Many still mourn the loss of Roomba in New Haven. The extraordinarily popular Nuevo Latino restaurant closed in 2007 when its owners, Arturo “Franco” and Suzette Franco-Camacho, were unable to reach accommodation with Yale University on a new lease. The Franco-Camachos went on to purchase a building on College Street and opened Bespoke, a fine restaurant with a global menu that demonstrated Franco’s extraordinary range. But so many people were nostalgic for the Roomba menu that the Franco-Camachos created a restaurant within a restaurant, Sabor, incorporating some of the Roomba favorites. Physical and culinary boundaries grew a little fuzzy.
After a protracted legal battle with Yale involving Bespoke’s rear egress, the Franco-Camachos sold both building and business. The Franco-Camachos food cart business sustained them through tough times. They opened The Suburban on Main Street in Branford, a local-themed American eatery, then closed it after roughly a year and moved into a space across the street that could house multiple concepts. Of those concepts, Tacuba Taco Bar and Seawich Sandwich Shop still hold sway.
From the beginning, Tacuba Taco Bar featured a contemporary menu of Mexican favorites and street foods, cooked with Franco’s characteristic excellence.
But in recent months, parts of the Roomba menu have been reintroduced as well. My wife
and I visited the restaurant on a recent evening to relive some of our Roomba favorites. Those who remember Roomba well will recognize some of those favorites on this menu.
There’s also an intriguing selection of drinks,
from which we order Estrella Damm beers from Spain.
It was a busy night, a large group of women occupying all of the low tables.
Franco was busy in the open kitchen,
Suzette tending bar.
We practically did cartwheels because Franco’s famous chupa, an incredible loaded seafood soup, was available as a special.
Unbelievable flavorful, fall-off-the-bone ribs followed.
Topped with a huge plantain chip, plantain-crusted mahi-mahi in a tamarind-chipotle mojo rested on a pile of fufu and was topped with chayote slaw.
An impressive rib-eye steak served with a mushroom escabeche and chimichurri sauce
was escorted by yuca fries.
We finished with stunning crema-and-housemade-ricotta donuts served with a Mexican chocolate dip.
Feast your eyes on that!
Tacuba Taco Bar, 1205 Main Street, Branford, 203-208-0736, www.tacubataco.com