Wahoo's is, like, Totally Extreme, Bra
After passing by the new storefront of Wahoo's (509 Rio Grande) numerous times in the past few weeks, we decided it was finally time to pop in and check out the new addition to the West 6th area.
We should have worn our warp-around Oakley's, bra, because the second we stepped into the faux-oceanside taco stand, we suffered a full-frontal assault to our senses. Was this place a restaurant or a surf shop? Every single piece of foamspray-pastel-blue painted wood was covered in stickers. Stickers for surfboards, wakeboards, other extreme-sport-related boards. Names like Stussy and Volcom. Everywhere. For a second we thought the shop may in fact be owned by a board company. Tubular. It was like the Peach Pit on acid. Really bad acid.
The first thing we thought as we went to wash our hands was that this place may work in Huntington Beach, but it just seemed wrong in downtown Austin. Then we talked to one of the employees and realized why the Huntington Beach corollary made such sense. We had been to one in Huntington Beach when we lived in SoCal years ago. We knew the name Wahoo's rang a bell. It is a chain from California that began 18 years ago and, after establishing itself with 30 stores in California, expanded to 10 in Colorado and one in Honolulu. And now, Austin.
After some helpful consultation from the counter bra (note: the staff was very friendly and both guys with whom we spoke seemed very familiar with both the menu and the store's history) we decided to go with the taco combo platter, subbing a dinner salad for the rice and beans. We had one fish taco (charbroiled, not blackened) and one shrimp taco. Both tacos were given the Marv Albert-treatment, buried under an amazing toupee of slaw and diced tomatoes. Though very fresh, the garnish did little but hide the small portions of fish at the bottom of our fresh corn tortillas. The fish was moist but lacked any significant flavor. The shrimp, however, did pack a zesty punch; unfortunately, there were just not enough of the little guys to satisfy us. And turning to the rather wilted and uninspired salad did not help matters. Then there was the price. Although at first blush the menu looks reasonable, we did pay $9 for a soda (Pepsi products, booh), salad and two tacos. That just seemed a little steep for us, but we are sure the new residents of the high-end condos in the neighborhood will not have a problem forking out the cash. Or dunk after happy-hourers, for that matter.
Speaking of booze, Wahoo's does have Shiner, Shiner Blonde, Dos Equiz, Budweiser and Miller Lite on tap, but it doesn't really matter yet, as they are still waiting on their liquor license, 30 days after opening. To management's credit, we did talk to a nice couple who were brought cans of Modelo from the back to help wash down their tacos.
The problem is this: Yo, California, this is Texas. We're all set with Tex-Mex. We don't need your uninspired, overpriced, beach-themed taco stands. We have a plethora of taco joints around town that could, with one hand tied behind their backs, beat Wahoo's like a piñata. A piñata full of zinc oxide. So, go ahead and stop in if you want to try some fish tacos or maybe catch a game on one of their two flat screens and impressive big screen, but we suggest you be leveraged-to-the-teeth on a Sea-Doo and have a tribal tattoo on your calf or you may not really feel at home....bra!
Wahoo's
509-A Rio Grande St.
476.3474
*image taken from Wahoo's merch. site*
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