Velvet Taco announces their first ever Weekly Taco Feature Recipe Contest winner and the winning taco that will be featured on their menu during National Taco Day on October 4: The Pho King by Dallas Velvet Taco fan Mark Jansen. Originally Dallas’ pioneering taco restaurant, Velvet Taco continues to bring its eclectic, chef-driven menu to over 35 locations.
Velvet Taco received over 800 entries to their first-ever open taco recipe contest, a testament to the brand’s loyal following and its fans’ adventurous spirit and palates.
The brand’s staple Weekly Taco Feature, better known as the “WTF,” changes every week and offers guests 52 chances each year to enjoy specialty tacos inspired by everything from classic comfort foods to dishes from around the world. Jansen’s winning taco, the inventive Pho King taco, will be available September 28 – October 4, 2022. The Pho King features rotisserie chicken, bok choy, herb salad, pickled onions, pickled fresnos, crispy garlic, rice noodles, hoisin, bean sprouts, and lime in a flour tortilla, served with a pho broth on the side.
Says Chef Venecia Willis, director of culinary innovation, “This taco was inspired by our guest Mark J, who had the winning WTF Recipe Contest submission out of 800. It was initially the name that got me, and I knew we would have to come up with a killer taco to live up to the name. So, we decided to go with a Pho Ga style taco. It contains all of the elements you would expect in your bowl of Pho—just in a taco. You’ll see rice noodles, herbs, crispy garlic, hoisin, lime, chili pepper and pickled onions accompanied by a cup of Pho Ga broth ideal for dipping or sipping.”
Earlier this year, the brand invited guests, for the first time ever, to submit their best taco recipes for a chance to be featured on Velvet Taco’s WTF menu during National Taco Day in October. The contest’s judging panel was composed of Velvet Taco’s very own chefs, and the winning WTF recipe will be exclusively available to dine-in and mobile app guests. The brand will feature the winning WTF in all of their restaurants through in-person and online (app or website) ordering.
Mark Jansen not only took home some cash and serious bragging rights, but he also worked side-by-side with Chef Venecia at Velvet Taco’s Greenville restaurant to experiment with ingredients and ratios to perfect the recipe.
Says Jansen, “It feels good knowing that the ideas and flavors I tailor made for this taco competition were compelling to the judges, and I’m excited to showcase my taco for National Taco Day. Coming up with new flavors and ideas is one of my favorite ways to express myself creatively, and I’m honored and grateful that Velvet Taco chose my taco.”
