Ideal Atlanta takeout: Taco Cantina in Smyrna

Speaking by cellular phone a short while ago, he stated company is down 40% to 50% compared with “before all this ridiculous stuff took place.” But, he’s managed to continue being open up the complete time, by featuring takeout and working with shipping and delivery services.

ExamineCobb County eating information
Taco Cantina’s chicken tinga enchiladas come with green salsa, black beans and white rice. Bob Townsend for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Taco Cantina’s hen tinga enchiladas arrive with inexperienced salsa, black beans and white rice. Bob Townsend for The Atlanta Journal-Structure

Credit history: Bob Townsend

Credit rating: Bob Townsend

“A smaller enterprise cannot manage to shut for two or three weeks,” he stated. “We are living paycheck to paycheck. What we offer that week, we shell out on labor and stuff that we prepare dinner fresh new every single working day. We’re not like McDonald’s, with frozen hamburgers. Every little thing I prep has to go out the identical day.”

Gonzalez has been meticulous about safety steps, demanding masks for everyone, and installing protecting glass around the buy counter and open kitchen area.

Nevertheless, he’s managed to continue to keep his sense of humor, even in the experience of a few uncooperative buyers.

“I have a indication out entrance that claims, ‘No Masks, No Tacos No Tacos, No Lifetime.’ It is in fact rather funny,” he stated. “But, if you don’t have a mask, we’ll provide a single to you, absolutely free of cost.”

Gonzalez experienced a next Taco Cantina locale in Aged Fourth Ward, but closed it in early 2019, a small around a yr just after it opened. “I was shorter on money, and it was a lot of overhead, and I just couldn’t retain it heading with that and all the taxes,” he stated.

Gonzalez admitted his transition from good-eating to Taco Cantina was hard at initially.

“To be genuine, when I opened, my things was not that fantastic,” he reported. “I imagined I knew food stuff, but I understood seafood and other things, and it wasn’t from my have culture. So, I commenced conversing to my mother, and she wrote me recipes for barbacoa and hen tinga, and aided me with the salsas.”

Later on, nevertheless, Gonzalez resolved to department out, and insert sandwiches and fancier-dressed “super tacos,” like Asian beef and buttermilk fried chicken, to the menu.

“I place on the torta Cubana, the rooster Milanesa, and the steak torta, just hoping the three would sell, and, all the unexpected, I was spending my payments with tortas,” he reported. “And, together with the nachos and burritos, the tacos became secondary.”

Searching in advance, Gonzales claimed he has a few of new initiatives in the is effective.

The Indigo Street Hospitality Group requested him to assistance open up a new Mexican seafood cafe in Charleston. Just after that, he’s hoping to open up a burrito shop, which will be a spin-off of the ghost kitchen area he’s been working with Burritos California and Uber Eats.

“That’s my up coming go, to open a little burrito shop of my individual,” Gonzales explained. ”It’s rough now, but you’ve just obtained to hold cooking fantastic food stuff, and really do not gouge the buyers, and just be honest.”

TACO CANTINA

Menu: basic and modern day Mexican

Alcohol: canned and bottled beer

What I purchased: normal al pastor, tremendous fried chicken and super Asian beef tacos hen tinga enchiladas with inexperienced salsa, black beans and white rice torta Cubana with sluggish cooked pork, smoked ham, Swiss cheese, sweet relish, mustard and chile de arbol mayo, served with dwelling tortilla chips. All have been reliable choices, but the torta Cubana and tremendous fried rooster taco had been standouts.

Support possibilities: takeout curbside delivery via GrubHub or Uber Eats get in touch with or go on the internet for takeout or delivery

Outdoor dining: smaller patio and out of doors tables

Mask coverage: personnel dress in masks shoppers should use masks when ordering masks will be furnished, if desired

Address, cellular phone: 2517 Spring Road, Smyrna 678-242-1826

Hrs: 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays closed Sundays

Internet site: mytacocantina.com