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Tacolicious expands chicken concept to Palo Alto

Uploaded: Aug 6, 2018
Last summer, Bay Area Mexican restaurant Tacolicious launched a delivery-only rotisserie chicken concept out of one of its San Francisco locations. Dubbed MF Chicken, it will expand to the Palo Alto Tacolicious today, Aug. 6.

The chickens will be made at Tacolicious at 632 Emerson St. and be available for pick-up there or delivery through Caviar and DoorDash.

"Think of it as a concept within a concept," a press release suggests.

The Rocky free-range chickens are rubbed with an ancho chile-based marinade and then roasted. They come with organic corn tortillas, rice, Rancho Gordo black midnight beans and necessary taco toppings like chopped onions, cilantro, pickled cabbage and two salsas.


The spread from MF Chicken. Photo courtesy Tacolicious.

The MF Chicken menu also includes a chicken soup, salad and cauliflower al pastor made with achiote and lime.

MF Chicken was inspired in part by the Tacolicious owners' childhood memories at chicken chain El Pollo Loco, visits to pollo asado stands in Mexico and co-owner Joe Hargrave's time learning "the art of the rotisserie" at Restaurant LuLu in San Francisco in the 1990s.

However, "trying to feed my family had me scheming about MF Chicken since 2012 when we got very close to opening a place in Noe Valley," Hargrave said in the press release.

A whole chicken with sides will cost $32 and a half, $17. The restaurant's website says a whole chicken and sides feed about three people — "four if you're light eaters or have kids."

MF "stands for whatever you want it to," said Kory Cogdill, PR and community manager for Tacolicious. The takeout bags are covered with examples in both Spanish and English: muy fuerte, muy fantástico, mi familia, mad flavor, messy fingers and, yes, "O[MFG."

In addition to the Palo Alto outpost, Tacolicious operates three locations in San Francisco and one at Santana Row in San Jose.

Community.
What is it worth to you?

Comments

Posted by A Talking Cat, a resident of Old Mountain View,
on Aug 6, 2018 at 10:47 am

A Talking Cat is a registered user.

This is the future of restaurants: A dine-in restaurant that can barely afford to stay open due to the immense cost of out-of-area labor, rents, and low demand from local tech companies increasingly offering free meals. Paired with a profit-turning delivery or catering gig that essentially funds the "labor of love" dine-in restaurant. And I'll be honest, it's a good idea, and I'm glad restaurants are able to make it work!


Posted by winner winner..., a resident of Los Altos Hills,
on Aug 7, 2018 at 2:26 pm

So for $32 they will sell you the same meal that Michoacan Market has been selling to people for $20 for years. Always welcome a new place for good food, but this is a rip off.

www.michoacanproducemarket.com/


Posted by Groundhog Day, a resident of Adobe-Meadow,
on Aug 7, 2018 at 2:45 pm

El Pollo Loco is in Sunnyvale on ECR. No need to reinvent the wheel and up the cost. EPL is good stuff and a much better value. Enjoy!


Posted by musical, a resident of Palo Verde,
on Aug 7, 2018 at 4:13 pm

^ Sunnyvale is a long bike ride for chicken. Even longer driving if at rush hour.


Posted by Anne, a resident of Midtown,
on Aug 7, 2018 at 9:34 pm

Is the chicken humanely raised?


Posted by Time and value, a resident of Another Mountain View Neighborhood,
on Aug 8, 2018 at 3:38 pm

"Sunnyvale is a long bike ride for chicken. Even longer driving if at rush hour."
No, it's less than 10 mins on most any day, any time.I go at rush our from Castro street and it takes about 9-10 mins. We've timed it :)
Also the prices at Pollo Loco make it do-able more frequently for a family.
No need to re-invent what is already here and for much less.


Posted by Evil chain stores, a resident of Embarcadero Oaks/Leland,
on Aug 8, 2018 at 4:30 pm

Time and valueâ€" this a Palo,Alto. You do not expect the refined , high class people to eat at the fast food chains that the Hopi polloi from Sunnyvale and Mountain View eat at????
The official Palo,Alto,position is that chain stores are evil and have no place in our city. We want mom and pop stores and extra small overpriced grocery stores.


Posted by Time and value, a resident of Another Mountain View Neighborhood,
on Aug 8, 2018 at 5:13 pm

Ah, noted. Yes, it's impossible to get to anywhere if you start from Palo Alto at rush hour. I forgot you guys were "land locked" so to speak. That kinda sucks. It's not that it's a lot of money per-say, especially around here. It's just so much more expensive for the same thing just a few miles down the road, but alas, you must start from Palo Alto, so maybe I'd begrudgingly pay if I had a real craving...actually, probably not.


Posted by musical, a resident of Palo Verde,
on Aug 8, 2018 at 5:36 pm

^ Sorry, I forgot this is a blog thread that shows up in all editions, not just Palo Alto's where I am. Transit results from the Mountain View Voice circulation area certainly differ. Actually turns out that Tacolicious downtown PA is much farther from me than KFC on Charleston in Mountain View. Tough call at dinner rush hour.


Posted by realitycheck, a resident of Mountain View,
on Aug 9, 2018 at 7:42 pm

I love this concept! While it's great to have El Pollo Loco or Michoacan Market as options, they're not using Rocky free-range chicken and they're not delivering, both of which can make Tacolicious a perfect choice. Why be negative? If you don't like it, don't want it, can't afford it, are angered by it, etc., then just move on. It's chicken.


Posted by ChrisC, a resident of College Terrace,
on Aug 9, 2018 at 9:41 pm

I like them all, but gotta offer up my latest find for delicious roast chicken: Pronto in Redwood City. Their price was good, although I don't Remember what it was.


Posted by OMG, a resident of another community,
on Aug 10, 2018 at 4:38 pm

I forgot all about the EPL in SV. I am SO getting some crazy chicken this weekend.


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