Torchy’s Tacos

Torchy’s Tacos packed restaurant during opening week on March 26 serving tacos, chips and drinks at the bar. Photo by Kristen Rummel. Something new is cookin’ up

Local taco resturant opens by Fishers District

Kristen Rummel rummekri000@hsestudents.org

Drinks, chips and queso and fresh tacos make their way out the service door to crowds of hungry people opening week of Torchy’s Tacos. Lively music, bar entertainment and tacos have attracted large crowds of locals to try the new restaurant. Torchy’s Tacos is a TexMex fast-casual restaurant serving a variety of tacos, taco bowls, dessert and drinks. e restaurant is known for its unique, tasty combinations and its upbeat in-house culture. e restaurant was born in a food trailer in Austin, Texas 15 years ago with unique avor combinations beloved by locals now, with 100 locations and the second location in Indiana. “Our founder, Mike Rypke, built a menu out of experimental tacos that were coined by fans as ‘d*** good’ - our mantra to this day,” Torchy’s Tacos communications manager Marisa Patterson said. “Torchy’s has continued sharing ‘taco love’ ever since. At Torchy’s we’re all about creative, scratch-made tacos, hand-shaken margaritas and our award-winning green chile queso.” Torchy’s Tacos was recognized by USA Today in the Best 10 readers’ choice competition for ‘Best Fast-Casual Restaurant’. e restaurant was nominated by USA Today’s board of experts then picked and voted on by readers. Competing with other popular restaurants like Shake Shack and Panera Bread, Torchy’s placed h. “Opening week has been constant business and lots of hard work,” senior Evan Mattox and Torchy’s tacos employee said. “We take pride in giving customers genuine and delicious food, so it’s been fun the whole time.” e restaurant creates a new taco combination at the beginning of every month and features the creation as the taco of the month. is can be found under the Newsroom tab on their website, “ e Daily Taco”. e new taco location is 11595 Whistle Dr. Suite 101-A, by the Fishers District. Torchy’s o ers dine-in, takeout and delivery and o ers an easy-to-use app for contactless ordering. “Its [Torchy’s Tacos] become my new favorite casual dining restaurant. e food is lling and delivers several di erent taste palates,” Mattox said. Overall what stands out about Torchy’s is their house-made tortillas. e ready-to-eat tacos are served on a special house-made taco from scratch adding so much more character to the taco. ey are moist and full of avor holding all the taco goodness inside. “ e food is fresh and my go to place to get tacos here,” senior Cooper Cunningham said. “I’ve recommended it to so many of my friends already.” Mr. orange: Blackened

salmon taco served with grilled corn and black bean relish, cotija cheese, cilantro and a lime wedge with avocado sauce on a house-made tortilla. The salmon was fresh and cooked thoroughly, flavors blended well with the lime and just a touch of freshness with the avocado sauce.

Baja shrimp: Deep-fried shrimp with cooked cabbage slaw, pickled onions and Jalapenos, cotija cheese, cilantro and a lime wedge with the option of chipotle sauce on a fresh corn tortilla. The chipotle sauce paired nicely with the taco to balance all the flavors. This taco is a bit spicier and seemed over salted from all the pickled toppings and the breading on the shrimp.

Mofuax: Cowboy-style beyond beef taco topped with green chiles grilled corn, peppadew peppers, fresh avocado, cilantro paired with diablo sauce and a hot tortilla. The chiles add a spicy kick to the taco, and when paired with the diablo sauce the taco reaches a new spice level.