Victor Albisu: It’s Electric, Industry Night at City Ridge

Tacos, steak, and the reviews chefs never want to read out loud.I made a grown man put on his readers and get roasted, live, at his own restaurant. That is where we start today, back at Taco Bamba in City Ridge with my old friend Victor Albisu.This is exactly the kind of DC food podcast conversation I live for. Victor Albisu has been feeding this city for twenty years, from fine dining to fast casual to his brand new anti-steakhouse, and today he finally reads the internet's harshest reviews of his own restaurants out loud.Victor Albisu is the chef behind Taco Bamba, the fast casual taco chain he built from one Falls Church location into seventeen restaurants across the Mid-Atlantic and Nashville, after fine dining runs at Del Campo and Poca Madre. He is opening Electric Bull, a butcher shop and steakhouse, in his hometown of Vienna, Virginia. Later in the show, Karen Harris, the vocalist, vocal coach, and rock frontwoman who curates City Ridge's Friday night music series, joins to talk about booking local musicians. Episode keyword: Victor Albisu Taco Bamba chef Washington DC.Key TakeawaysVictor Albisu built Taco Bamba from one location in Falls Church into seventeen restaurants across the Mid-Atlantic and Nashville.Victor Albisu is opening Electric Bull, a butcher shop and steakhouse, in his hometown of Vienna, Virginia.On this DC food podcast episode, Victor debuts Roasted, a new segment where he reads and responds to his own restaurants' harshest reviews live.Victor Albisu said talent is the smallest piece of the formula behind success, and that passion only carries a person so far without purpose behind it.Karen Harris, a working vocalist and vocal coach, explains how she curates the local musicians who play City Ridge's Friday night happy hour series.Victor Albisu said, "Passion gets you started, purpose carries you forward."Victor Albisu said, "Burnt. You're welcome."Timestamps00:00 Nycci opens at Taco Bamba in City Ridge00:51 Introducing today's guests and the new Roasted segment02:08 Victor Albisu joins, twenty years since BLT Steak03:05 From Del Campo and Poca Madre to Taco Bamba's seventeenth location05:19 Growing up in Falls Church, his mother's Latin market, and learning butchery06:15 Anxiety, a moment of clarity, and moving to Paris at twenty four09:24 Finding Latin inspired cooking and the chefs who shaped him15:25 Twenty years since BLT Steak and what Del Campo taught him about fire19:34 What Victor calls his biggest failure as a young chef21:27 Taco Bamba's origin and outrunning the fast casual boom28:30 The Tighty Whitey breakfast burrito30:23 Taco Bamba Bethesda and the road to Electric Bull34:08 Building the anti-steakhouse and sourcing Argentinian beef38:22 Nycci on gendered steak sizes and the petite filet40:22 Rapid fire, fast casual versus fine dining and how he likes his steak46:23 Roasted, Victor reads his harshest reviews live49:31 Karen Harris joins on the patio at City Ridge50:22 What curating City Ridge's Friday night music series looks like51:48 How Karen books a lineup with no cheering audience54:26 Why developments should invest in local musicians54:53 What's coming this fall, September on the Lawn and more56:57 Nycci wraps at City RidgeConnect with Victor Albisu and Karen HarrisVictor Albisu Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chefvictoralbisu/Victor Albisu Website: http://victoralbisu.com/8vohgc4383v1p2j63o05sl4vfs79abKaren Harris Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/karen.h.harris.98Karen Harris LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karen-hopfl-harris-a100671/City Ridge Website: https://www.cityridgedc.com/