The long awaited move of the Rancho Bravo taco truck into the old Winchell’s building is complete (or at least Phase 1 complete).
As of last week, you can walk up to one of the two windows at the building and order your taco from the same menu you’ve enjoyed truck-side.
The eating area has migrated from the far side of the parking lot over to the building. Freddy Rivas, the owner, installed a concrete pad next to the building with a carport-style tent over it (the tarps that you see today are temporary).
The menu will see one addition, however: beer. Freddy plans to cordon off the eating area, open another window from the building into it and serve beer. Burrito and beer on a hot day, what’s there to complain about? If all goes as planned (when does it ever?), the beer should be flowing in about a month, in time for the hot days of summer.
For those of you sick of the eyesore of the Winchell’s building, it’s on its way to cleaned up, as well. It got a fresh coat of paint a month or so back, and workers scraped the aging Winchell’s decals off. The front windows still have shelves of food stacked in front of them, but Freddy tells me the plan is to move those elsewhere and let people have a clean view into the kitchen area. (Whether you think that viewing a fast food kitchen is the best view to offer 45th or not, you’ve got to admit it’s a step up from the dilapidation that has plagued that corner to date.)
The serving area will get a larger overhang for rainy days and even the old Winchell’s sign is up for refresh: they’ve upgraded the electrical and plan to swap out the sign for a Rancho Bravo logo.
And what becomes of the old taco truck? Pinky’s, the BBQ joint that has been living across the street, has moved in, and they’ll share the eating area.
And maybe, just maybe, the place will even get some music: “I’d love to set up a bandstand in the parking lot there maybe one day a month, have some music while people eat. It would be a nice way to thank the community and give back,” Freddy tells me.
Ariba!
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Great news! Though when Freddy says “in about a month,” I’ll assume he really means “sometime this summer…or next.”
Sweet. Oddly this is some of the best “bad” Mexican food for miles. Their carne asada torta is amazing.
Good for them and for us! The entreprenurial ladder of success. Start small, work up and be more and more successful and a boon, not a burden, to society.
Brava, Bravo!
Andale Freddy! Felicidades on the move under the roof. Can’t wait for the beer garden. Long been a fan of the Al Pastor tacos but must admit I’d stopped going as frequently. So glad to see a new sign will be going up and replacing the ancient grimey Winchells relics.
I get burritos or tacos with a beer all the time up the street at TnT Taqueria.
Years of blight and super over-priced, under-good food. I’ll continue to vote with my dollars and go to Dick’s or Pudge Bros, thanks!