Tuesday, July 25, 2017

TapaBar Owners Announce New Concept TacoArepa


From our friends at TacoArepa...

TacoArepa to Open in Bethesda This October

New dining experience from owners of TapaBar and Bold Bite blends Caribbean flavors and Latin American comfort food

TacoArepa will open in October 2017 at 4905 Fairmont Avenue in Bethesda. The fast-casual family-friendly concept will serve a fusion of Caribbean and Latin American tacos, arepas, bowls and salads and will pay homage to the owners', the Roche brothers, childhood in Venezuela and the Caribbean.

The physical space, about 1400 square feet, with 50 seats inside and 16 outside, will feature industrial décor that will serve as a nod to street food vendors in the Caribbean. A full bar will serve local and Latin beers as well as tropical cocktails.

“TacoArepa allows me to build a nostalgic menu pulling from memories of my Cuban grandfather and the curry dishes I grew up enjoying in the West Indies,” said Chef Alonso Roche. He delivers these homegrown flavors in his favorite comfort food vessels: tacos and arepas, as well other options such as quinoa and salads.

About The Roche Brothers:
Alvaro and Alonso Roche started Bold Family Restaurant Group (BFRG) in 2011 when the brothers co-founded Bold Bite, the acclaimed casual dining spot with locations in Bethesda and Union Station. They then opened the gourmet coffee and donut shop 202 Donuts in Bethesda in 2014. In the fall of 2016, they opened the upscale authentic Spanish-style restaurant, TapaBar at 4901 A Fairmont Ave, Bethesda, MD.

Chef Alonso Roche started his career as a television producer before embarking on his true passion of cooking. He attended the academy of cuisine in Bethesda almost 15 years ago and then spent many years working in kitchens around Washington including at Persimmon with Damian Salvartore and at Willow under Tracy O' Grady. After he spent two years working in Spain, he worked for "El Alambique" a traditional purveyor of Spanish cookwares and cooking school of Spanish food revising and co-writing books on Spanish food. He also worked at Zaranda under Fernando Arellano a 2-star Michelin chef in Mallorca.

Alvaro Roche worked for many years in the fashion industry as a designer living in Spain, Italy, and France. He founded his own company of children's clothes and grew it to a chain of 150 stores spread out over Latin America.