One of Mississippi’s top chefs is serving ‘flawless’ Tex-Mex at Coast’s new rooftop restaurant

Lets skip the hype and get right to the point. Chef Milton Joachim is one of the top chefs in the state, maybe the South.

If you have paid a visit to Charred — or a few years back, Soigner — then you have an idea what this master chef can do.

Soigner was Creole, with a big hit of Deep South, and Charred is all about oysters and steaks. I loved Soigner and thought many of Chef Milton’s dishes there the best I ever had. Charred followed in short order, and although the menu was not even distantly related to Soigner, it is and remains amazingly good.

So imagine a chef of Milton’s caliber when challenged to come up with a menu for a Tex-Mex like taco place.

Please do not think this as a taco shack with dollar tacos, serving food made with ingredients from the local grocery store. Not even close. It is in the Tex-Mex style, but there is a creative aspect that makes this menu unique.

The food is not as spicy hot as traditional Mexican (I would like to see a bit more spice as a menu option), but the flavors are complex and nothing is left to chance: Tex-Mex by a classically trained chef. So cool.

This is a place where the quality of every ingredient is flawless, where no technique is spared and no shortcuts taken. It is also a restaurant that pays amazing attention to detail.

How in the world does Chef Milton get those nachos to smell and taste like fresh corn? What about the house made salsa? It is complex and sublime.

Load a chip with this salsa and your first impression with be crunchy corn goodness, then a smooth and refreshing tomato note from the salsa, but then the bite kicks in and you, my friend, have just had some of the best nachos and salsa you have ever had.

And the magic doesn’t stop with the salsa and chips. Don’t you dare visit this place and not try the Seven Layer Dip Martini. It s served in a huge balloon glass, and it really is a meal in itself.

The first layer is warm black beans (like everything else here made from scratch and delicious), followed by layers of charred corn, tomatoes, rice, peppers, cheese and topped with creme (with a hint of lime), which is the superstar of all sour cream like toppings. There are eight appetizers to choose from, but this was by far was my favorite.

There are ten tacos on the menu, including chicken and regular ground beef (the kids will like it), but then the good stuff kicks in: confit shredded duck (Chef Milton’s favorite), al pastor carnitas, fried shrimp, crab cakes, mahi mahi fish and chorizo all score big.

But what really sets these tacos off is the condiments. Things of wonder, like fire-roasted salsa, Chef Milton’s signature pickled red onions, mango pico de gallo, chipotle and roasted garlic aioli all make these tacos very special indeed.

There are also fajitas, nachos and salads to choose from, which I will attend to on my next visit. There will be a rooftop bar coming soon and, great news for the late nighters out there, the kitchen will stay open till 2 a.m.

Don’t visit Rooftop Taco and Tequila Bar with traditional Tex-Mex in mind, expect a different take on things, an attention to contrasting textures and flavors, and some really creative ideas. But please do not forget that Seven Layer Dip Martini!

If you go

Rooftop Taco and Tequila Bar

Where: 110 Government Street, Ocean Springs

Hours: Tuesday-Thursday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., Sunday 11 a.m. till

Happy hour: 2-5:30 p.m. daily and all day Wednesday

Call: 228-447-3375

This story was originally published January 17, 2020 at 5:00 AM.