Each month, we visit a new food spot thanks to the folks at Surprenant, Beneski & Nunes, an estate & elder planning law firm who like to shine a spotlight on cool local food spots, like the National Club in New Bedford.
This was going to be a story of the stylish National Club serving Mexican fare in downtown New Bedford. But it got hijacked by choco tacos.
Choco Taco! The two words conjure up the magic of ice cream trucks and childhood. When they were discontinued by Klondike in 2022, it was headline news.
Not to worry! Choco tacos are back at the recently opened National Club and they’re way better than the memories.
Executive Chef Luciano DaSilva of the National Club says the menu offering has taken off like wildfire. “We’re now prepping 70-80 choco tacos a day,” DaSilva says. They’ve had to move the prep work to bigger space at the Black Whale to accommodate them all.
They are worth the hype! Our advice: get a knife and fork so you can share it with the whole table because it’s huge. The ice cream, with sneaky Oreos dropped into the ice cream and a very crispy waffle shell, topped with chocolate and nuts, is so far superior to the original Good Humor version that you’ll be embarrassed you ever thought the originals were special.
It'll be hard to save room because everything leading up to dessert is hard to resist: from the knockout presentations of the Peruvian Fried Rice sporting a grilled half lobster atop it, the Pork Shank Carnitas (slow cooked with condensed milk, cinnamon and chilies), to the salsas and guacamole (three kinds of guacamole: regular, spicy crab and tropical). Everything has an exquisite attention to detail. DaSilva says, “you have to toast the chilies just so, you can’t go too far or they’ll be bitter."
The beautiful beet tostados -- pickled beets, whipped queso fresco, radish, candied pepitas – are a picture. They’re also delicious. “They really know how to do beets,” our photographer Liam said.
The cocktails and mocktails are fun and delicious: prickly pear fizz, strawberry aguafresca, blood orange margaritas.
Everything on the table is a standout dish. Chef DaSilva makes sure of it. He's been working for one Silverstein restaurant or another for almost 30 years. General Manager Michele O'Brien can say the same. When the started out at Joe's back in 1998, DaSilva was washing dishes and O'Brien was a server.
Together, they know how to create a special dining experience from start to finish. So by all means, order apps and main dishes! We're not asking you to skip the meal. We're just reminding you: Leave. Room. For Dessert.
Then, you can finish your meal sharing a handmade choco taco and, well, we don't think you can have a better night out.(Like, we're talking Valentine's Day worthy. ServedWell's George Sine isn’t at all surprised at the dessert's popularity. “Childhood memories, that’s what our restaurants do so well.” He also says, "Come for the salsa, stay for the choco tacos."
Uh, huh. Totally agree.
Photography by Liam Connor Photography
National Club Mexican Cantina, 24 Union Street, New Bedford.
We hope you enjoyed this post, which is part of a series of blog posts celebrating local food spots, sponsored by Surprenant, Beneski & Nunes, P.C., the premier estate planning and elder law practice serving clients in Southeastern Massachusetts. Surprenant, Beneski & Nunes can help you prepare the foundational documents needed to facilitate healthcare, financial and legal decisions should a medical crisis occur. Early planning can save money, heartache and angst during a temporary bout of incapacity or a long-term care event. Getting your estate plan in order gives you peace of mind. Find out more about Surprenant, Beneski & Nunes here.
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Last post in the series: Middleborough's newest high-end pub makes the holidays festive! Stop in and try one of their photo-worthy Orna-Tinis! Read more here.