Resident Taqueria Is Open in Lake Highlands (Photos)

Tucked into the southwest corner of Walnut Hill Lane and Audelia Road in Lake Highlands, Resident Taqueria is the passion project of locals Amy and Andrew Savoie. The couple sees their taqueria as a much-needed addition to the neighborhood. "We were keeping Mi Cocina in business," Amy admitted, "Why not just do it ourselves?"

The taqueria just wrapped up a weeklong soft opening, wherein they received praise from the public, including local taco blogger Jose Ralat (whose kind words aren't too easy to come by): "There is serious promise here, not to mention tortillas made from nixtamalized masa by request."

Perhaps that promise stems from chef/owner Andrew Savoie's badass resume. He spent the last decade as a culinary instructor at the Art Institute of Dallas. (The kitchen is full of Savoie's former students.) Before that he worked at The Inn at Little Washington in Washington, Virginia; Bouchon in Yountville, California; Hugo’s in Portland; and Jean-Georges in NYC. That last one makes my foodie heart go pitter patter. 


The menu at Resident Taqueria is simple, especially when it comes to pricing. Nearly everything is $3. Tacos, sides, sweets and food for the kids. Tacos are street-sized, but definitely not your typical street. Amy says the most popular order fired during the soft open was the beef short rib, which comes atop oven-roasted tomatoes, onion and chipotle crema. They also worked to please vegetable lovers. Slow-cooked mushroom tacos and caramelized cauliflower tacos are anything but an afterthought. All tacos are served on flour tortillas hand-pressed to order. Corn tortillas are available by request. 

The biggest challenge for the small restaurant may be its location. You can't see it from either of the major crossroads. But something tells me these tacos (and a welcoming smile from Amy) will be worth a little extra hunting on the first visit. (Hint: It faces west.)