Michael Rypka is bringing his popular Torchy’s Tacos to Denver. (Photo by Cord McPhail.)
When fans of Austin-based Torchy’s Tacos clamored for the restaurant to come to Denver, owner Michael Rypka listened. This May, he’ll start renovating an old Arby’s restaurant at 11th and Broadway into the first Torchy’s Tacos to come to Colorado. They’ll be gutting it down to the basics, and adding a patio, with the opening date in August if plans go according to schedule.
Torchy’s, which started as an Austin food truck in 2006, now has more than 30 locations in Texas. The Denver project is the company’s first out-of-state venture.
“We’re excited, we think it’s going to be good,” said Rypka.
Torchy’s quick-service model features at-the-counter ordering with such favorites as The Baja Shrimp (shrimp, cabbage slaw, pickled onions and jalapenos, cotija, cilantro, lime, and chipotle sauce) and the Trailer Park (fried chicken, green chiles, lettuce, pico, cheese, and poblano ranch). The full service bar includes signature cocktails and infused tequilas.
Rypka isn’t surprised that so many Denver people knew about the Austin eatery.
“There’s a pretty good relationship between Texas and Colorado, a lot of travel back and forth,” he said. “ is probably a big part of it, and the music festival, where we sell tacos.”
Asked to describe what might make his tacos different from what’s already here locally, he riffs a bit.
“We’re not really Tex Mex or Mexican interior,” he said. “It’s kind of our own little flair. There’s a lot of flavor in all the different components. I’ve been cooking for 25 years, and gotten the opportunity to cook tons of different cuisines from around the world.”
He started his career as executive chef at the World Bank in Washington D.C., doing a lot of Indian and Ethiopian cuisine, and headed kitchens ranging from Disney to MTV studios.
If all goes well with Torchy’s Tacos in the Denver market, he’d like to add another four to five places in the area.
The post appeared first on .
