Hooray for Huevos
by Lorne Chambers | Editor
In 2020 Taco Boy made the jump from its long-time Center Street home to a hipper, newer, and much larger building on East Ashley Avenue when it swapped spaces with its then-sister restaurant Wiki Wiki Sandbar. The switcheroo gave the still fledgling Wiki Wiki more exposure on the busier Center Street and gave the already wildly popular Taco Boy more room to stretch out and flex its sizeable muscles. The move seems to have proven advantageous for the formidable Taco Boy, giving it more outdoor seating, an indoor-outdoor bar, and multiple levels for dining in a stylish building that radiates fun kitschy tropical vibes and a stylish modern esthetic. On the other hand, there was no amount of Spam sliders, Poke bowls, Kalua pork, or Huli-huli chicken that could save the ambitious Hawaiian-themed Wiki Wiki, especially in the midst of a global pandemic.
Wiki Wiki closed at the end of 2021 and earlier this year, the space at 15 Center St. officially became The Bounty Bar, a sister restaurant to downtown Charleston’s Royal American, a thoughtfully-curated dive bar, which like Taco Boy, is also owned and operated by local restaurant heavyweight Karalee Nielsen Fallert’s All Good Industries. So far, Bounty Bar’s debut seems to be going swimmingly, offering a more stripped-down, laid-back beach bar vibe that appeals more to both locals and tourists than its higher concept predecessor did.
Meanwhile, over on East Ashley, Taco Boy continues to find new ways to make waves on the beach. Just last month, it threw its sombrero into the Folly Beach brunch ring, offering a small but mighty Mexican-inspired brunch menu every Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m.. It also began setting up a food truck at the back of the restaurant property, which faces East Cooper Avenue, slinging breakfast tacos Wednesday-Sunday mornings from 8-11 a.m. as well as non-breakfast to-go tacos after that.
Chris Hightower, who is the Kitchen Manager at the Folly Beach Taco Boy, says that the breakfast taco idea came first but quickly evolved into a full-blown brunch menu.
“We wanted breakfast tacos for our food truck. Once those recipes were developed, the brunch concept within the restaurant was an obvious move. Yes, there are other restaurants serving brunch nearby, but we are not offering traditional brunch fare and we’re really starting to gain some traction,” he says.
When creating the brunch menu Hightower says there were two items (besides the breakfast tacos) that were a must: Huevos Rancheros and Chilaquiles.
“These are classic Mexican dishes and certainly items that our guests would expect to see, he says. “We had a lot of fun during the developmental phase. We knew that we needed to make the dishes our own, and I think we succeeded. Homemade Ranchero sauce, perfectly textured tortilla chips, tender chicken Tinga, and classic black beans really take these dishes to the next level.”
Hightower says the Huevos have been extremely popular in the opening weeks but that the breakfast tacos are the star of the show, whether ordered inside the restaurant during brunch hours or out back at the food truck. “Guests can mix and match to their hearts content. The tacos are not complicated. Just a few ingredients, but very well balanced,” he says. “These tacos are really geared for our food truck. The tacos utilize classically cooked proteins that we already serve on our menu. We just added some fluffy scrambled eggs, seasoned with Tajin, and boom, breakfast taco! They are terrific grab-and-go items for the beach.”
There are a couple items for those with a sweet tooth. Hightower says owner Fallert personally had a vision for the French toast that incorporated the “churro” flavor. Without giving away the entire secret, Hightower says it is made with a Corn flake crust and rolled in cinnamon sugar with a batter that includes vanilla pudding and a touch of brandy. It’s then topped with sweet, macerated berries and spicy syrup.
While the Heuvos Rancheros, Chiliaquiles, and Churro French toast are showstoppers, perhaps the sleeper item on the brunch menu is the Croque Señor quesadilla. A perfect balance of sweet and savory, this is a truly unique offering. “It was originally going to be a Monte Cristo-style sandwich,” says Hightower. “After noticing that the hand-breaded chicken tenders and Jalapeno-lime mayo were lost in the bread, and the fact that it ate a bit messy, the idea to do it quesadilla style was a no-brainer.” Like the French Toast, the Croque Señor quesadilla is also served with spicy maple syrup, which utilizes Taco Boy’s signature “Danger sauce” (Regular syrup available for the less adventurous).
“As we continue to gain traction with our brunch program, look for us to feature some exciting new breakfast taco specials,” says Hightower. “Afterall, breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and who doesn’t love a taco?”
