Orillia’s newest eatery gives the city a taste of Mexico

Orillia’s newest eatery celebrates Mexican food and fills a long-time void on the city’s culinary menu.

Ryan Shropshire and his friends have long talked about filling that gap in the city’s menu by opening a restaurant in Orillia. It was mostly talk – until a prime location opened up on Front Street, a stone’s throw from the foot of Mississaga Street.

“We were talking one day about how we couldn’t get Mexican food in Orillia and how we should open our own restaurant. We were really talking about it almost jokingly until we found this ideal 420-square-foot space,” said Shropshire, who decided to take the plunge, joining his friends in opening Yo!! Taco.

“We had a soft opening for family and friends and then opened up the next day,” said Shropshire of the eatery’s mid-May debut. “The response we’ve had has been fantastic. We thank the community for the warm welcome … people really seem to love what we’re doing.”

Like any successful eatery, the food is the most important ingredient, he noted. Yo!! Taco boasts a simple menu featuring tacos, burritos, quesadillas and taco salads they call ‘loco’ bowls.

“We talked to the other restaurant owners about the business and they advised us to keep it simple, which was good advice,” said Shropshire. “That’s why we decided on a condensed menu. Despite the small menu, people can put whatever they want on their tacos or burritos, so there are still a lot of options and we make sure we have really good produce (for toppings), top-quality meat (chicken, steak, ground steak and pulled pork) … I eat here probably three times a week and I’ve never had the same thing twice.”

And while the food is critical, the atmosphere – even though it’s not a sit-down restaurant – is also important. The interior is inviting; its bright, vivid colours give it a tiki-hut feel.

“A lot of people have an hour or less for their lunch, so they want to get something tasty and get it quick,” said Shropshire. “You come here and with the atmosphere and the authentic Mexican music playing in the background, it’s like a quick five-minute vacation before you go back to work with a smile on your face and a full belly.”

Despite a lack of traditional advertising, business is booming, he said.

“I wouldn’t say we’re surprised, but to get the response we’ve got has been fantastic. In a town the size of Orillia, word travels fast and everyone wants to try something new. What we’re proud of is after that initial, expected surge, we’ve been able to maintain that pace. People are telling their friends and coming back – that tells us we’re doing something right.”

Shropshire, a long-time local real-estate agent with deep roots in Orillia, was adamant that Yo!! Taco plant its roots in Orillia.

“The size of Orillia is perfect and the other main issue is there’s no direct competition,” he said. “And we’re all living here and we’re from here, so we wanted Orillia to have the opportunity to have Mexican food, something many of us have missed.”

The owners feel the formula is a winning one that can work elsewhere; they believe they can franchise the concept.

“It’s always been on our minds that we would like to franchise, sticking to the same, simple formula that has worked here,” said Shropshire. “In markets of similar size, where there’s not a lot of direct competition, we think it would work. You don’t need a big space, so rent is low, the overhead’s low … why not offer it to more people?”

For now, however, the owners and their team of nine staffers continue to tweak their offerings and respond to their customers’ feedback. For example, Yo!! Taco recently opted for extended hours Friday and Saturday nights, keeping the doors open until 3 a.m. – offering a limited but inexpensive menu.

“Our late-night crowd is growing and I think it’s because our late-night menu is much more simplified and the prices are lower,” said Shropshire of the $2 chicken or beef soft tacos or $5 chicken or beef burritos.  “A lot of times, when you’re out for the evening to go to a show, to bars, to a friend’s house, at the end of the night, you don’t have a lot of money left but you’re hungry. This is perfect for that crowd.”

The eatery also offers delivery service; the full menu is available for delivery until closing night – even on weekends. “There’s not a lot of delivery options locally. Right now, you can maybe order Chinese food or pizza, so this is something different and something we’re hoping to build and grow.”

They’ve also recently unveiled a new option for boaters who visit the nearby Port of Orillia.

“We get a lot of boaters so we’re inviting boaters out on the water to give us a call, put in their order and we’ll meet you at the dock with your food,” said Shropshire. “Boaters are always looking for that spot to stop along the way and once they find something they like, they will tell their friends and they’ll come back. That’s why we loved this location from the beginning; it’s dynamite to be downtown and so close to our beautiful waterfront.”

Yo!! Taco is open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. until 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday and from noon to nine p.m. Sundays. For more information, call 705-329-2882 or visit their Facebook page.