Oliver and Leo Kremer (the brothers who co-own Dos Toros) have opened its largest location yet in Chicago, with a two-story, 4,000-square-foot space at 1 N. Dearborn St. It also seats 65 people (again, more than any other Dos Toros site).
Dos Toros offers customizable San Francisco mission-style taqueria fare, such as burritos, platos, salads, quesadillas (called “Cali-quesadillas”) and tacos—and utilizes fresh, sustainably sourced ingredients. In addition, all recipes are cooked from scratch in-house daily.
Talking with Windy City Times at an orientation session for the family of workers before the Aug. 28 grand opening, Leo described a mission-style burrito: “We believe that it is steaming the tortilla with melted mild Monterey Jack cheese, and then you add ingredients like Mexican red rice; pinto or black beans, a meat like carnitas or carne asado, guacamole, sour cream, hot sauce and other [items]—there’s a lot going on. … It’s something that sets us apart from other taquerias, and I know Chicagoans love great food.”
As for choosing this site, Oliver added, “We love Chicago. I was blown away by the city itself [when I first visited]: the architecture is beautiful, and the vibe is a nice mix of the Bay Area, where we grew up, and a big-city feel. It feels like a nice marriage of the two areas.”
And the brothers have paid attention to practically every detail, even down to a funk-laden playlist; business cards that look like public-transportation passes; and references to patrons as “guests” rather than “customers.” “It’s hospitality,” Leo said. “Be our guest.”
Regarding the food, I sampled a burrito that Oliver graciously prepared. Not only was it quite large (lasting two meals), but it was delicious enough to warrant a return visit.
See www.DosToros.com/.