The loud music and lighting were the first clues about how the evening would go.

Any conversation attempted at an indoor voice is untenable in Condado, a new taco restaurant in Broad Ripple.

The decor, stereotypical skeletons with the addition of graphic comic murals and string lights, along with the physically imposing bar giving the venue a youthful atmosphere

Instead of one singular menu customers are given a choice to make your own taco or choose from a selection of pre-made tacos.

The choices of tacos on the menu where unique. One option was ghost pepper marinated steak.

The taco brought one thought to mind, how freaking hot it was.

For those who are unaware, the Ghost Pepper was, until a few years ago, the hottest pepper on Earth. The steak, which was marinated in the pepper, certainly reduced the heat. But it did not by any means make it weak.

The drinks that were ordered did not calm the spiciness of the ghost pepper taco. The root beer, which was brewed in-house, seemed like it was brewed with too much water.

The other tacos were worse than the ghost pepper taco.

Condado has a specialty sauce called “Dirty Sauce,” and while I am not sure of the contents, the sauce was good.

The crema that came with the taco, the “Tradicional,” was good, with a satisfactory balance. Condado has a good combination with their tacos they have both a crunchy corn and soft flour shell for their tacos.

With the other taco, the “Ooey Gooey,” there were better reviews than the “Tradicional.”

With just the right amount of spice, less than a ghost pepper, the “Ooey Gooey” was tastier than the “Tradicional.”

The positive reviews of the tacos ended there, as the final taco of the night was far inferior to the other three tacos.

The “Bubba Kush” was barely a taco. It was cold, had no meat and was soggy, perhaps due to the amount of vegetables in the taco.

Overall, Condado was not a great restaurant. While a majority of the tacos were okay, some were less than mediocre.

It is suggested that future customers purchase pre-made tacos, and not create their own, as both attempted creations did not even warrant a review. 6.5/10

Ian McCormick