Taco the Town

Episode175: EL POLLO REY! On Location! (w/ Gisela Rodriguez)

This week T3 hits one of the tastiest chicken taco spots in KCK as we finally check out EL POLLO REY on Kansas Avenue with special guest GISELA RODRIGUEZ from The Classic Bite (theclassicbite.com!) Gisela tells us about her business The Classic Bite, growing up in Mexico and why you should never make friends with a Pig (or chicken) on your childhood farm! Dave tells the tale of when Gisela hooked him up with a free doughnut! In the TACO TICKER we taco 'bout the Viral Chipotle Burrito/Taco Hack that they are trying to put a stop to! (And Gisela tells us about her own Chipotle hack!) We also talk a little about the Tik Tok Cheesecake taco trend! Fruity Pebbles Cheesecake Tacos anyone?! What would be your dream dessert taco? In Town Of The Taco we ask our guest to create a new KC SLogan or catchphrase and we also ask her what the Lamest Thing Happening in KC Right Now is! In Random Taco Question of the Week we find out what's the furthest our guest has ever travelled to eat a taco! ALL THIS AND: GISELA GOES AFTER CRUNCHY TACOS AND WANTS TO SHUT DOWN ALL TACO BELL'S! WHO HAS THE BEST TORTILLA CHIPS/QUESO IN TOWN? Nothin' but Opulent Taco Vibes at El Pollo Rey on the KCK Taco Trail this week on TACO THE TOWN! Editor: MATT ALLEN. Music: SUNEATERS courtesy of Lotuspool Records. Sponsors: SPANISH GARDENS TACO SAUCE & KCK TACO TRAIL. 

 

Episode174: LA PARRILLA! On Location! (w/ Josh Berwanger)

School is back in session in the Taco-rrific Taco Hamlet of Lawrence, Kansas so that means T3 is back on the hunt to taste test all of the tasty tacos on Mass Street! This week we hit an L-Town classic LA PARRILLA w/ musician/artist/director JOSH BERWANGER (The Anniversary, Berwanger Band, The Only Children and new project Gemini Parks!) Josh tells us about his new band Gemini Parks (and their upcoming show Sept. 10th at Lemonade Park) and he also tells us about his massive Jar Jar Binks and Zima collection! Dave and Josh talk about their Action Figure Collections and we find out that Josh can't say the word 'Doll!' We also hear the tale of Josh's taxidermied squirrel Johnny 'Rockin' Herbster. Josh also tells us about the recent Anniversary shows at the Vagrant Records 25th Anniversary celebrations! And don't miss a discussion of Laser Discs, Voyage of the Mimi and a Chiefs Season Preview (from 30 years ago!) In the TACO TICKER, we chat about Kim Jong UN's Father Inventing the REDACTED and the story of Some Undeclared McMuffins leading to an airplane passenger getting a hefty find! (And Josh declares he invented Basketball!) In TOWN OF THE TACO, we taco 'bout The BEST CONCERT we've ever attended! SpiritFest! Sandstone Concert Memories! Woodstock '99 (and the tattoo Josh got there!) Also I Always Wondered This About KC and Describe your Perfect KC/Lawrence Day! ALL THIS AND: Josh says LA PARRILLA might have THE BEST Veggie Taco he's ever tasted! In Random Taco Questions Of The Week we tackle the deep taco queries: Do you think Ghosts get jealous when they see the living eat tacos? Or are there Ghost Tacos? If there was no such thing as tacos, what food item would fill the taco void? AND we get to the bottom of the statement "If it ain't crunchin', I ain't Munchin'!" We also play the newest Gemini Parks banger 'Up All Night!' TACO THE TOWN AT LA PARRILLA! MUCH LIKE A GEMINI PARKS CONCERT YOU GOTTA BRING A POGO BALL AND A KABOODLE!! EDITOR: Matt Allen. MUSIC: Suneaters Courtesy of Lotuspool Records. Sponsors: KCK Taco Trail. 

