For the past several years, chef-owner Bryan Palilonis has filled a niche in Hardwick for Mexican cuisine, first through his Caja Madera food truck and then his Caja Taqueria restaurant. He has now upped the ante by adding an unusual recreation opportunity.
Palilonis, 46, opened Caja Taqueria last year in the former auto shop where he used to park his taco truck. This spring, he tacked on a small bar and axe-throwing venue. Patrons can enjoy their tacos and other Mexican dishes while tossing axes at bull’s-eyes painted on wood targets.
Master Fin’s Axe Throwing is named for Palilonis’ 5-year-old son. In addition to four axe-throwing lanes, the outpost includes more tables, bar seats, and beer and canned cocktails.
The evening my husband, daughter and I visited, a guitarist was playing in the axe-throwing space, which entertained us as we moved quickly through the line to order. The scent of meats sizzling on the grill mixed with the sting of peppers and the earthiness of freshly cut wood from the axe-throwing lanes.
We settled at one of a handful of indoor tables. Outside, under a shed roof, picnic tables provided plenty of seating for the small crowd.
The standard menu offers eight fillings of meat, seafood or beans, which can be ordered as tacos ($4 to $5), quesadillas ($12 to $14), burritos ($12 to $14) or nachos ($14 to $16).
We started with nachos bearing grilled chicken in spicy tinga sauce ($14). The generous pile was topped with tangy queso blanco and grilled onions and poblanos. The chips held their crunch, and the cubed chicken was moist in a rich tomatoey sauce. Thanks to chiles in adobo, it was the spiciest offering we tried that night.
Then we ordered as many fillings in taco form as we could. From the specials menu ($6 each), tender ancho garlic flank steak with mushrooms was a winner. Ditto the pork belly, with a hint of sweetness from a guajillo chile and honey sauce. My favorite was the flaky battered-and-fried cod, with its crunchy exterior and bright pineapple salsa.
Considering the sauces, the corn tortillas held together nicely until the last bite. Palilonis gives them a spray of oil before warming them on a traditional comal griddle, which makes them slightly crispy.
From the regular taco menu, we chose peppery housemade chorizo ($4) and beer-battered shrimp ($5) with citrus slaw. We also ordered two vegetarian fillings ($4 each): black beans and plantains with pico de gallo; and pinto beans with nopales (prickly pear cactus), poblano and avocado lime crema. Not as flavorful as the others, both benefited from a dash of house hot sauce.
Caja Madera hot sauces are also available by the bottle ($8). The red sauce, made with arbol and ancho chiles, added medium-high heat, acidity from apple cider vinegar and a punch of garlic. Palilonis described his green jalapeño and honey sauce, made with vinegar, garlic and carrots, as “a sweet first hit, then a lovely jalapeño bite.”
He said his customers generally prefer milder food, so he shoots for flavor combos that don’t need spiciness to pack a punch. His hot sauces bring the heat.
After 30 years of professional cooking, the chef knows how to play to his audience. “We want to keep it dialed for the palates that we feed,” Palilonis said.
Caja Taqueria also serves tlayudas ($17), a Oaxacan classic, with toppings scattered pizza-like on a bean purée spread over a crisp tortilla. That’s top of my list to try next. I might even do it while hefting an axe.
The original print version of this article was headlined “Tacos on Target | Hardwick’s Caja Taqueria spices it up with hot sauce and axe throwing”
This article appears in The Summer Preview 2024.
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!