Taco Nano is a new and fresh taco joint that secretly hides behind its upscale strip mall exterior. While the restaurant is out of view, it is located is in the heart of Northfield where Willow and Frontage meet, near the Happ Inn and the Northfield police station.

Inside, however, is a different story. From the moment you walk in, the bright greens, blues, and pinks create a modern atmosphere. A wooden wall showcases the logo painted in orange, making the tiny space trendy. The menu stands out right when you walk in and is displayed on a large chalkboard, adding to the modern atmosphere.

All of the accessories – chairs, art, centerpieces – follow the theme of colorful and contemporary, which is worked into every detail. There is one big table able to seat eight and other small booths that can fit around another eight or ten. Each booth is pink with blue tables. Overall, the atmosphere is fun and Taco Nano is a place you want to be.

I went with three friends who all got different items off the menu. To eat, I got the Pork Al Pastor and Adobo Skirt Steak tacos. Each taco is presented very nicely with paper underneath and placed in a basket. The tacos are generally all very colorful and decorated with cheese and a variety of sauces on top.

I enjoyed the pork taco the most. It came with layered pork, onion and pineapple pico de gallo, cilantro, and fried jalapeño rings. The pork meat was perfectly tender and the pineapple added a very nice sweetness. I did, however, find the fried jalapeño rings to be lacking; I didn’t get much flavor out of them.

The skirt steak taco was delicious too, but simpler than the pork taco, with onion, cilantro, lime, and sliced avocado. Once again, the meat was cooked well and the lime and avocado complimented each other nicely.

My friends ordered the Vegetariano, The Old El Paso, and the Sea of Cortez.

The Vegetariano received good reviews, which has potatoes, poblanos, portobello mushrooms, cotija cheese, and a cilantro-lime cream sauce. The Old El Paso is your traditional taco with beef, taco sauce, cheddar, lettuce, sour cream, and pico de gallo. The Sea of Cortez, which is served as either blackened or beer battered, with tilapia, cabbage slaw, and chile mayo got notable reviews, too.

Aside from these tacos, Taco Nano offers other tacos with a varying range of proteins, including chicken breast, duck confit, shrimp, and turkey.

For the sides there is rice and refried beans. We tried the rice which was your average Mexican rice side dish. For the less adventurous eaters, you can order quesadillas. Desserts include flan, fried plantains, and tres leches cake. You can also pick up a classic Jarritos, a sweet Mexican soda that comes in many different flavors. Finally, if you ever need some tortilla chips and guacamole, Taco Nano will satisfy your craving.

Compared to other taco places, Taco Nano offers a range of more sophisticated and gourmet tacos, featuring fancier meats and complex sauces and salsas. Do not walk in expecting traditional taco selections; be prepared for a grown-up and gourmet version of Taco Bell.

When you walk in, expect a line. During lunch and dinner hours there is generally a line waiting to order. You can avoid waiting and cramming yourself and a friend in one of the small booths by taking your order to go. Since the restaurant is so small, there are not a lot of places to stand while waiting for your order, so be prepared to pack yourself in for the wait, which for the most part, is worth it.

The staff in very nice and are helpful if you want to modify your tacos in any way. On the other hand, the food could definitely come faster than it does. The wait time for your tacos ends up being at least five minutes, which is a lot of time when people are waiting for a to go order.

Overall, I enjoyed Taco Nano and how it offers new types of tacos and provides a fun and modern place to eat. There aren’t many taco places on the North Shore, and Taco Nano does a good job of filling that niche. The food is fresh and the flavors are nice. The space is small but functional.

You can find Taco Nano at 1743 Orchard Lane in Northfield, open for lunch and dinner on all days except Sunday.