 

Episode 173: SOCIAL in Waldo! ON LOCATION on 816 Day! (w/ Jamie Weiss & Sarah Blattner)

We celebrate 816 Day by taste testing some tasty tacos at SOCIAL in Waldo with our special Taco Reviewer Guests KMBC 9 Traffic Anchor/Reporter JAMIE WEISS and KC Margarita Expert/MLB Replay Operator/KC Sports Behind-The-Scenes Master-of-All Trades SARAH BLATTNER! Dave and his guests partake of some special 816 Double Decker Tacos as well as the Beer/Margarita and Shot special at Social while chatting about their 816 Day plans! Sarah tells us about visiting all 30 MLB Ballparks, Controversial Replays she's been a part of (Umps: why are they so grumpy?) and she gives us her thoughts on the Baby Royals! Also: who would be the best Royal to eat tacos with? We also talk a little about that '90's All Star Music Concert happening after the Royals game this weekend and we find out just how young Jamie is! Jamie tells us about being new to KC, learning all the street and place names, which ones she still has trouble with and why KC needs to slow down when it rains! We also chat about our favorite Waldo Hot Spots and rave about the Midwest Taco at Social and why it's a darn near perfect KC Taco! In the TACO TICKER we discuss Mission Taco Joint's mission to help save a local KC Skate Park with their new Frontside Grind Taco! And we taco 'bout the Man who plans to eat only Taco Bell for 30 Days to see if he gets healthier! (Sounds like the health plan Dave already lives by!) And: If you had to eat at 1 Fast Food Restaurant/chain for the rest of your life, where would you choose? In TOWN OF THE TACO we answer the questions KC NEEDS A (BLANK)! And What's your favorite Seafood in KC?! In Random Taco Question of The Week we ask: What's a food you've never eaten and never will? And in 20 Years Time is KC a BBQ Town or a Taco Town? TACO THE TOWN AT SOCIAL! 8-1-SIXIN' IT IN WALDO AS YA DO! EDITOR: Matt Allen. MUSIC: Suneaters courtesy of Lotuspool Records. Sponsors: Spanish Gardens Taco Sauce & KCK Taco Trail. 

Episode 172: RUSTY TACO! ON LOCATION IN LAWRENCE! (w/ Miss Heather Beaver)

This week we take a Mini Summer Taco-cation up the road to the terrific Taco Town of Lawrence, Kansas to check out some of the rustiest of tacos at the new RUSTY TACO location on Mass Street w/ special guest Taco Reviewer Hairdresser/Makeup Artist/Twitter Celeb and Lawrence resident MISS HEATHER BEAVER (@msgreenhair on Twitter!) We chat about Lawrence's recent taco-ssance and some recent Taco spot closings (Ta Co. & Torchy's!) We learn some Rusty Taco History and Heather let's us in on what it's like growing up having an innuendo as a last name (it ain't easy!) Heather also tells us about the Taco scene growing up in Hoisington, Kansas and what her favorite Lawrence Taco spot is! In the TACO TICKER we tackle some delicious topics like: That Tik Tok Pink Sauce! What is it?! Would you try it? In the Cheesy Gordita Crime portion of the show we taco 'bout the disturbing story of the Taco Bell manager who poured hot scalding water on some customers! Yikes! All this and Heather tells us about working at a Dairy Queen in her youth and the secret of the upside down Blizzard trick! In TOWN OF THE TACO, we chat about The Best Day Trips around KC/Lawrence and the Best Pizza in KC/Lawrence! (Which means we also talk about the new Dill Dough Pizza at Guy's!) Also don't miss Rusty Taco manager Jessie Lyons as she stops by to introduce us to our tacos & tequila! All of this and we find out: Can a Rusty Taco be soggy? What direction do you tilt your head while eating a taco? Tales from a Hoisington Whorehouse!! The keys to having a successful Twitter Account! Heather tells us about her exciting trips to Funkytown (or the Time she was Too Funky For Funkytown!) BAG SALAD!! Onion Breathe: Dealbreaker at a post-Taco Make out sesh? And in RANDOM TACO QUESTION OF THE WEEK we ask: Would you ever get your engagement photos/maternity photos taken at a Taco Bell? TACO THE TOWN AT RUSTY TACO!! THIS ONE IS STACKED AND LOADED!! Editor: MATT ALLEN. Music: SUNEATERS courtesy of Lotuspool Records. Sponsored by KCK Taco Trail. 

