We all knew it was coming. When I reviewed Velvet Taco last year, owner/partner John Franke told me he had every intension of opening subsequent locations of the restaurant. The only thing that was surprising was how long it took.
But tonight the wait ends. The second Velvet Taco will open at 5 p.m. on 7th Street in Fort Worth. The restaurant will only operate for dinner service this first week, but lunch service is expected to start next week.
Expect a similar menu featuring a mix of world flavors (Mexican, Asian, Indian and more) tucked into a variety of tortillas (some of which are made on-site) and lettuce. They'll also offer the same weekly rotating "WTF" taco that could feature almost anything. This week's offers eggs, herbed goat cheese, fingerling potatoes, grilled flank steak, corn pico, and more goat cheese on the top.
While the menu is similar, the Fort Worth space is significantly larger than the original Henderson Avenue location, which can get cramped when it's busy, which it often is. Velvet Taco 2.0 has indoor seating for 50, with 16 more seats outdoors. Considering the nearby bars on 7th Street, each and every bench and stool stands a good chance of being filled after midnight on the weekends.
A third location is expected to open in Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood sometime this summer, marking what could be the start of a significant expansion. Velvet Taco is owned by parent company Front Burner -- and just look what they've done with Twin Peaks.
2700 W. 7th St., Fort Worth, 817-887-9810, velvettacofw.com
