This April, the vibrant taco universe that is Austin, Texas, will see a new star born. Tacolada, a brand-new concept from Austin-based restaurateur Tony Farmand, will serve up tacos and burritos that are a love letter to SoCal and San Diego flavor.
Farmand cut his teeth in the culinary world by creating The Kebab Shop, a brand that has grown to encompass more than fifty locations in California, Texas, and Florida. The restaurateur told What Now on Friday that Tacolada is intent on bringing a different take on the taco to a city that already boasts a great collection of taco shops.
“I moved to Austin in 2019 after falling in love with it. There are so many good taco places here,” said Farmand, whose other culinary love has been San Diego. “The San Diego style, California burritos, fish tacos—you can’t find that here so much. So I thought, why not open something here in Austin?”
The menu is still being finalized, but at Tacolada you can expect to find burritos, California burritos, surf and turf burritos, fish tacos, carne asada, and more.
It’s not Farmand’s first rodeo in the Austin restaurant scene, either. The Kebab Shop has six locations in the area, and Farmand has also recently launched Farmand’s Kitchen, a restaurant “where family values meet culinary excellence,” in Steiner Ranch.
Farmand credits growing up in Amsterdam with the inspiration to start The Kebab Shop, and makes a connection between the kebab and the taco: “In Europe, the kebab shop is a bit like the taco shop in the US.”
That said, Tacolada will be slightly more on the elevated side.
“I’m focused on quality over quantity. It’s modern, simple, clean, and all about hospitality. You know how some taco shops have really great food, but sometimes not so much hospitality? I want to make it more approachable.”
You can keep up with all things Tacolada by following @tacolada_official on Instagram.
Photo: Official