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Camille Tambunting.
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Camille Tambunting.
The humble taco is nationally beloved, running neck-and-neck with that perennial American classic, the burger.
But tacos can claim something the burger has yet to achieve: it’s one of the few dishes honored with a regular guest spot on your weekday calendar (#TacoTuesday, anyone?). In fact, it’s become a cultural touchstone of sorts, with different areas in the U.S. putting their local spin on the Mexican staple, reflecting the tastes, bounty, and people of that particular region.
Unsurprisingly, Nashville has wholeheartedly embraced the tortilla- stuffed wonder with local spots offering traditional Mexican preparations of the dish, along with its Tex-Mex and Cali-Mex counterparts. Proving you can never have too much of a good thing is Tomacco Tacos + Tequila, a Cali-Mex taco joint with its sights set on becoming Germantown’s next neighborhood hang. Leading the charge behind the new eatery is Jessie Husmann, one of the founding team members of Tacos Aurora in Hunter’s Station.
“My team and I are so grateful for the customers that supported us and kept us afloat by ordering takeout from Tacos Aurora during the darkest days of the pandemic,” says Husmann. “We were able to develop relationships with them on a personal level and realized how much we loved the hospitality aspect of the business, so we decided to expand the concept into the more community- and service-oriented atmospheres that Tomacco will provide.”
After graduating from the culinary program at Paul Smith’s College, Husmann went on to work in the kitchens of several James Beard award- winning chefs before discovering her calling in a taco shop. Her life’s been focused on the hand-held meal ever since, and she’s brought that passion and vibrant outlook to Tomacco’s kitchen in Germantown.
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Camille Tambunting.
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Camille Tambunting.
“We felt that Germantown needed a taco spot,” adds Husmann. “There are so many wonderful restaurants in the area, so we knew the audience was there, and we wanted to fill that gap by offering the neighborhood fresh and delicious food in a fun and communal atmosphere.”
Inside, you’ll find a bright and playful interior that embraces an industrial-chic aesthetic thanks to exposed pipework, rustic brick walls, and design accents full of color and pops of neon. A custom mural of Dolly “the Parton Saint of Nashville” by local artist Becca Wildsmith adorns the back of the bar, while a large, covered patio boasting vibrant planters and strung-up colored lights begs for al fresco taco noshing.
Camille Tambunting.
The small-but-mighty menu at Tomacco puts you at the helm of your meal with a build-your-own taco option using fresh ingredients. Start with your choice of protein: go with a hearty classic filling like al pastor pork or barbacoa or try one of the restaurant’s lighter signature recipes like the chipotle lime chicken or nopal corn salad. After picking your protein, opt for the “a la mexicale” (cilantro, lime, onion, and radish) or “a la gringo” (lettuce and pico) preparation and call it a day... or not. Because your meal isn’t quite complete with the carne-and-cheese-topped borracho fries and a decadent, cream-filled crispy churro for dessert.
Washing it all down is a robust cocktail program fueled by a full- service bar specializing in tequila and rum cocktails. Standouts include a well-rounded agave flight (tequila, mezcal, sotol, raicilla, and bacanora), the luscious horchata bushwhacker, and non-alcoholic agua frescas served up in a “Parton Saint” glass. It’s the take-home souvenir your glassware collection never knew it needed. (Tomacco Tacos + Tequila, 1120 4th Ave. North, Suite 101; 615-922-6995; tomaccotaco.com)