Table Talk with Jeremy Wayne: A new twist on the restaurant chain
Stand aside Chipotle Grill, Olive Garden and Panera. While they will always have their fans and detractors, these big boys are being challenged by a new generation of more mindful chain restaurants. Less generic and with solid eco-credentials, the new chains, while growing exponentially themselves, offer braver menus focusing on a country”™s or even region”™s cuisine, a cool aesthetic and smooth, friendly and informed service.
I”™m talking about names like Sweetgreen, Fuku and Luke”™s Lobster, exciting operations run by young, passionate food-lovers with something new to bring to the table. This new breed of chain restaurateurs is still far happier being hands-on in the kitchen than bean-counting in some distant city. They have nothing to do with holding companies or franchisors with little interest in or knowledge of good food ”“ at least not yet.
Take Tacombi as a case in point. Dario Wolos started with a taco stand in Mexico 17 years ago before opening his first taquerÃa in a garage in downtown New York City in 2010. Look at him now: He and his partners operate 23 taquerÃas across seven states and counting, backed by millions from restaurant supremo Danny Meyer.
The new Tacombi restaurant in Westport, which opened in August, has the friendly feeling of a rough-and-tumble roadside taqueria, slightly chaotic and with no table service, while indeed being a polished operation. It also supports the claims many of us have become cynical about ”“ “wholesome, simple ingredients, free of antibiotics, hormones or artificial additives and preservatives” ”“ because all too often they have been abused. Not here, though.
On a perfect late summer evening, I took a small party of teens there, and they loved the vibe on Tacombi”™s expansive terrace, which spills out on to communal grass. Inside, the restaurant fairly hums, with a kind of bright, retro feel heightened by red signage ”“ the carmine of the Mexican flag.
From the simple and focused tacos-tilted menu, guacamole with totopos (regional tortilla chips) was a crowd-pleaser (when isn”™t well-prepared guac a crowd- pleaser, I”™d like to know,) while top marks for top tacos went to black bean and sweet potato, beef birrÃa (spicy brisket) and pollo Yucateco ”“ marinated free-range chicken. The chicken really was fabulous, by the way. It wasn”™t my order, but I tried it all the same, and it tasted like a chicken that had lived a reasonably good life.
My own choice was huevos Mexicano, from the breakfast served all day section, and those eggs were first class. Served piping hot, something of an achievement in a fast-casual set-up, they positively sizzled under a tangy pico de gallo salsa and soft, white Oaxaca cheese, similar in flavor to Monterey Jack.
As the only of-age drinker in our group and the designated driver, my hands or should I say mouth was somewhat tied, but from the short, thoroughly tantalizing cocktail list I contented myself with a Mezcal Mule ”“ Mezcal, ginger beer and lime ”“ early in the dinner. It was as cold as those eggs were hot. I could have happily drunk three or four.
On offer, too, in the drinks department are appealing aguas frescas, or freshly-squeezed fruit juices, of which agua de Jamaica, hibiscus was the favorite from our surprisingly sophisticated group of youths. Tacombi makes a delicious horchata (rice, milk, cinnamon and vanilla), too.
Branching out beyond dining-in and a hugely successful take-out business, Tacombi also produces Vista Hermosa tortilla products, which are increasingly available at upscale grocery stores across the country.
Another merit is that the company has an exemplary social conscience, acting on the message that “34 million Americans don”™t know where their next meal is coming from; 11 million of them children.” Tacombi notes this in its restaurants and on its fliers, preparing 8,000 meals a week in its kitchens to give away.
Apart from the food and the vibe, my party of admirably socially aware teens was impressed with Tacombi”™s action in the face of food insecurity. “That”™s very cool thing to do,” was how one succinctly summed up the initiative.
I couldn”™t have put it better myself.
For more, visit tacombi.com.