An Unconventional Taco Joint Has Arrived in West Allis

Championing a very flexible definition of a taco, El Impostor soft-opened Monday in West Allis (7413 W. Greenfield Ave.). The restaurant’s theme of not playing by traditional taco rules uses the tortilla as a launchpad. “You can put anything in it. If it’s good food, it’s going to be even better in a tortilla,” says owner Casey Rataczak, best known for operating the two Camino bar/restaurants.

One of those “even better” things he means goes by “Zeus” on the El Impostor menu. It’s a grilled chicken taco with cucumber salad and feta. Other globe-trotting tacos ($5-$6 each) are Mahkani Man Savage (butter chicken and cabbage slaw), Japanicow (shaved rib-eye, Japanese BBQ, wasabi crema, radish), Gaucho (grilled steak, chimichurri, avocado salsa) and Curry Cameron (grilled shrimp, red pepper, pickled onion, green curry crema).

Photo of taco from El Impostor by Kelly Festo

The menu also features tlayudas, a very loose definition of a pizza with the base being a tortilla (here, it’s a 12-inch flour one). Versions of the tlayuda at El Impostor include Pigs & Chihuahua (grilled pork with black bean puree, chipotle lime crema, chihuahua cheese, $20) and El Gigante Verde (seasonal roasted veggies, black bean puree, chihuahua cheese and cilantro lime crema, $18).

Starters and sides include Real Good Corn in a Cup ($5), papas bravas ($10) and chicken takitos (aka taquitos $12). Of other non-taco options, there’s a double smash burger ($15) and a Caesar salad ($13).

Celebrate this year’s winners of the Betty Awards!

Beyond beer and wine, the drink menu features a few frozen options (house margarita, for one) and several non-frozen “but still cool” ones, per the menu. Examples are a hugo spritz, Mexican mule, rum old fashioned and a banana espresso martini ($10-$12)

Photo of tacos from El Impostor by Kelly Festo

The design of the space – the former Rataczak’s Caulfield Wine Bar, which ended its 15-month run last March – uses El Impostor’s mascot as inspiration. The fictional character is a retired luchador/world traveler, who has returned with a full spectrum of recipes and flavors to make these unexpected taco creations.

El Impostor is open Mon-Thurs 11 a.m.-10 p.m.; Fri-Sat 11 a.m.-11 p.m.