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KO / Machete Taco Truck Review

The blackened shrimp taco is magic.

I thought I knew what a gourmet taco was. Then I tried Knockout tacos, a gourmet taco truck that launched this summer. Knockout taco truck is piloted by Chris Goossen, former head Chef at Bottega Louie and El Pearl Cantina. At El Pearl Cantina Goossen had a menu consisting of 42 different tacos!

The taco menu at Knockout Taco is paired down to 10 different types of tacos ranging from carne asada to tacos de papa and fish tacos; habanero albacore and Hawaiian Tuna Poke. I ordered the blackened shrimp taco, carne asada, habanero albacore, and bbq burnt ends taco.


The blackened shrimp taco is magic. Three plump shrimp on top of a single fresh corn tortilla. Underneath the shrimp is bacon cheese grits and a cajun salsa with strong chile taste (maybe habanero?) that brings both heat and flavor. As I’ve said before, I’m not really a food critic and at times I wonder if my palette is even sophisticated enough to pick up on things your dedicated foodie would recognize but this taco was setting off all kinds of happy things in my mouth. I don’t think you’ll find a more flavorful shrimp taco in LA.

Read the full review on Great Taco Hunt.

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