New restaurant offers pandemic reprieve

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 11/08/2020 (1893 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

We’ve been hearing a lot about business closures during this year’s pandemic, but in Portage la Prairie, there’s a new restaurant to celebrate.    

Chronic Tacos, the California-inspired Mexican grill, opened its doors at 1-237 Saskatchewan Ave E. on Aug. 3. The eatery is the company’s first in Manitoba and its sixth location in Canada. Founded in 2002, the California-based brand has over 60 locations operating across the United States, Canada and Japan.

Brooke Shalley and her husband, Dave Wiebe, are delighted to be owners of the first Chronic Tacos franchise in Manitoba.  

“Dave and I are super-excited, a little terrified but pretty proud to bring the first Chronic Tacos to Portage la Prairie,” Shalley said.   

The couple first learned of Chronic Tacos about two years ago when Shalley inquired online to get more information.  

“I went online to check out the menu and there was a button that said ‘franchising’ and I clicked on it and wrote a tiny paragraph about myself and my background. I was a general manager for McDonald’s for 20 years, it was the only job I had ever had,” Shalley explained.  
Within 30 minutes of that inquiry, Shalley was on her way to a new business opportunity.  

“Two-and-a-half years later, here we are,” she said.   

The taco shop in Portage la Prairie is now open for dine-in and take-out and has put into practise a number of COVID-19 precautions, including social distancing, increased sanitization and reducing the number of tables that would normally be ini ts dining room.  

“Opening day went amazingly well,” Shalley said, adding that there was a lineup out the door from mid-morning to 9:30 p.m.

“The next day was the same. People seem to really like the food. Everything is fresh and made in-house,” she said.

Chronic Tacos prides itself on using only the most authentic Mexican recipes with high-quality ingredients, as well as providing the most personal, friendly service.   

The menu includes a variety of traditional Mexican items, such as tacos, burritos, and bowl-ritos, along with non-traditional items such as California burritos and Chronic fries.

Guests can walk down the prep line and see their items being made. The menu features kids’ meals, an all-day breakfast, and a wide selection of vegetarian, gluten-free, and vegan options, as well as filling choices such as carne asada premium, grass-fed steak; carnitas (pork); al pastor (pork); pollo asado (chicken); beyond beef (100 per cent plant-based protein); and beer-battered or sautéed mahi mahi (fish) and shrimp.   

Each individual Chronic Tacos shop features original artistic designs inspired by traditional Day of the Dead  themes along with lively, engaging music.  

Chronic Tacos hours of operation are Monday to Sunday from 10:30 a.m  to 10 p.m.  

For more information, visit www.chronictacos.com