Latest taco trend hits the Ottawa food scene with full force

Ottawa Travel Guide

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Monday, 27 August 2012 17:33

While food trucks popping up throughout the city of Ottawa are marking a growing trend for mobile eateries across the capital, one truck in particular has taken the contemporary food scene to the next level, pitting the city's most famed chefs against each other for the title of Ottawa's greatest taco makers. At the TacoLot, which opened in March of this year in Hintonburg, the city's chefs are up for the challenge, hoping to create the next best Mexican staple with a touch of Canadian flair.

History in the tortilla making

When Jon Reilly-Roe first opened his own taco stand earlier this year, he was shocked to find a market waiting for him with open arms. It seemed as though the city of Ottawa was waiting for a great taco joint, and practically overnight, the TacoLot became a hotspot for a growing foodie culture. According to Ottawa Magazine, Reilly-Roe calls himself a "food guy" and turned his love for the Mexican delights into a fast-growing restaurant business.

What makes this establishment so different from any other Mexican eatery in the city is that every Sunday afternoon, a new chef creates a different menu with his or her own touch, whether offering pulled pork-stuffed tacos or Thanksgiving-inspired turkey tacos with cranberry salsa. As if that's not enough, all of the proceeds from the chef-created menus go to a charity of their choice.

What's coming up

The months of September and October will see a slew of Ottawa chefs, including Chris Lord of Union Local 613 and Patricia Larkin of the Black Cat Bistro.

Union Local 613 is a new restaurant in Ottawa, where the chefs take personal pride in providing a taste of Southern hospitality to each of their patrons. Manned by Chef Lord, the restaurant features menu items like fried green tomatoes and Texas shrimp and grits, which will undoubtedly be similar to what will be offered at TacoLot on September 30.

The Black Cat Bistro cooks up quite a different assortment of flavours, highlighting local and farm-fresh ingredients while providing a unique take on French cuisine. Larkin is the head chef of this award-winning establishment, and her contributions to the TacoLot on October 21 will surely have visitors who travel through Canada talking about their culinary experience for months to come.