The first time I chatted with Khaled Simon, his food truck, Taco Sublime, had recently caught on fire. This was in December 2021, and while it looked like his business was in serious trouble, he oddly didn’t sound defeated. “I feel like this sparked so much fire in me,” he told me. “We are going to make it happen.”
This is how every conversation I’ve had with Simon has gone. His endless drive seems to steamroll over problems, transforming what could have been a sad story about someone losing his business into one about how he’ll bounce back.
A year later, Simon and his partner, Haley Pham, had pivoted to cooking at pop-ups around town, including a semi-regular stint at Royal Palms, the gargantuan shuffleboard club in Wicker Park. That’s where I finally tried one of his signature cheese-crusted tacos. Instead of simply sprinkling cheese on at the end, he caramelizes a handful of Chihuahua cheese on a griddle until it transforms into a salty, crackly sheet. This is placed on a tortilla and then topped with thick-cut steak or chicken. After a few bites, I knew it’d make my list of the best tacos in Chicago.
Fast-forward to 2023, and it’s easier than ever to try Taco Sublime. Simon and Pham now have permanent residencies in two bars, Marz Community Brewing Co. in McKinley Park and Desert Hawk in Ukrainian Village. And there’s also a restaurant on the way.
The two have had to quickly assemble a team. “Last year it was just us two, and now we have 12 people,” said Simon. “To go from pop-ups to full-time, I was confident but really scared. But the people we hired have been incredible.”
The new crew certainly has the cooking down. When I recently dropped by Desert Hawk to try the tacos, Simon wasn’t there, but the tacos were just as excellent as ever.
But another item on the menu has started to attract attention of its own. Taco Sublime’s smash burger is one of the most exciting burgers I’ve tried in 2023. While the two patties are smashed on the griddle, they are large enough that they remain juicy and don’t dry out. This also means that each one is a monster and will leave you completely stuffed. “Any product that we touch, we try to make it sublime,” said Simon. “That burger was just crazy. Sometimes we sell more burgers than tacos.”
Along with operating in two different kitchens, and a burgeoning catering business, Simon and Pham are about to open their first bricks-and-mortar restaurant, Taquito Sublime. That project is set to open in late October at 964 W. 31st St., in the spot formerly occupied by Herbivore. The menu hasn’t been finalized, but Simon hopes to offer two spit-roasted tacos, tacos al pastor and tacos árabes. (The latter is actually the precursor to al pastor, which was developed in Puebla, Mexico, after immigrants from the Middle East moved in.)
While both Simon and Pham have a lot of work to do, they are ready for the challenge. “It’s like a graduation ceremony,” Simon said. “Now we can see if we can play with the big boys. I’m motivated. We have a good taco. Now I want to have the best. I want to do honor to what Mexican cuisine is.”
Taco Sublime is currently available at Marz Community Brewing Co.’s Taproom (3630 S. Iron St.) and Desert Hawk (2049 W. Division St.). tacosublime.org
