Credit: Savannah Copeland
Taco Boy, which has three locations in the Charleston area, this week announced several changes including new branding, locations, leadership, menu items, and more. The restaurant provided the following updates:
NEW BRANDING
The restaurant’s new look, which was developed by Stitch Design Co. and executed by Eric Pieper of Homestead creative studio in Asheville, NC, is being rolled out this week on the brand new menus. By early December, it will be reflected across
NEW LOCATIONS
The Taco Boy family of taquerias includes the flagship restaurant on Folly, a second location in downtown Charleston (opened in 2009), and the latest in Summerville (2019). In mid-December, Taco Boy is expanding into Asheville, North Carolina, opening a new store at 521 Haywood Road in lively West Asheville. And in 2023, plans are in place for additional locations in the Carolinas. Hiring is currently underway in the Asheville market.
Credit: Savannah Copeland
NEW LEADERSHIP
A native of Southern California, Chef Francisco Alvarez became Taco Boy's new Culinary Director this past June. He comes to the East Coast after 20 years honing his skills in some of Las Vegas' lauded kitchens, including serving as Executive Sous Chef at Caesar's Palace and Chef at Costas Spiliadis' acclaimed Estiatorio Milos. Francisco's family is from the Jalisco state of Mexico, where he spent summers growing up.
NEW NIXTAMALIZED TACOS
Chef Francisco has developed an in-house tortilleria using traditional equipment and the centuries-old process of nixtamalization. The process involves steeping corn in an alkaline solution before rinsing it to remove the outer kernel cover (pericarp), and milling it into masa (maize dough). Taco Boy says nixtamalized corn produces a tortilla that is more flavorful, digestible, and is higher in nutritional benefits. Additionally, Chef Francisco will be using heirloom corn, in a variety of hues.
Credit: Savannah Copeland
This process will be on view, behind glass, at the new West Asheville location. Work is underway to develop in-house tortillerias in the Charleston locations as well, with an anticipated rollout in the spring.
In the very near future, Taco Boy will be among few restaurants in the country producing and handmaking nixtamalized corn tortillas in-house using traditional equipment such as a volcanic stone mill. It's among even fewer establishments executing this process using heirloom corn.
NEW BEVERAGE PROGRAM
A longtime Asheville, NC, restaurant industry veteran of 30 years, Maty Hollingsworth came on board in August as the Interim Beverage Director for Taco Boy. He is overseeing the management of all libations and a refresh of the drink menu for Taco Boy.
“Agave spirits are my favorites,” he said. “There are so many fresh juices, and flowers, and fruits that complement the herbaceous profile of tequilas and smokey backbone of mezcal and sotol; you can go in so many different directions. It’s so fun to create a beverage menu around Mexican-inspired drinks.”
Credit: Savannah Copeland
The new beverage menu includes a fresh batch of original margaritas and specialty cocktails. The new menu also highlights a shift to fresh juicing in-house and scratch-made specialty cordials, including a hazelnut corn orgeat that's a great complement to the nixtamalized heirloom corn tortillas.
Tequila flights have also returned, along with an expanded selection of tequilas, cristalino tequilas (rested and filtered with activated charcoal), and smoky mezcals. The bar program also just launched Tequila Tuesdays, offering $5 house margaritas on Tuesdays.
