Taco Cabana® Celebrates National Taco Day With Launch of New Street Tacos

SAN ANTONIO, Oct. 4 /PRNewswire/ --

Key Facts:

• Taco Cabana® continues its obsession with serving great-tasting Mexican food with the addition of traditional, Mexican style street food tacos to the menu for a limited time.
• Made with grilled, marinated steak and topped with a mix of fresh-cut cilantro and diced onions, each taco is prepared open-faced on two 100% corn tortillas and then served three at a time, with fresh lime wedge garnishes, as is the tradition with the authentic street food vendors in Mexico.
• A culinary team from Taco Cabana visited Guadalajara, Mexico, for inspiration and to ensure the restaurant's street food tacos would honor the traditions started by the street vendors in Mexico, while celebrating the brand's rich Mexican heritage.
• Taco Cabana was committed to maintaining the authenticity, as well as the flavors and presentation of the traditional Mexican street food tacos, rather than "Americanizing" the concept for its customers.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101004/DA76050)

(Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20101004/DA76050)

Street Food Tacos at Taco Cabana

Taco Cabana debuts its authentic street tacos on Monday, October 4, which happens to be National Taco Day – how appropriate. The new tacos, inspired by a culinary trip to Guadalajara, feature the simple, yet savory flavors that the team experienced as they sampled food from various street vendors during their visit to Mexico.

Available for a limited time, the tacos are made with grilled, marinated steak and topped with a mix of fresh-cut cilantro and diced onions. Each taco is prepared open-faced on two 100% corn tortillas and then served three at a time, with fresh lime wedge garnishes, as is the tradition with the authentic street food vendors.

The salsas and other toppings available on Taco Cabana's serve-yourself salsa bar are an ideal complement to the subtle flavors of the street tacos.

Why Street Food Tacos?

Food trend reports for 2010 were filled with news of the explosion of street food – both via mobile food trucks and through bringing traditional street food to all manner of restaurants. From casual dining to gourmet, restaurants are rolling out their own interpretation of traditional street food.

Because of its obsession with great-tasting Mexican food, Taco Cabana chose not to simply jump on the trend. Beyond the culinary research trip to Mexico, the brand's corporate chef, Walter "Smokey" Waters, has been refining the spices for the steak and the mix of toppings, as well as creating an avocado-based cream sauce to roll out with the new tacos.

Taco Cabana was committed to maintaining the authenticity, as well as the flavors and presentation of the traditional Mexican street food tacos, rather than "Americanizing" the concept for its customers.

Mexican street tacos have been called the "heart and soul of the country's diverse cuisine" because despite region or social or economic differences, everyone eats them (1).

Quotes

Todd Coerver, chief marketing officer of Taco Cabana

• "We are always on the lookout for ways to balance innovation and authenticity when it comes to new menu items at Taco Cabana. When the team was in Mexico, we got a true understanding of how street tacos are really a comfort food that people grow up eating with their families. We wanted to transport that feeling and fresh taste back here to our customers."
• "Customers are all about experiencing new flavors, as well as regional inspirations for food. Led by Taco Cabana's heritage and our customers' desire for something different, the team was inspired by what they saw on the culinary trip to Mexico. Bringing street food tacos to our menu for a limited time lets us explore a traditional favorite in a way that makes it interesting for our customers."

Walter "Smokey" Waters, corporate chef at Taco Cabana

• "On our trip to Mexico, we saw street taco vendors everywhere, cooking fresh beef on small grills and putting it right into doubled-up corn tortillas. The simple, savory flavors inspired us, and we wanted to keep that authentic taste alive as we developed our street tacos. We worked hard to stay true to that and are extremely proud of the street taco product we're debuting."

Additional Resources

• Mexconnect – "Wrap It Up – A Guide to Mexican Street Tacos, Part 1" http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/2098-wrap-it-up-a-guide-to-mexican-street-tacos-part-i
• Mexconnect – "Wrap It Up – A Guide to Mexican Street Tacos, Part 2 – Nighttime Tacos" http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/2091-wrap-it-up-a-guide-to-mexican-street-tacos-part-2-nighttime-tacos

About Taco Cabana: The Story Behind Our Obsession

In 1978, Taco Cabana began as a taco stand in San Antonio, with the unique recipes and ingredients that reflect our rich Tex-Mex culture and food. With more than 156 restaurants in 3 states, Taco Cabana continues to redefine the Mexican fast-casual dining experience through ongoing menu and service enhancements. We are committed to satisfying the appetites of our customers through our obsession for making great-tasting Mexican food. From our kitchens' daily fresh-made tortillas and handmade salsas, to our flame-grilled fajitas and refreshing margaritas, our obsession lives on, making Taco Cabana one of the region's most enduring and beloved Mexican food brands. Taco Cabana is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Carrols Restaurant Group, Inc. For more information on Taco Cabana or Carrols Restaurant Group, Inc., visit www.tacocabana.com or www.carrols.com. Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter for offers and updates from Taco Cabana.

References

(1) – Mexconnect.com – "Wrap It Up – A Guide to Mexican Street Tacos, Part 1"

http://www.mexconnect.com/articles/2098-wrap-it-up-a-guide-to-mexican-street-tacos-part-i

SOURCE Taco Cabana