Don Rene Taqueria: Tasty Mexican + Fusion Tacos and More in Milford

Andrew Dominick June 13, 2023

Some tacos at Don Rene are Mexican, others are the epitome of fusion. L-R: Roasted cauliflower (smoked tomato sauce + pepitas), falafel (tzatziki, arbol hot sauce), roasted butternut squash (poblano romesco, cotija), pork belly (kimchi, tamarind glaze), birria.

At the beginning of 2023, CTbites covered a new Latin American restaurant in Norwalk called Alma Bistro, owned by Alma Miranda and Ulises Jimenez. It was at Alma Bistro where my memory was jogged when Miranda mentioned that Jimenez, who wasn’t present on the day of our visit, is also the owner and head chef at Don Rene Taqueria in Milford.

Don Rene had been on my Windows Notepad program that serves a double purpose as a calendar where I keep a running list of places I’m interested in covering. I know, I’m so organized.

Three months after that article went live, I found myself kicking it with Jimenez at his super busy taqueria where Mexican tacos and apps are the canvas, but it’s also where Jimenez flexes his creative chops and blends in flavors from other cultures.

Jimenez, who’s from Mexico originally, opened Don Rene in 2021 in the growing Milford Downtown that already includes a Colony Grill location, Scratch Baking, Archie Moore’s, and the outstanding Strega.

The space Jimenez settled on in which to sling tacos and more was previously owned by his business partner at Alma Bistro. “Alma used to own the space,” he says. “It was Miranda’s Kitchen and I bought it from her. That’s how we met. She’s not involved in the taqueria, though.”

Ulises Jimenez is a busy man. The West Haven resident runs from overseeing his kitchen at Don Rene to running over to Alma Bistro in Norwalk to lend an assist. If you’re wondering why he named his taqueria Don Rene, it’s a tribute to his wife’s father who passed away.

But don’t think Jimenez simply appeared out of nowhere and started assembling tacos. He’s been in the restaurant industry for more than 20 years and has worked at Tacomida, Cactus Rose, Jack’s Steakhouse, Washington Prime, and he spent 15 years of those 20 working as a chef for Barcelona Wine Bar at their various locations, including being part of the opening team at the first bartaco in Port Chester.

Jimenez’s own culture, combined with his work experience, equaled the fusion and freshness that is Don Rene Taqueria.

Fresh, vibrant ceviche with plenty of shrimp so tender you barely have to chew. If you peep the blurred out Corona Premier in the background, I brought my own. Yeah, that’s right. Don Rene is BYOB! Plan accordingly!

As far as what’s up with the menu, one should expect the norm of a guac & chips, esquites, sweet plantains covered in crema and queso fresco, rice & beans, and empanadas in classic spicy beef or the untraditional Jamaican jerk chicken version. Other apps that you normally wouldn’t encounter if this was straight up Mexican are a grilled corn, cotija, and pimentón butter cornbread, roasted brussels with agave-jalapeño vinaigrette, and a take on jalapeño poppers that sees the pepper stuffed with herb queso and wrapped in salty bacon.

If we’re talking tacos, the more traditional joints at Don Rene are only two deep; chicken adobado—slowed braised chicken in smoky, chili laden adobo sauce—and beef birria that you’ll appropriately submerge in the rich consommé before every bite.

Birra dunk. Jimenez didn’t spill too many of his birria secrets except that “it’s short rib, braised for a very long time.”

The rest of the tacos? Cali-style Baja crispy fish. Tender ribeye bulgogi with Asian slaw and sesame seeds. Pork belly…but with a funky, spicy kimchi. And a Greek-Mexican mashup of a falafel taco, served on a flour tortilla to mimic pita, with tzatziki and arbol chili hot sauce.

“We have a combination of different tacos to give the people not just Mexican, but something with a twist, something different,” Jimenez says. “We have vegan tacos, too (roasted cauliflower with smoked tomato sauce and pepitas, and the roasted butternut squash taco with poblano romesco and cotija but hold the cheese to make it vegan).”

And despite its fast casual vibe, Don Rene is clearly a more chef-driven taqueria with almost everything made in-house with the exception of the tres leches cake—which shouldn’t sway you away from ordering it—and the tortillas that come from the revered La Milpa de Rosa “for consistency and their flavor” according to Jimenez.

Right before Jimenez ducked out to help out in the kitchen at Alma Bistro, I did ask him about the near future for Don Rene Taqueria.

Would he open another location? If you’ve been you know it would work nearly anywhere in the state.

Maybe.

“I want to do a truck or another location, but it’s staffing problems,” Jimenez says. “I don’t know where we’ll get the staff.”

While I selfishly await a Don Rene Taqueria in or at least close to me in Norwalk or for a mobile spinoff, it’s totally worth schlepping it to Milford.

50 S Broad Street; Milford
203.283.9191; donrenetaqueria.com