My mother, brother, and I tried a little something new for lunch
today. I had heard of the White Duck Taco Shop in Johnson City, TN but I
myself had never actually been there. My mom has always taught me to be very
open to trying new things, and as we are coming upon the start of a new year,
we felt now would be a good time. And this restaurant was definitely the right
choice.
Upon arriving, one can see that the White Duck Taco Shop is
attached to the Yee Haw Brewery, and two share an outside eating patio as well.
Even so, the White Duck Taco does not lose its family friendly atmosphere. The
two are almost completely separated on the inside by a wall with an opening to
allow customers to go between the two. The brewery side is rather quiet and
does not interfere with anything going on in the restaurant side. Therefore,
this is a place where you can bring your whole family, or come for a few drinks
with friends.
The first thing that I noticed when we started to order was the
wide array of tacos they had available to choose from. Of course we had never
been there, and actually asked the young lady taking our order if she had any
recommendations. She was very friendly, as was the entire staff throughout our
entire meal, and she was very willing to give us her opinions on what to order.
She pointed out which was her favorite, the "Chicken Tikki
Masala," and the most popular items including the
"Lamb Gyro" and the "Jerk Chicken". She also recommended
the Queso dip as an appetizer. The only restrictions they had on their orders
is that you cannot add anything to any of the tacos, however you can ask them
to not put certain items on them, that is unless the specific taco says
"*No Modifications" on the menu. This may seem strange, but trust me,
with these tacos, you won't want to exclude anything.
I decided to order the "Fish Tacos" and my mother
ordered the "Chicken Tikki Masala" and the "Thai Peanut Chicken".
We also split an order of chips with the "Homemade Queso" and the
"Fresh Salsa Trio".
My "Fish Tacos" were absolutely delicious! The fish
was flaky, blackened, and cooked perfectly. On the taco there was also lettuce,
pico de gallo, and a smooth, chipotle sauce. The sauce added just the perfect
amount of kick to the taco overall, however it was not overly spicy. Also, the
lettuce and pico added a bite of freshness which played well with the spices on
the fish. I, personally, would go back just for these fish tacos. They were
truly one of the best fish tacos I have ever had.
The first taco that my mom tried was the "Chicken Tikki
Masala". This taco consists of an extremely tender chicken breast,
cilantro, and crispy chickpeas. On the side, you are also given a herb and
yogurt dip to add to it however you like. My mom loved this taco. She said that
the taste reminded her very much of a Thai based food and had a strong, but not
overpowering curry taste. She also said that the yogurt dip complimented the
taco very well. I personally did not like the flavor of the taco. I am not a
big fan of the curry spice, therefore it was not my favorite. My mom on the
other hand absolutely loved it, and said that is what she wants to order when
she comes back.
We also tried the "Thai Peanut Chicken" taco. This
taco had a taste that is very similar to the overall curry flavor of the
"Chicken Tikki Masala" however the overall ingredients were slightly
different. On this taco, along with the chicken breast, was spinach, and a
tropical salsa including pineapples, mangos, and cucumbers. This was all laid
on top of a thick sauce, closely resembling a barbecue sauce in both texture
and taste. This taco had a more plain taste in comparison to the "Chicken
Tikki Masala," however, was still very satisfying. The tropical salsa was
a very nice touch with the Thai flavored chicken.
We also shared the chips, Queso, and salsa. The Queso had
several peppers in it, which led it to be slightly chunky, and only added to
the taste. It was a good combination with the flavored salt on the chips. The
"Salsa Trio" was also delicious. There was a sweet, creamy salsa (my
favorite), a green, lime salsa verde (my mom's favorite), and a traditional
salsa (which we both loved)! All of these made a great appetizer for the
tacos.
Overall, our experience at the White Duck Taco Shop was great
and we will definitely be going back. The food is very different from anything
I have ever eaten before, and it takes a few bites to get used to. However, the
more you eat, the better it gets, and by the time you are done, you are already
planning what you will be getting on your next visit. The workers were very
nice, the customer service was great, and the food was fantastic. The prices
are a little high overall, even at lunch time, but it is a great option if you are
looking for something a little different. I would highly recommend this
restaurant to everyone, not only for the food, but the friendly atmosphere as
well.
Thank you and I wish you all TASTY TRAVELS!!
