El Camino calls itself Tacos & Raw Bar, and the second half of the name does real work on the card. A Tuna Tartare Crispy Taco sits two lines below Crispy Fish; the opening category labelled Not Tacos lists Prawn Betel Leaf above three Chicken Taquitos; the fish program runs beside the meat program rather than behind it. The kitchen at 380 Elgin Street has been running on that mixed identity since 2013, and the current menu still treats the raw-bar lane as a working second register rather than as a marketing footnote at the top of the page.
The taco list itself reads as a study in contrast more than in length. Corn or flour tortillas is the first choice on every taco — the corn version uses fresh masa, made in Ottawa by The Tortilla Maker, which is the craft note that runs through every order — and then the proteins do the rest of the talking. Crispy Fish Taco and Pork Belly Al Pastor Taco are the most-ordered anchors and the obvious benchmarks for a first table. Cochinita Roasted Pig Head Taco and Lengua Taco hold the adventurous lane on the same card. Japanese Eggplant Taco and Oaxaca Cheese & Mushroom Taco hold a vegetarian path that doesn't read as a concession. A separate Crispy Tacos category — Chorizo and Tuna Tartare — closes the texture gap on the other side of the tortilla choice.
El Camino is strongest when treated as a compact taco order, not a sprawling Mexican menu. The fresh-masa corn tortilla note gives the main section a craft anchor, while Crispy Fish Taco and Pork Belly Al Pastor Taco carry the first round.
The menu gives curious diners real choices without becoming hard to navigate. Cochinita Roasted Pig Head Taco, Lengua Taco, Prawn Betel Leaf (2), and Tuna Tartare Crispy Taco add edge, while familiar chips, chicken, fish, and churros keep the table grounded.
The room and menu fit a social night better than a slow formal dinner. Small decisions, shareable starts, quick taco rounds, and a dessert finish make it easy to build a meal for two people or a small group.
El Camino is at its best as a taco-led street-food meal: a few crisp starts, focused taco choices, and a dessert that keeps the order moving. Crispy Fish Taco, Pork Belly Al Pastor Taco, Lengua Taco, and Japanese Eggplant Taco make the menu feel tight but flexible.
Crispy Fish Taco gives the restaurant a clean first read: crunchy, direct, and easy to build around. Start there, then move into the richer pork, chorizo, and cochinita choices once that baseline is set.
This menu rewards curiosity without making the order difficult. Cochinita Roasted Pig Head Taco, Lengua Taco, Prawn Betel Leaf (2), and Tuna Tartare Crispy Taco give adventurous diners several ways to push beyond the safest taco choices.
El Camino suits a social night because the meal can move in rounds: chips, a few tacos, then churros if the group wants a finish. The format gives people enough choice without turning dinner into a long menu negotiation.
For two people, the menu has an easy rhythm: one dip, two or three contrasting tacos, and Churros w. Salted Caramel to close. It is a date-night fit when the goal is energy and shared ordering rather than a quiet, formal meal.
Share the nuances of your visit to El Camino in Ottawa — the standout dishes, the room, the service.
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