Soul Taco is located at 321 N. Second St. in Jackson Ward.
Soul Taco came to Richmond by happenstance. A rogue listing for a restaurant space in Jackson Ward popped up while the owners were searching the D.C. area for potential locations to open a grilled cheese joint. The cozy, historic space at 321 N. Second St. seemed to speak to owners Ari Augenbaum, Nar Hovnanian and Trey Owens, and now their food is speaking to Richmond, with a second location opening soon in Shockoe Slip.
Left: braised oxtail; right: buttermilk fried chicken
The concept is simple, yet elevated — Southern food meets California meets Tex-Mex — and dishes are layered with flavor. The al pastor taco is filled with root beer-braised oxtail, pineapple-jalapeño salsa and chicharrones. It balances a charred smokiness with sweet subtleties from the braise that offer just enough spice and crunch to leave you wanting more than the street taco-sized portion. The roasted street corn lathered in a creamy aioli sings with the sweetness you seek from the summer veg.
There are several vegetarian options, like the roasted sweet potato and black-eyed pea taco or the 7 Layer Dip Gordita with fried avocado, but I lean toward the Smoked Mac and Queso-Dilla, featuring pillowy mac and cheese stuffed in a crisp toasted tortilla. Slather it with the house-made guac, and you’ve got your comfort food fix. The buttermilk-battered fried-chicken taco with chipotle BBQ crema and hot sauce aioli leaves your mouth with a lingering tingle, each bite making you forget all the fast food chicken sandwiches you’ve ever craved.
But the “soul” goes deeper than the fried chicken here. Nothing on the menu is over $5, and there are no plans to skew from that trend. This is food for everyone, and each bite is built with heart and soul.