Episode 171: Scary Gary’s Shark Week/Sharknado Bash! ON LOCATION! (w/ Scary Gary Cooper and a plethora of Taco The Town All Stars!)

This week Taco The Town is coming to you from the belly of the beast ... which in this case is the home of SCARY GARY COOPER and we've been invited to his 8th Annual SHARK WEEK SHARNADO SHELTER BASH, celebrating all things shark-centric! We love sharks as much as the next shark enthusiast but the real reason we are here is to try Scary Gary's STREET SHARK TACOS!!! And to chat with many Former Taco The Town Guests like: LIZ NELSON, BLAIR CRAGG, ADRIAN TORRES, ADAM ROBERTS, DANA COLLINS & JILL SIXX! Gary tells us about the origins of his Sharknado Party, we deliver into Shark Week History and we ask: "Could a Shark/Would a Shark Eat Tacos and if so, how many?" We also touch up on Janky Branson Sharks and Liz & Blair tell us about their wedding and how they met on the Taco The Town Dating App! We chat about everyone's favorite Shark Movie and favorite SyFy Channel Shark Movie ('cuz that's a whole other thing!) In the TACO TICKER we react to the cataclysmic news that Klondike is discontinuing the CHOCO TACO! Is this just another Bait & Switch by Big Taco? We do our best to unravel the threads and expose the Taco Bell/Choco Taco Cabal! Also: Local Restaurant Tiki Taco announced they are going to be making their own in-house Choco Taco! All of this and: Jill Sixx tried Scary Gary's Beyond Meat Taco! We recount our favorite Moments from the Sharknado Films and we get deep into the Acting Career of Tara Reid! THE 8th ANNUAL SCARY GARY SHARKNADO SHELTER SHARK WEEK BASH!!! TACOS N' SHARKS! SHARKS N' TACOS!!! TIME TO TAKE A BITE OUTTA BOTH THIS WEEK ON TACO THE TOWN! EDITOR: Matt Allen. MUSIC: Suneaters courtesy of Lotuspool Records. Sponsors: KCK Taco Trail & Our Music by The Bump Band. 

 

Episode 170: LILLY’S CANTINA! ON LOCATION! (w/ Cast & Crew of KC Fringe Festival’s ’KING KIRBY!’)

POW!! ZOOM! KABOOM!! This week we're hitting LILLY'S CANTINA in the Midtown/Westport/Roanoke/Southwest Trafficway part of town (Next to the Cat Cafe!) and chatting it up with Cast & Crew members (Chris Cole, Violett Springate & Jen Raines) of the KC Fringe Festival show 'KING KIRBY!' (See it July 22nd thru 30th at Upside Bungee in the West Bottoms!) Our guests tell us about the play (Cigar Chompin' and Mustache Fun!) and we get a little into the History of Jack Kirby, Stan Lee and Marvel/DC Comics! Chris, Voilett and Jen also come in hot with some strong Quesadilla Opinions! (Maybe a little too much Quesadilla talk for Dave's taste!) WE ALSO DISCUSS: Quesadillas the Size of Babies?! And Accidental Extra Tacos at the bottom of your Taco Bell bag!! Eat it like the gift/mistake it is or let it stay there and get cold?! In the TACO TICKER we taco 'bout THE WORLD'S MOST EXPENSIVE TACO!! It's got a Goldflaked Tortilla, Lobster, Kobe Beef, Beluga Caviar and much more!! WOULD YA ORDER IT?!  AND there's a new Taco Chain coming to the metro area called TACOS 4 LIFE that wants to help conquer world hunger with every purchase! In TOWN OF THE TACO we get into our Favorite KC Landmarks, the Best Place to see a Concert/Show in KC and ask "What Would You Put In Your KC Care Package to an Out-Of-Towner?" In Random Taco Question of the Week we ask: "What examples do you have of your phone listening to your thoughts?", Who is the most annoying person to be stuck in line behind at Chipotle AND What's something you used to eat a lot has a kid that you won't touch nowadays! ALL THIS AND: We find out what a GRAVY SPOT is!! Did Jack Kirby or Stan Lee ever eat a taco?! And the guests suggest some other awesome Fringe Shows to check out at the KC Fringe Festival! (GET OUT AND SEE SOME SHOWS, KC! Tickets are at kcfringe.org!) This Taco The Town Episode is Marvel-icious!! MUNCH!! CRUNCH!!! WHAMMO!!! Editor: MATT ALLEN. Music: SUNEATERS courtesy of Lotuspool Records. Sponsors: KCK Taco Trail & Our Music by The Bump Band.     

