When I worked downtown, I was a huge fan of taking a short walk to Taco Sisters and debating whether I would go for the smoked fish taco, veggie taco, or chicken salad. It's a much tougher decision than you might think.
During a recent visit on a very sunny afternoon, I was able to enjoy some outside dining with a couple coworkers, and check out the gorgeous springtime flowers planted around the picnic tables.
And even though I hadn't been in awhile, I couldn't help but go for my typical choice, the smoked chicken salad with soy ginger vinaigrette.
The biggest problem with a restaurant that's based on drive-thru and walk-up orders is a dependence on disposable materials, and many times, that means styrofoam everything. It's not a scenario unique to Taco Sisters, but it was one the business' partners decided to address.
I was very excited when I learned the restaurant had put a focus on sustainability and made the switch from styrofoam to bagasse containers, and I reached out to Lynn, one of the partners, to get more information. Bagasse is a sugarcane byproduct that can be formed into sturdy containers and composted.
The partners had always wanted to make the switch from styrofoam to bagasse, but found that many companies in the area didn't carry the items they need, and the few that did were priced too high. After years of research, Lynn's life partner Jon, who has an extensive background in the food distribution business, found a company that had what they needed and at a more reasonable price. They work with Eco-Products to purchase containers for their salads, cups for the soup, and hot and cold bagasse cups (for that local Reve coffee in the morning or a cool limeade in the afternoon) and for special-stock items.
"The switch is definitely worth it!" Lynn says. She explained how the Taco Sisters is still using plastic utensils, as the price of plant-based cutlery is still higher than they would like it to be.
Additionally, they've eliminated selling bottled water and now sell Boxed Water, a product that uses more sustainable packaging. Not limited by their own restaurant and food truck, the partners are actively working to get it into other restaurants and grocery stores around Lafayette. So far, Reve Coffee Downtown, Champagne's in the Oil Center and Albertson's all have Boxed Water as a result of the efforts.
Taco Sisters is known for their fresh seafood and smoked meats, and they source as much as they can from local vendors. Lynn says that most of the daily specials come from what she finds at the farmers market (mostly Helping Hands Farms) and all of the bulk produce comes from a local company.
And when you're done eating, there are separated trash and recycling bins, so you can properly dispose of your containers.
Lynn also said how she and her partner have been involved with the Freetown Community Garden since its foundation. Taco Sisters donates all leftover vegetable scraps, damaged containers, coffee grounds, egg shells, juicer pulp and garden trimmings to the garden's compost pile at the garden. "We love Freetown, and want to make it as self-sustaining as possible. We also have a few plots which we maintain and grow our own herbs and vegetable for the restaurant," Lynn explains.
Talk about a full-circle restaurant!
On to the fun question, what is Lynn's favorite dish? "Hmmmmmmm. I'm going to have to say our Smoked Shrimp Salad,
crisp granny-smith apples, mescaline lettuce mix, Haas avocado, fresh
cabbage and carrots and our Blue Cheese dressing. So good!"
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