South Upper St., Suite 145, Lexington, KY 40508

Online: bandidotm.com

Call: 859-317-9721

This story was originally published September 24, 2020 at 9:58 AM.