Episode 169: TACO TANK! ON LOCATION at the IRON DISTRICT! (w/ Dana Collins & Shelbi Neel)

This week we keep this Summer Taco-cation a' rollin' by returning to the Iron District in North Kansas City to taste test the tasty tacos (and nachos and churros) at TACO TANK with our special guests DANA COLLINS (Chips n' Salsa addict) and SHELBI NEEL (loves tacos and selling insurance but usually not at the same time!) Dana tells us what her favorite chips n' salsa in the city is and tells us about living in Austin, Texas for 7 years where there was a taco truck on every corner! We get to the bottom of where the Northland and North Kansas City merge and is North KC the Brooklyn of KC? We get into a little Ward Parkway Mall chat and also run down a list of our favorite North KC Hot Spots!! (Neon Wild anyone?!) Also Shelbi answers some Taco Insurance queries! (Would she give life insurance to someone dressed like a taco?) In the TACO TICKER we taco 'bout Taco Bell's big announcement that it will be testing 2 new items: the Big Cheeze-It Tostada and the Big Cheeze-It Crunch wrap Supreme! (But people just want the Big Cheeze-It.) Also be talk a little Joey Chestnut and the Nathan's Hot Dog Eating Contest and the disturbing story about 15,000 Gallons of Hot Dog Filler spilling on a Pennsylvania Highway! Our Highways are not safe!! In TOWN OF THE TACO we ask 'Whats your favorite appetizer in KC?' and 'KC needs a (blank)!' All this and Maddie from Taco Tank brings by some churros and Dave talks about washing his hair with cilantro! In this case the soap WAS cilantro!!! And in RANDOM TACO QUESTION OF THE WEEK we ask: Would you stay at a Taco Bell Air B&B? TACO THE TOWN AND TACO TANK!!! ONE DAY WE WILL MAKE THE DREAM OF OF A TACO CANNON COME TRUE!!! Editor: Matt Allen. Music: SUNEATERS courtesy of Lotuspool Records. SPONSORS: SPANISH GARDENS TACO SAUCE, KCK TACO TRAIL & OUR MUSIC BY THE BUMP BAND. 

Episode 168: WEST COAST SUMMER TACO-CATION! On Location in Hollywood! (w/ Michael McMillian)

Summer Taco-cation season is upon us so Dave hits the road up and down the West Coast with his pal Actor MICHAEL McMILLIAN (True Blood, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, Bigfoot Collectors Club Podcast, Slate Your Name Podcast!) They review 5 West Coast Taco chains: TREJO'S TACOS, TACO TIME, JIMBOYS TACOS, DEL TACO & the LA Valley Legend CASA VEGA! Michael also tells Dave about the crazy Taco Bell Drive thru incident that changed his Taco Bell life! Dave & Michael break down the history of all 5 Taco chains as well as taco 'bout: Suspenders! The Jimmy Kimmel Connection! Taco Synchronicities! Del Taco's Taco being named the #1 Fast Food Taco by Thrillest! When will KC be getting a Del Taco? Are Chicken Tenders and Chicken Fingers the same thing? Dave & Michael remember the first summer vacation they took together as kids to Muskegon, Michigan and the time they fought over an older woman! Melted Cheese on a Taco: Game Changer or Difference Maker? Sacramento Delicacies! A very controversial Taco Time Menu Item is ordered and consumed! DRIVE THRU RASCALS! Michael tells us about working with the man, the myth, the legend GUY FIERI and his podcasts BIGFOOT COLLECTORS CLUB & SLATE YOUR NAME! ALL THIS AND: Bad Churros ordered at a Pizza Place! THIS TACO-CATION RE-CAP IS READY TO RUMBLE DOWN TUMWATER BOULEVARD!!! HAPPY TACO-CATION SEASON FROM TACO THE TOWN!!! Editor: MATT ALLEN. Music: SUNEATERS courtesy of Lotuspool Records. Sponsors: KCK Taco Trail & Our Music by Bump Funk. 

