New taco store delivers genuine Mexican road meals to Utah – Deseret News

Alonso Castañeda is bringing the tradition and meals from the Mexican streets to Utah.

He just lately opened Taco Culture — a enjoyable new restaurant targeted on bringing road tacos to the individuals of American Fork.

“We want it to feel like if you walked into a taqueria in any one of the big cities in Mexico,” Castañeda mentioned.

This isn’t the primary time Castañeda has introduced Mexican road meals tradition to Utah. A number of years in the past, he opened up Fruiteria, a dessert store serving up scrumptious ice cream paletas and decadent tender serve treats. There at the moment are two places — one in Orem and one in Provo.

“I’m trying to create concepts that are inclusive for everyone. And it’s the stuff that I love to eat when I’m in Mexico,” Castañeda mentioned.

A historical past within the restaurant trade

Castañeda has greater than twenty years of expertise within the restaurant trade.

His first job was at a restaurant that grew to turn out to be Qdoba.

Later on, he labored for Savory Restaurant Fund, and helped launch a number of eating places in Utah, akin to R&R Barbecue, Swig and even helped convey chains like Via 313 to Utah.

Now he’s taking that have to launch one thing of his personal with Taco Culture.

“Tacos are having a moment,” Castañeda mentioned.

Moving to Utah

Castañeda was born and raised in California till age 8, when he went to reside in Mexico till he was 13. He got here again to California till as an grownup, he moved to Denver for some time. He then moved to Utah after his dad and mom moved to the Beehive State to spend time along with his dad, who had gotten sick.

“It was the best decision I ever made to spend the last years of my dad’s life with him,” Castañeda mentioned. “To spend that time with my mother and spend that time with my siblings was so special. And then bringing my kids into the Utah culture was amazing. It was a benefit all-around, work-wise and family-wise.”

About Taco Culture

After spending years serving to different eating places launch and thrive in Utah, Castañeda determined it was time to chase his personal restaurant goals with Taco Culture.

When you stroll into the store, there’s a giant window that opens to the kitchen, so you possibly can see your tacos being cooked in actual time.

“When you walk up to a taco cart, you can see them cooking your meat, cooking your tortillas,” Castañeda mentioned. “And so I wanted to create that there with a big open window there, a big side window here, no secrets. You can just see everything that we’re cooking and we’re making it fresh every day.”

Taco Culture places an “extra focus” on hospitality and making clients really feel welcome from the second they stroll into the restaurant.

“They can expect that the team is going to be attentive to making sure their food is perfect, tastes amazing,” Castañeda mentioned. “And if there’s something wrong, we’re going to fix it.”

Castañeda mentioned he’s actually happy with how his group has embraced the idea and has liked seeing them work collectively.

“Seeing them, the team just gel and having very minimal turnover and everybody just supporting each other, helping each other, has been really cool,” Castañeda mentioned.

What I ordered

Napkins and taco memes are available at Taco Culture.

“So we’re embracing the taco, not just the food of it, which is very important, but also the humor that we all love about tacos,” Castañeda mentioned.

The ambiance is gentle and enjoyable, and after you order your tacos, there’s a decked out salsa bar the place clients can costume the tacos themselves.

“So I decided, OK, we will not dress them so the customer can create their own experience, but let’s have an amazing salsa bar,” Castañeda mentioned. “No matter what you get, you’re going to love it, whether it’s mild or hot.”

Here’s what I ordered:

At Taco Culture, I attempted two of the tacos, and each have been scrumptious.

Carne Asada: I’m an enormous fan of carne asada tacos, so I are available in with my very own bias. It was grilled to perfection and was juicy and tender within the good mini items. I attempted the medium spicy salsa on the salsa bar, and it was the proper stability to the taco.

Al Pastor: The pork is rotated on a vertical rotisserie often known as a trompo, making for a deep, savory taste. Thin items are shaved off the slab of tender pork and positioned on the taco with grilled pineapple. This one may need been my favourite, however it’s laborious to decide on. Why not simply have each?

At Fruiteria, I attempted the Angel Cup, and my life was modified. It’s described as “a heavenly scoop of your favorite ice cream choice, layered with fresh fruits of your choice, drizzled in sweet cream and topped with a halo of granola and shredded coconut.” The candy cream actually makes for a scrumptious and distinctive expertise. The Angel Cup is decadent and wealthy and, like its description, fairly heavenly.

Storefront info

Taco Culture

• Address: 456 E. State Rd., American Fork, UT 84003
• Hours: Monday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
• Price: $

Fruiteria

• Orem tackle: 1549 N. State St. #105, Orem, UT 84057
• Provo tackle: 239 W. Cougar Blvd., Provo, UT 84604
• Hours: Monday-Sunday, noon-10 p.m., Fridays open till 11 p.m.
• Price: $