Alexandria's Chop Shop Taco To Open In May

ALEXANDRIA, VA—Chop Shop Taco will open on Wednesday, May 1 at the Madison Collective, 1008 Madison Street, Alexandria. The restaurant pays homage to the former auto body garage previously located there.

Chop Shop Taco's menu is based around tacos and tortas. Meats come from the rotisserie with options like roasted chicken and ribeye, while tortillas are made in-house from fresh masa. Tortas are served on soft white rolls Combinations include brisket braised in beef lard with chile pasillas; pork shoulder roasted in banana leaves and achiote, with chile guajillo; and roasted mushrooms with halloumi cheese, dates, and pumpkin seeds. Tacos cost $8 for two or $11 for three, and tortas are $9 each.

On top of that, the menu has snacks priced at $8 to $12. These include fried rice cheese croquettes with huitlacoche, cotija, Serrano salsa, and porcini; clam and ham on annato-garlic toast with chorizo white wine broth; fried rock shrimp with shrimp paste chile oil and chayote-jicama salad; and tuna with Peruvian chilled mango sauce, cilantro, corn nuts, fresh chile, scallion, lime and radish.

Guests order at the counter for carryout or dine in. There's also a full service bar with cocktails from Jon Schott of The People’s Drug and beers. Margaritas have their own twist and specific salt, like the King Louie with barrel aged tequila, barrel aged rum, pineapple juice, banana almond orgeat, and a caramel salt rim. Other cocktails include the Corpse Reviver with Plymouth Gin, Lillet, Cointreau, lemon juice and a jalapeño mezcal accent. Cocktails are priced at $10 to $15. On the beer side, the restaurant has a house Mexican Style Golden Lager by Founders Brewing Company on draft and brews from local and Mexican breweries.

Chop Shop Taco is just over 1,000 square feet with 47 seats, and the garage door allows it to become an indoor-outdoor space. The restaurant has recycled hardware from the original auto shop, such as an old car lift turned into table and chair legs. The original garage floor has been resurfaced but remains.

Chop Shop Taco Chef McIntosh is known for launching Tortilladora from Union Kitchen and Shop Made DC.Last year, he opened Pendleton Carryout while preparing the menu for Chop Shop Taco.

Chop Shop Taco will be open Sundays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11 a.m.-11 p.m. and Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m.-midnight. It will be closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

For more information, visit www.chopshoptaco.com.