Mondays To Black Jack: 'Yo Quiero Taco Bamba'

LOGAN CIRCLE -- Fans of Chef Victor Albisu’s famed cooking have been chomping at the bit ever since it came to light that BLT Steak’s former Executive Chef would be opening-up his first solo project in Falls Church, Virginia later in the fall.

But the wait has been agonizing for most foodies, with only hints of forthcoming taqueria Taco Bamba’s menu leaking out at various charity functions Albisu has been volunteering his culinary talents at over the past few weeks.

No longer. Albisu has announced that every Monday night from now through December 17th, he will be testing dishes from Taco Bamba at 2012 RAMMY Award-winning Logan Circle hotspot Black Jack.

A collaboration born out of his longtime friendship with Black Restaurant Group owner and chef Jeff Black, ‘Taco Bamba Nights’ at Black Jack will feature an a la carte menu of tacos, snacks, and “anything [else] Albisu decides to test,” with no advance reservations required.

Each week’s menu will be updated every Sunday and posted online at the Taco Bamba website. Sample menu items will include tacos made with skirt steak, grilled bacon and pork belly, duck leg and skin, grilled octopus and sweetbreads, and pork and beef tongue, as well as Grilled Scallop and Grilled Guacamole Nachos, Black Oyster and Shrimp Campache, and Wood Grilled Corn al Chili Limon.

A series of specialty cocktails will also be made available, such as the Pineapple Agua Fresca (Fresh Pineapple, Lime Juice, Simple Syrup, Milagro Silver Tequila) and Grapefruit Jarrito Sunrise (Milagro Tequila, Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur, Rothman Creme de Violette, Jarritos Grapefruit Soda). Note that Taco Bamba will eschew applying for a liquor license, so these libations are only available during their Black Jack run.

To celebrate the start of the pop-up taqueria series yesterday evening, Albisu and Black hosted a launch party for a scant $40/person – all inclusive of food, cocktails, tax, and gratuity. And while the celebration was open to the general public, a half-dozen or so leading Washington-area chefs also stopped-by to show their support, including The Source Executive Chef Scott Drewno and Bourbon Steak Executive Chef Adam Sobel.

It was just their way of saying, “Yo quiero Taco Bamba.”