Zest 817 FIRST LOOK // Austin City Taco Co.

First Look

Austin City Taco Co.

Fort Worth’s newest restaurant concept transports diners south on I-35.

BY ERIC GRIFFEY

PHOTOS BY CRYSTAL WISE

This partnership was sealed, fittingly, over dinner. Chef Juan Rodriguez –– a Reata alumnus who owns and operates the outstanding Magdalana’s Catering, Events, & Weddings –– said Cam Powell hired Magdalana’s to cater an event and Powell approached him about collaborating on the idea that would become Austin City Taco Co. Powell invited the chef to his home for dinner and wine. As the two families shared a meal together, Rodriguez said he felt “a good vibe” from Powell.

Rodriguez: “It’s an inviting, welcoming environment.”

Photo by Crystal Wise

Powell, Rodriguez said, “already had the names of the tacos, which we’ve changed quite a bit. I took that and threw him ideas and recipes. We changed 80 percent of it since we first started.”

Powell wanted to recreate the atmosphere and flavors of the nationally lauded Austin taco scene, which combines two beloved styles of cuisine that are hardwired into the DNA of every Texan: Mexican food and Central Texas-style barbecue.

Austin City Taco Co.

Photo by Crystal Wise.

“If you want to classify it, I guess I’d call it gourmet tacos,” Rodriguez said. “We’re somewhere in between Velvet Taco and Torchy’s, but we’re doing most everything in-house. We’re smoking our own brisket.”

Austin City Taco Co.

Photo by Crystal Wise

That all-important brisket, he added, is made using upper twothirds choice certified Angus beef, smoked for 12 hours.

As you enter the funky, attractive storefront of Austin City Taco’s University Drive stand-alone building (in the lot that formerly housed The Grotto), you’re greeted by vibrant splashes of yellow and sea-foam blue and a green Aztec mural painted on a brick wall. Floor-to-ceiling windows flood the dining room with natural light. Colorful neon signs explain the ordering process at the walk-up counter. Inside, there is both communal seating at high-top tables and leather banquettes. The patio is small-looking but comfortably seats 20-25 people.

From left to right, Austin City Taco Co.’s version of al pastor, Gulf Coast shrimp, State Fair with rotisserie chicken, chicken al carbon, and the Revolution with 12-hour-smoked brisket tacos are all swaddled inside housemade blue-and-white corn tortillas. The Cheat Day! Queso is served with crispy fries for dipping.

Photo by Crystal Wise

The menu, as the name suggests, is all about tacos. Each of the menu’s six main sections –– 12-hour brisket, all-day breakfast, chicken, pork, shrimp, and veggie –– contains creative combinations and preparations of each variation. There are also a few sides, including the irresistible Cheat Day! Queso, served with perfectly crispy fries for dipping. The lone dessert is a honey-laced upscale take on soft-serve ice cream. All four of the accompanying bottles of hot sauce are made in-house, and Rodriguez said he hopes to see them on grocery store shelves soon.

Who

Austin City Taco Co.

Where

517 University Dr, 817-945-1234

For a restaurant that’s only been open a week at press time, the service at Austin City was remarkably smooth. It’s a concept made to scale, Rodriguez said, but they’re not in any rush to expand.

Don’t-Miss Dishes

Cheat Day! Queso, eastside brisket, gulf coast shrimp, and chorizo & egg

“We discussed other markets, like Arlington or Plano,” he said. “We don’t have a timeline. Now we just want to take a step back and focus on this store –– make sure it runs great. Right now we’re getting down our processes and systems.”

Vibe

Bright, funky, warm, fast-paced

Rodriguez said the food stands out at his new eatery, but it’s the environment that will transport his guests.

Taco Prices

$3-$5

“It’s an inviting, welcoming environment,” he said. “Everything is open. You see the smoker, and it smells like a smokehouse. It feels like you’re taking a quick trip down 35 to Austin.”

When

7am-10pm Mon-Wed, 7am-11pm Fri-Sat

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