Episode167: VIVA TACOS & TEQUILA! ON LOCATION! (w/ Amanda Rose & Trevin Bartee from The Seriously Sinister Podcast)

This week our Great Summer Taco-cation brings us to the new South OP/Leawood Taco spot VIVA TACOS & TEQUILA, an immaculate taco palace! We are joined by Special Taco Reviewer Guests AMANDA ROSE & TREVIN BARTEE from SERIOUSLY SINISTER: A True Petty Crime Podcast! They tell us about their show and we can't about some Taco related Petty Crime stories and some Non-Taco related Petty Crime stories! Amanda (a big fan of chips n' salsa) gives us a breakdown of her favorite chips n' salsa in the city and Trevin tells us about being raised on PEANUT BUTTER TACOS! We taste test some tasty tacos and margaritas...but not just any margaritas! These come in an awesome golden plane!!! In the TACO TICKER we taco 'bout KC being named a host city for the 2026 World Cup and how it's a huge chance for KC to introduce our delicious tacos to the world! Also Dave volunteers his services to the Mayor to help him get more tacos into the mouth's of World Cup visitors! Also we tackle to topic of the New Floating Bank-like Taco Bell design! Are the taco chutes a danger to small children? Is this the future we were always promised? In the Cheesy Gordita Crime segment of the show we tell the tale of the Prison Escapes who was captured while in the Taco Bell Drive Thru! In Town of the Taco, we ask our guests what their favorite Sandwich spot in KC is, their favorite Seafood spot and if they know of any KC LIES or KC Secrets!! All of this AND we ask: If you could only eat one fast food restaurant for the rest of your life what would you choose? And who has the BEST Margaritas in KC?! It's a busy T3 this week!! True Petty Crime, Tacos and a little plane that flies margaritas right into your heart!! Editor: MATT ALLEN. Music: SUNEATERS courtesy of Lotuspool Records. Sponsors: KCK Taco Trail and Our Music by The Bump Band. 

Episode 166: GUY’S DELI! TACO PIZZA! ON LOCATION! (w/ Hartzell Gray & Kitty from The KC Morning Show Podcast)

This week on T3 we kick off our Summer Taco-cation as we once again venture into the World of TACO PIZZA but not just any Pizza! It's GUY'S DELI in Westport's SPANISH GARDENS TACO PIZZA!! That's right, we are ON LOCATION at the hottest new deli in town (Guy's Deli in the former Joe's Pizza-by-slice spot) and we're joined by guests HARTZELL GRAY & KITTY from the KC MORNING SHOW Podcast! Dave and his guests try out some delicious taco pizza, critique each other's pizza eating styles and go over some Guy's Snacks History as well as some Taco Pizza History! Hartzell speaks about his many jobs and Kitty rages over Taco Bell taking away the Mexican Pizza again! Also: Can we get a large Potato Chip fountain to honor KC being the birthplace of the BBQ Potato Chip? In the TACO TICKER, We try to get to the bottom of Taco Bell's Mexican Pizza bait-and-switch and we also taco 'bout the Burger King in Pennsylvania where a man walked in and there were no employees! We also get into some Tales from the Subway on Southwest Blvd! (What's up with that place?) In Town of The Taco we ask: What's the best place to see a concert in KC? And What's your Favorite KC Landmark? ALL OF THIS AND: Kitty tells us about making a Spaghetti Taco in her Youth! Should Guy's get into the Chocolate Covered Potato Chip Game? And Hartzell does NOT DIG Shrimp Tacos! In Random Taco Question of The Week We Find out: How do you pronounce 'salsa'? And what's the Strangest Thing You've Ever Done or Seen in a restaurant? (Family Fisticuffs at Perkins!) Also: A Special Tribute to Shannon Gaines Bowman. TACO THE TOWN & KC MORNING SHOW UNITE WITH GUY'S DELI!! A MATCH MADE IN KC FOOD HEAVEN! Editor: Matt Allen. Music: Suneaters courtesy of Lotuspool Records. Sponsors: Spanish Gardens Taco Sauce, KCK Taco Trail & Bump Band 'Our Music'.