You know the old saying: If you can’t beat ’em, parody ’em to give ’em a run for their money. Earlier this week a handful of corporate chain restaurants scooped up federal Paycheck Protection Program loans originally intended for small businesses, and at least one L.A. restaurant isn’t taking this sitting down. Instead, it’s turning into a steakhouse for one night.
“We heard Ruth’s Chris got $20 million,” Guerrilla Tacos posted to Instagram yesterday, “So we decided to be a steakhouse, too.”
Wes Avila’s celebrated taco-truck–turned–Arts District restaurant is channeling the frustration felt throughout the independent-restaurant community, and it’s giving Angelenos a new, local, tongue-in-cheek option for a steakhouse meal. Starting Friday, Avila’s operation will offer new weekly “emergency kits,” each themed around a different style of restaurant. This week, it’s all steaks and shrimp cocktails. And when we say Guerrilla Tacos is giving established steakhouses a run for their money, we mean it.
This week’s iteration involves a prime bone-in rib-eye steak with shaved black truffles, onion jus, onion brûlée, and potato purée, not to mention gruyere-and-chive popovers, a fancy jumbo shrimp cocktail with caviar, a cobb salad and some creme brûlée, to finish. What’s more, the meal for two even includes old-fashioned cocktails, and all for $156, total.
The new “emergency kits” mark the latest menu drop worth celebrating at Guerrilla Tacos, which—in addition to offering its regular menu of stellar, ingredient-driven tacos and burritos—recently launched pollo a la brassa dinner packages, produce boxes and a mega kit that includes taco fixings, 30 eggs and toilet paper.
Now, in addition to Avila and the team’s rotating tacos and dinner packs, you’ll be able to taste their spin on an entirely new restaurant style each week.
“Your order helps us to have a fighting chance to re-open at the end of this quarantine,” the restaurant posted. “Creativity comes from restrictions and boredom and we have a lot of both. Our team decided to bust a workout of our creative muscles to do something fun and different. In short, we are all stuck, let’s MIX IT UP. We have so much gratitude for you. Thank you all for your support and continued business. This restaurant is here to be part of the community.”
Only a few of the 15 available steakhouse dinner kits remain, and the cutoff for orders is tomorrow (April 22) at 7pm—but hey, if you miss this round, check the restaurant’s social media for updates next week, and the week after that.
The restaurant tells Time Out L.A. that plans for future themes include diner classics, a Korean BBQ kit and a Mediterranean menu. For now, though, let’s all just drool over these steakhouse-style popovers.
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Guerrilla Tacos is still open for delivery and pickup at 2000 E 7th St in the Arts District. Its new emergency kits will change weekly, and can be ordered online here.
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