A new Mexican restaurant, Taco Taco, quietly opened last month in the former Honest Tom’s Plant Based Taco Shop location at 261 S. 44th Street. According to a recent report, Honest Tom’s longtime kitchen staff members – Alvaro, Maria and Eli – took over the space after former owner Tom McCusker left at the end of July to start a new business, Fruitadelphia.
The new restaurant is no longer vegan, although it still features some vegan items, like BIFF (a walnut-based “meat”) tacos and burritos. The new owners brought back the old menu, including breakfast on the weekends, which Honest Tom’s used to serve before it went all-vegan in the summer of 2018.
Taco Taco is open Monday – Friday 11 a.m.-9 p.m. and on Saturdays and Sundays 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
Neighborhood foodies may have noticed that popular local spot Honest Tom’s Taco Shop (on 44th between Spruce and Locust) was closed most of last week following a power outage on July 3rd, caused by a falling tree. While the power outage did cause them to close a bit early, Honest Tom’s had planned to close for a few days around the 4th of July holiday anyway, in order to change their menu over to a completely plant-based (aka vegan) menu. That’s right: it’s vegan-only tacos, burritos and bowls from here on in. Many of the new menu’s items were available on the old menu, or run as occasional specials, so they won’t be completely unknown to Honest Tom’s regulars. Others are brand new. Continue Reading
And the winner of Honest Tom’s venerable taco truck is … Maru Global (Facebook page), the folks who specialize in authentic Japanese street food.
Maru Global’s plans for the truck are still coming together, but it is sure to feature takoyaki – a fried dough ball typically filled with octopus, ginger, onion and other delectables – maybe some curry fries, onigiri or their famous desert balls.
Maru Global won the truck as a result of a contest Honest Tom ran earlier this month asking would-be entrepreneurs to write him and explain why they should get the truck.
The winning of the truck is the latest in a tumultuous string of recent events for Maru Global’s Chef Ryo Igarashi and his wife Nicole Igarashi, who handles the business side of the operation. They had to close their restaurant, Tokio Global, near Headhouse Square in April after Ryo underwent surgery to remove a blood clot from his brain. As he recovered they returned to the kitchen to prepare a whittled down mobile menu for events and festivals around the city.
We have good news and bad news. Curbside diners from Clark Park to Center City will be sad to hear that Honest Tom is retiring his taco truck. The good news is that an entrepreneur eager to get into the food truck game will get the colorful 1970 Chevy step van, one of the most vaunted food trucks in the city, free of charge.
“Honest” Tom McCusker, who in December climbed out of the truck and into his new shop on 44th Street, is giving the truck away for a story.
“It runs like an old workhorse but definitely has its quirks,” said McCusker, who says he bought the truck off a man named Derek with credit card cash advances from “multiple credit cards.”
Here’s a post from his Facebook page that spells out the deal:
For those that have inquired or anyone else it may concern:
We have been trying to get the truck back into regular rotation for months now, but with the shop schedule being as demanding as it is we have realized that it is not going to be possible. So we’ve come up with a plan…
As good as the truck has been to us we’ve decided it cannot be burdened with a monetary value. We will be gifting it to a noble up and comer looking to dive into the dark scary world of food trucking. Email honesttoms – at – gmail.com with why you should be the chosen one and we will make a decision on monday the 9th of july,meaning emails must be in that Sunday by midnight.
“Honest” Tom McCusker behind the counter at his new shop on 44th Street.
It was a familiar scene to many in West Philly. “Honest” Tom McCusker behind the counter asking for names and taking orders. But this time he was at eye level – not in his famous truck, but at his new shop at 261 S. 44th (between Spruce and Locust).
Honest Tom’s Taco Shop (Facebook link) opened for business this morning and with any luck, McCusker said, they will be open until 9 p.m. or so tonight. Honest Tom’s will be open seven days a week 8 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Like the truck, the shop is cash only.
Come back in a few days for a review, but we pretty much know how this one will turn out.
Tom McCusker makes some damn fine tacos and now Channel 10 knows it too. Oooo, and he wants to make and bottle his own hot sauce. Bring it on Honest Tom.
Recent Comments