Signature Tacos, Frozen Drinks, Ice Cold Beer Among the Unique Menu at Mt. Pleasant Eatery

Jeff Walker, Restaurant Review 

Oddly enough if you Google tacos, the first definition that pops up is, a traditional Mexican food consisting of a small hand-sized corn or a wheat-based tortilla topped with a filling (usually ground beef & cheese). In greater Charleston you can't go five miles without coming across a Mexican themed eatery that serves up taco, quesadillas, and burritos filled with the same ingredients. The names might be different however they all carry the same re-hashed menu.

White Duck Taco has taken the taco road less travelled offering up tacos that transcend the global palate, with menu items including Thai Peanut Chicken layered in peanut sauce and crispy cabbage served with a zesty tropical salsa. Asian cuisine is all the rage and their Korean Bulgogi Beef taco comes complete with pureed avocado and a side of kimchi (seasoned fermented vegetables). 

Maybe you're asking yourself 'what does white duck and tacos have in common'. That is the burning question. However if you visit the home page of White Duck Taco they'll provide a very cool answer. Let me break it down for you. Ducks fly and White Duck Taco is very fly aka hip, radical, and or avant-garde.

Safe to say White Duck Taco march to the beat of their own drum, or in their case they fly in a V formation established early on by their founder Laura Reuss, who is affectionately been dubbed 'La Plata Blanca'. With 11 locations scattered throughout SC, Tenn, and NC, White Taco began its slow rise in 2011 in Asheville where they operate three White Duck Taco eateries.

Several in greater Charleston might recall White Duck Taco had a small location on Folly Road in James Island' closing after a few years prior to the pandemic. Of course Reuss fully understanding Charleston is a food & beverage community knew she would re-open when she found the ideal spot. One that fit the neighborhood and her sense of panache.

That location came in 2022 when she acquired the one time home of Sticky Fingers at 341 Johnnie Dodds Blvd in Mount Pleasant. The grand opening came in the summer of 2023 after Reuss and her creative team transformed the former barbecue joint, giving it the signature look that has become the trademark of White Duck Taco. Think bright and colorful meets a combined south beach Miami slash Baja California motif, and you have the overall ambiance at White Duck Taco. And their food and drink menu reflects the same eclectic theme, with a variety of options that will blow your mind.

Wrap your teeth and gums around a warm Chicken BLT taco teeming with bacon, lettuce, fresh pico, and a slather of mayo. Yummy for the tummy, as is the Crispy Pork Belly swirled around a medley of green onion aioli and pickled watermelon rind. It screams sweet & savory shades of summer! 

Seafood lovers might relish in the Fish Taco, amply filled with grilled tilapia, diced cabbage, pico, and a creamy chipotle sauce. The Shrimp Ceviche comes equally adorned with an extra measure of avocado puree. Both pop in your mouth with explosive zestiness! 

Of course if you or anyone in your group want to stay close to the vest, there's always the traditional Benji (ground beef, cheese, lettuce, pico & crema). True blue southerners might opt for the BBQ Carnitas packed nicely with baked beans, coleslaw, and drizzling in barbecue sauce. Ya'll gonna love that one!

Vegans and non-meat eaters you are not left out of the equation, with White Duck Taco carrying no less than four vegetarian options. The Black Bean & Cheese taco can come with or without cheese, but you'll certainly love the lettuce, pico, and sun-dried tomato salsa. Like the tired royal burger chain, White Duck Taco will let you have it your way. They even offer a tofu option. 

Perhaps you're coming in for a cold brew and a quick snack, their Chips & Queso come with their own flair. While traditional queso is a standard white cheese blend, White Duck Taco add a healthy dose of green chile to give it an extra zing and a splash of color! If there's three or more in your party, maybe order the Chips & Salsa Trio (salsa verde, zesty tomato) as well. That gives you four chip dipping sauces all with their own flavor that go well with an ice cold Tecate, craft beer, or variety of Coca-Cola products. 

Speaking of craft beer, White Duck Taco serve up a signature lager specially brewed for them by Green Man Brewery out of Asheville NC. The White Duck Lager is a light amber colored lager with a clean crisp taste, ideal for any and all menu items at White Duck Taco. Their fresh-made margaritas are off the charts, and come in their signature metallic style cups, that not only keep your beverages colder for longer periods, they make for great keepsakes. Nicely done! 

If you're capping off your meal with dessert, White Duck Taco offer up two incredible sweet treats. Their Mexican Chocolat Pot de Creme is a rich & creamy chocolate mix with crunchy pistachio and hint of cinnamon cream, with the Coconut Banana Cream Pie a lighter and fluffier tropical dessert. Depending on your mood or taste, you can't go wrong either way.

Here's how it works when you come in. Everything on the menu is ala carte, which keeps items affordable. You make your way to the back counter, place your order and within a few minutes i's ready. If you're dining in they will happily bring it to your table. If you come in thru the side door, and are getting it to go, then in a few minutes you're on your way.

If you've entered thru the front door you've probably noticed they have both open air and covered outdoor seating available, which works nicely when the weather cooperates. Coming in thru the main entrance you'll discover the bar, where your bartender is happy to pour your favorite adult beverage, and where they host weekday happy hour from 4-7pm (three full hours, that's unheard of)! 

Let's recap or in this case bring the duck out of the duck pond. White Duck Taco is an atypical taco shop. The interior of their eatery puts you in a good mood even before you throw down any of their great tasting fusion tacos or frozen drinks. The restaurant is spacious and has a separate area if you want to entertain a larger group, i.e. company get together, birthday party, group social, etc.

White Duck Taco invite you to come in for a flock'n good time. You can find them at 341 Johnnie Dodds Blvd in the Village Pointe Shopping Center near Gwynn's of Mount Pleasant. To check out all they have to offer, their menu and additional southeast locations visit https://whiteducktacoshop.com/

To check out the 'wait for it' legendary beers coming out of Green Man Brewery visit them at https://www.greenmanbrewery.com/