Double Wide, Doublicious!

On my way back home from a wonderful free motion quilting lesson with Diane at Sew Much More on Anderson Lane, I called my husband and asked if he wanted me to bring him home a Torchy’s Taco for lunch. Did I even have to ask?!

I pulled up all the Torchy’s Tacos locations using my iPhone and found one surprisingly close, just the other side of Mopac (Loop 1) on Spicewood Springs, near Mesa Drive. I began salivating as the little blue dot (that’s me) on my GPS bopped closer and closer to the little red destination dot (Torchy’s). Finally, I saw the familiar flying red devil sign, and with a sigh of relief, pulled into the parking lot. I did a “double take” as I stared at the sign before me:

A drive-thru?!! No way!! That’s brilliant!! That’s “double brilliant”! (As you can see, when it comes to Torchy’s Tacos, I am easily impressed.) Actually, the manager explained that the Spicewood Springs location was the only one with a drive-thru. But, driving through to pick up a Torchy’s taco, in my opinion, would be to deny oneself the ambiance, the ultimate, “doubly appetizing”, environmental experience of walking inside this true-to-weird Austin eatery.

The first thing I noticed was the huge live oak out front that gave this Torchy’s an inviting feel.


Next, the wonderful outdoor patio was equipped with outdoor heaters and plastic flaps for winter outdoor seating, although today’s temperature was 60 “double-wonderful” degrees. Notice the ironwork beams near the ceiling with interesting cutouts on a red background. Very cool!


“Doubly artistic” was the iron archway entrance to the patio, proclaiming Torchy’s famous line, “Damn Good Tacos”. It ought to say, "Double Damn Good Tacos"!


With giddy anticipation, I entered the indoor restaurant area, and what instantly caught my eye was the rose wall surrounding the counter, which felt very Mexican, very festive. In fact, it made me want to take a rose in my teeth, stomp my heel, clap my hands and shout, “Olé!”


And, just as unique as everything I’d seen to this point, I looked up and saw the wonderful light fixtures and flaming beams. Signature Torchy’s! So creative, so fun!


As always, the staff was friendly and helpful, talkative and smiling. The Torchy’s Team really seems to enjoy what they do!


And I would, too, if I could sink my teeth into a scrumptious Torchy’s Taco every day!

You may be asking yourself, “Why all the “double talk?” Well, February’s Taco of the Month is the Double Wide. Oh…my…goodness! Gene and I both agree this is our favorite Taco of the Month so far! It’s downright “doublicious”!! Imagine this…chicken-fried steak with chopped bacon, smothered in green chile queso, cotija cheese and pico de gallo, wrapped in a flour tortilla. Just reliving the first bite of those perfectly blended flavors is making me drool.

Oh, and don’t forget your Dublin Dr. Pepper with that Double Wide!

"Thou art to me a delicious torment." --Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Double-Time” It Over to Torchy’s, Y’all!

Torching Hot on Burnet Road

"The difference between 'involvement' and 'commitment' is like an eggs-and-ham breakfast: the chicken was 'involved' - the pig was 'committed.'"

Like the pig, I am committed to seeking out the best of the best of Torchy’s Tacos! I’m not just involved in this quest, I am truly committed. Although some of you may think I ought to be committed, that is a topic for another time.

In a previous installment, I introduced you to Torchy’s Tacos, my favorite of all taco eateries. Today, I want to share my review of the newest Torchy’s site in Austin located at 5119 Burnet Road. Gene and I visited this much-needed addition in north Austin on October 29th for a late lunch.


Eric, the quite cordial Taco Associate who took our order, made the suggestion that we try the October Taco of the Month, The Scarecrow.


I took Eric’s advice and ordered The Scarecrow – a tantalizing taco treat consisting of pumpkin breaded fried chicken with escabeche carrots (spicy-hot, pickled, thin strips of carrot), cotija cheese, cilantro, roasted poblano pepper on a flour tortilla with creamy chipolte sauce. Scarecrow, you tickled and torched my tongue with your autumnal array of tastiness. Being a seasonal taco selection, I say to The Scarecrow, as did Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz, “I think I will miss you most of all!”


Gene ordered the Beef Fajita Taco, which although good, is not one of my favorites. The Beef Fajita Taco is made with marinated and grilled skirt steak, grilled onions and peppers, shredded cheese and pico de gallo. For some reason, this taco seems to be somewhat less flavorful to me than most of Torchy’s Tacos. But, spice it up with one of the five great Torchy’s Tacos sauces and even this taco will pass the (hot) mustard.

All menu items are inspired by owner Executive Chef Michael Rypka with over 18 years in the restaurant business. I am so impressed with the unusual flavors Michael Rypka has chosen to combine and the wonderful sauces he’s created. And, all food products and high quality meats are bought from reputable Texas-based businesses. Hats off to the chef!


