What's Eric Eating Episode 183

The unfolding story of Torchy's taco explosion, plus Ben Berg's hot Heights takeover

On this week's episode of "What's Eric Eating," Scott Hudler, chief marketing officer for Torchy's Tacos, joins CultureMap food editor Eric Sandler to discuss the Austin-based restaurant's explosive growth. As Hudler explains, a recent $400 million private equity investment will take the company from its 84 present locations to 160 by the end of 2023.

The conversation touches on a number of reasons for all that success — everything from its signature queso and scratch-made margaritas to monthly specials that keep diners engaged. Hudler also talks about a career that's seen him work at a number of food brands, including Mars, Inc. and Dunkin' Donuts.

One area where Torchy's occasionally receives criticism is for the quality of its tortillas, but Hudler reports that's changing, too. The restaurant has begun to make them fresh at an increasing number of locations.

"Our goal is over time that we will have in all of our locations, that all of the tortillas will be made in-house," Hudler says. "We just think it's a much better experience. For Torchy's, it's a cool, fun, edgy brand, but if the food disappoints, we don't have a brand. That is a big focus for us is to upgrade our tortillas in all our locations."

Prior to the interview, co-host Michael Fulmer joins Sandler to discuss the news of the week. Their topics include: Texas Monthly's list of the state's best new restaurants; the closure of Down House; and restaurateur Ben Berg's plans to open two new restaurants in The Heights and Timbergrove.

In the restaurants of the week segment, Fulmer and Sandler discuss their recent visit to The Taco Stand, the newly opened taqueria in The Heights from the owners of The Burger Joint. Then, they opine on whether a recent meal at Bludorn cements its status as one of Houston's best restaurants.

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Torchy's Tacos' CMO is this week's guest.

Courtesy of Torchy's Tacos

Torchy's Tacos' CMO is this week's guest.

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New York Times critic awards Houston restaurant 2 stars in glowing review

Courtesy of ChòpnBlọk

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Let’s just call 2025 the year of ChòpnBlọk. In a review published Tuesday, December 16, the New York Times has awarded the Houston restaurant two stars (“very good”).

Written by chief restaurant critic Tejal Rao, the review touts many of the same qualities that the Times already praised when it included ChòpnBlọk on its list of America’s 50 best restaurants.

Rao writes that she usually avoids restaurants that serve food in bowls, but she’s impressed by the way that chef-owner Ope Amosu has put a West African spin on the concept.

“For inspiration, Ope Amosu looked to the kind of chain restaurants that were built to scale, where flavors are often subdued to appeal to the broadest possible audience, focus-grouped to death. But the delight of ChòpnBlok is in its sure sense of self, its lively, multidimensional cooking and clear, delicious vision for modern food from the Black diaspora,” Rao writes.

She singles out specific dishes, including the Nigerian red stew with short rib, the Black Star bowl with shrimp, and the signature Motherland, made with chicken, greens, and plantains. “It’s utterly simple, but draws you in for more with the mouthwatering twang of not-too-much MSG — an international shortcut to building umami that tends to be used carefully, and layered with other forms,” she writes.

The review also touches on the way Amosu switched the restaurant from counter service to full service — described as “warm, informal, and quick with the jokes” — and his time working at Chipotle to learn the basics of the restaurant operations.

A two-star review is only the latest instance of ChòpnBlọk receiving national attention. In addition to the Times 50 best list, Esquire recently named it one of America’s best new restaurants. The Michelin Guide awarded it a Bib Gourmand designation for 2025. Amosu earned a semifinalist nomination for Best Chef: Texas in the 2025 James Beard Awards.

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