Torchy's Tacos Turns Up The Heat In Austin

AUSTIN, TX —Torchy’s Tacos, the popular craft-casual taco chain, calls its signature offerings as being "Damn Good" — an assertion reinforced on restaurant walls where the descriptor is scrawled. But in August, some of the chain's offerings are damn spicy too.

The chain is kicking off it sixth annual Some Like It Hot promotion beginning Aug. 1. While Torchy’s features a special Taco of the Month every month, each August they turn up the heat with a lineup of four seriously hot, Damn Good tacos with a new taco introduced each week, officials said in a press advisory.

“It’s clear that Torchy’s fans crave tacos on the hotter side – from our year-round offerings of Green Chile Queso to our famous tacos that come with Diablo Sauce,” CEO G.J. Hart said in a prepared statement. “With our Some Like It Hot line-up, our guests can test their limits to see just how much heat they can handle as they standoff against the hottest tacos in our taco vault.”

Each week, the tacos’ heat level will crawl up the Scoville scale, the recognized scale for determining spiciness or “heat” in foods. Torchy’s will introduce a new taco each week with all four fiery tacos available to order the last week of the month.

This year’s Some Like It Hot taco lineup includes:

• Bottle Rocket Shrimp (8/1-8/31): Habanero battered fried shrimp, cabbage slaw, cotija cheese, candied jalapeños, cilantro and Diablo Mayo on a flour tortilla.
• Barnburner (8/12-8/31): Marinated and grilled beef, chopped bacon, Manzano chile salad, Texas artisan goat cheese, cilantro, Avocado Sauce and Diablo Sauce on a flour tortilla.
• The Creeper (8/19-8/31): Habanero battered fried chicken, chorizo, chopped bacon, Brushfire jalapeños, cotija cheese, pickled onions, cilantro and Creamy Ghost Pepper Sauce on a flour tortilla.
• Scalding Pig (8/26-8/31): Pasilla and Ghost Pepper stewed pork, jack cheese, escabeche carrots, chicharrón, sour cream, cilantro and Torchy’s own XXX Hot Sauce on a flour tortilla.

Image courtesy of Torchy's Tacos.

As if announcing these seasonal offerings weren't enough, officials throw down the gauntlet: "Think you’re brave enough to eat all four at once? New this year, Torchy’s Tacos will host its first Some Like It Hot taco eating contests for those who like to challenge their taste buds and threshold for heat."

Contests will take place in select markets on Monday, Aug. 19 – National Hot and Spicy Food Day. Interested participants can sign up at Facebook.com/TorchysTacos/Eventsstarting Aug. 6 —and onlookers are encouraged to sip on a glass of The Ranch Party while they cheer them on because promotion.

Some Like It Hot taco eating contest locations include:

• Austin, Texas: Mueller, 1801 E. 51st St., Bldg. D, Austin, TX 78723
• Houston, Texas: Vintage, 10123 Louetta Rd., #1300, Houston, TX 77070
• Dallas/Fort Worth: Richardson, 300 W. Campbell Rd., Ste. 160, Richardson, TX 75080
• Denver: 88th & Wads, 7159 W. 88th Ave., Ste. 400, Denver, CO 80021

This year’s Some Like It Hot tacos are complemented by The Ranch Party, a signature cocktail mixed specially for the heat of the Some Like It Hot tacos, officials noted. The refreshing beverage is designed to wash away the tears and heat with a mixture of Playa Real pineapple tequila, sweet and sour, Topo Chico, Tajin salt and lime.

Each Torchy’s location will display four music festival-style posters for each of the tacos in the Some Like It Hot promotion. The posters match the taste and persona of each taco, and each week, the first 100 guests at every Torchy’s location will receive a commemorative poster upon ordering a Some Like It Hot taco, while supplies last.

But it's not all self-promotion: "Torchy’s Tacos believes in giving back to its communities. Each month, a portion of the proceeds from the Taco of the Month campaign are donated to charitable partners including MD Anderson Cancer Center, Make-A-Wish and Phoenix House," officials added.

About Torchy’s Tacos

The Torchy’s Tacos story began over a decade ago in Austin, Texas, when a man with a dream bought a food trailer and a vibrant red Vespa. Mike Rypka, founder of Torchy’s Tacos, built a menu out of experimental tacos that were coined by fans as “damn good.” Today, Torchy’s Tacos has over 60 locations across Texas, Oklahoma, Colorado and Arkansas that are committed to serving only the highest quality ingredients.

By living the Damn Good mantra, Torchy’s Tacos is always innovating to deliver the most unique tacos, coveted queso and refreshing margaritas in the taco game, including the Taco of the Month, an untraditional taco offering that keeps taco junkies coming back for more.

Visit www.torchystacos.com and follow on Facebook, Twitter andInstagram for more information on Torchy’s Tacos.