The Burnet Road location has a simple, but unique interior with a pressed chrome border around the ceiling and a glass partition sporting Torchy’s logo. Each formed chair contains the Torchy’s Tacos icon, a flying red devil.


While a bit more sterile-feeling than my favorite South 1st Street locale, the Burnet Road site has a very airy, comfortable outdoor patio.


In my last blog about Torchy’s, I mentioned the soda fountain drinks, featuring Dublin Dr. Pepper. At the Burnet Road location, there are even more bountiful beverage choices with several flavors of Maine Root handcrafted soda, a carbonated, organic cane-sweetened refreshment.


Take the Torchy’s Tacos Challenge, my piglet friends, and let me know which Torchy’s Tacos spot is your favorite, and which taco you like best. Check out Torchy’s Tacos website this month, and get a coupon for free chips and queso!!

Don’t Be a Chicken, Commit Yourselves, Y’all!!

On a Torchy's Tacos Tirade

My husband, Gene, was commenting to our friend and bishop, Mike McCullough, that we were looking for a good place to eat breakfast tacos. Bishop McCullough insisted we try Torchy’s Tacos on South 1st Street, assuring us they had the best tacos in town, and as an added bonus, they served Dublin Dr. Pepper on tap. Being an avid fan of Dublin Dr. Pepper, which uses Imperial Pure Cane Sugar (the original Dr. Pepper formula), my husband was sold, and our first trip to Torchy’s was the very next Saturday morning. That was last August, and I enjoyed that first trip to Torchy’s so much that I have returned as often as I can.


So far, I’ve been to 3 of the 7 Torchy’s Taco locations, and the South 1st Street location is still my favorite. Like a first love, I have such wonderful memories associated with this small South Austin taco shop. What first caught my attention was the little red devil on the sign surrounded by the slogan, “Torchy’s Damn Good Tacos”. As we entered the tiny diner-like restaurant and waited our turn in line, I studied the funky atmosphere and employees. (I think it might be a pre-requisite to have a large number of body tattoos in order to work at Torchy’s.)


I was actually grateful for the wait, so I would have time to read the handwritten menu on the wall. Decisions, decisions! Being a Saturday morning, I decided on the Migas, a breakfast taco recommended by the Torchy’s associate who took our order. We went in search of a table.


Even with all the people that were there for breakfast, we had no trouble locating a table outside in the covered courtyard. I marveled at the huge, beautiful hanging baskets draping the metal awning. I still want to know where they purchased those baskets!


Shortly, a young woman delivered the open-faced migas tacos to our table. I had picked up a sampling of every type of taco sauce, salsa and pico de gallo, ready for a taste test. The real question was whether or not I would use a fork or simply fold this soft taco together for my first bite. I started with a smidgen of Torchy’s Roja sauce, the mildest of the 5 sauces, made from fire-roasted roma tomatoes, chilies, grilled onions, garlic, cilantro and lime. As I took my first bite, I was overcome with an exquisite sense of flavors. Yum!


Something crunched in my biteful of eggs that was wonderful, yet unidentifiable. What could it be, I wondered? As I picked up a menu I reread the ingredients for the Migas – scrambled eggs, green chilies, avocado, pico de gallo, shredded cheese and crisp corn tortilla strips, served on your choice of tortilla. It was the corn tortilla strips that packed the Migas with a flavorful punch and crunch!

Next, I tried the Torchy’s Tomatillo sauce on my taco – a delicious blend of 3 fire-roasted chilies, tomatillos, grilled onions, cilantro and a shot of lime. The hotness indicator showed two flames. How does one describe perfection?!! So far, this one is my favorite Torchy’s taco sauce.

I prepared my palate for the Poblano Ranch sauce – a creamy Ranch dressing, blended with serrano peppers and grilled poblano peppers. This 3-flamed sauce is my husband’s favorite.

Gene warned me about the Chipotlé sauce, a light orange creamy sauce made from Ranch dressing, smoked chipotle peppers in adobo and roasted tomatoes. As I took my bite of migas with this scrumptious sauce, my tastebuds awoke!

Lastly and most carefully, I tasted the Diablo sauce, the hottest of all Torchy’s sauces, ranked with four flames. In Spanish, “diablo” means “devil”, and once the bright orange taco sauce, crafted from fire-roasted habanero chilies, blended with vinegar, spices and tomatoes, touched my tongue, I exclaimed, “This is damn good taco sauce!” Actually, I don’t talk like that, but it was really good, although much too hot for my Gringo tongue. The heat continued to smolder in my mouth several long minutes after I had finished my fabulous breakfast. This is the only sauce of the five made by Torchy’s that is bottled and may be purchased. Of course, we had to buy a bottle!


As a result of this extraordinary experience, I set a new tantalizing goal for my tastebuds...to visit each and every Torchy’s Taco location in Austin and to sample every single type of taco they offer! I plan to rate each taco here on my blog, so stay tuned!

Torch those Tacos, Y’all!