Sweet Tacoin’ Man

July 2, 2015

3:21 PM

Photo courtesy of Yabo's Tacos

Sweet Tacoin' Man

Chicken-pork one-two punch propels Yabo’s to victory

For someone who used to enter major, national-level gourmet cooking competitions, taking home an award for tacos is an unusual experience.

But Scott Boles – owner of Yabo’s Tacos, which opened its original location in Westerville in June 2011 – isn’t complaining about winning “Westerville’s Tastiest” at the 2015 Taste of Westerville for the restaurant’s chicken and pork tacos.

“To enter a taco, and for it to win, is just mind-blowing,” Boles says. “The compliment was very much appreciated.”

Since opening its doors on state Rt. 3 four years ago, Yabo’s has added locations in Upper Arlington and Powell, as well as a food truck. Boles is scouting for additional locations, but that’s not the full extent of his expansion hopes.

“We’re right now in the process of working on … building (Yabo’s) as a franchise,” he says. “… I did not create this idea just to be a store. I (always) intended this to be a franchise.”

The former Disney Corporation executive chef has long been fascinated by indigenous recipes from throughout the country, and parlayed that experience into Yabo’s when he and business partner Brent King started it.

“I’m not Mexican, and I’m not going to fake it, but I have a vast experience from basically living from coast to coast,” says Boles. “Much of what we do is just Americana in a tortilla.”

To wit: the seasoning for those winning chicken tacos – as well as the fish and shrimp varieties – comes from a Mississippi recipe. The shredded pork is derived from a North Carolina barbecue recipe. The shredded beef tacos come from a Kansas City short rib recipe. And frequent experimentation leads to regular taco specials, such as a Cuban pork, gyro, buffalo chicken, chicken bacon ranch and Philly cheesesteak.

A handful of sauces – including Serrano lime, chipotle, strawberry habanero and the super-hot Garlic Fire-Breather – round out the taco options, though Yabo’s also offers such items as burritos, bowls and quesadillas. “Westerville’s Tastiest” isn’t Yabo’s only award of late; the Garlic Fire-Breather sauce also recently took “Best Overall” among 750 competitors at a Dallas fiery foods competition, Boles says.

Photo courtesy of Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce

Sweet Tacoin' Man

The 12th annual Taste was held in April at the Crowne Plaza Columbus North, having outgrown its previous home at the Lakes Golf and Country Club. Other winners were Bess’ Cakery, which took “Best Presentation” for its mini cupcakes, and Polaris Grill, which took “People’s Choice” for the fourth year in a row, this time for its Cajun shrimp and grits.

Photo courtesy of Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce

Sweet Tacoin' Man

Other food providers represented were Buffalo Wild Wings, Cantina Laredo, Cheryl & Co., City Barbeque, Crowne Plaza Columbus North, Embassy Suites Hotel, Firebirds Wood Fired Grill, Friendship Village of Columbus, Giammarco’s Pizza & Pasta, Gigi’s Cupcakes, Great Harvest Bread Company, Jimmy V’s Grill & Pub, Koblé Greek-Italian Grill, Little Caesars Pizza, Matt the Miller’s Tavern, Nicole’s Catering, the Rusty Bucket, Sam’s Club, Sandman Gourmet Deli & Catering and Star Lanes Polaris. Beverages were provided by Firebirds, North High Brewing Co., Quail Crossing Cellars, Meza Wine Shop, Temperance Row Brewing and Watershed Distillery.

Garth Bishop is managing editor. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.

RECIPE

Yabo’s Slow-Roasted Pork

Ingredients

2 lbs. Boston butt pork shoulder

5 oz. Yabo’s spice blend*

Instructions

Place in full-size, 4-inch-deep, stainless steel roasting pan. Place the pork into the pan and rub all sides with Yabo’s spice blend. Cover pan with cling wrap and then cover with aluminum foil to ensure pork is sealed well.

Place in slow roaster. Cook and hold, and set roast temperature at 285 degrees Fahrenheit for 12 hours. Set the hold temperature for 170 degrees to hold meat until shredding. Check internal temperature with a meat thermometer of pork to a minimum temperature of 170 degrees.

Using a grill turner or meat spatula, cut the roasts into 3- to 4-inch segments. From there, continue to shred pork with two forks pulling apart, until meat is in uniform and small strands.

Serve, or place into deep pan and wrap tightly with cling wrap to serve later.

* Yabo’s spice blends are proprietary, Boles says, but home cooks can simply buy the blends themselves.