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Arts & Entertainment

Good taste? President Barack Obama ate at Torchy's Tacos in Austin before SXSW

The president of the United States can now say he's eaten Torchy's "damn good" Tacos. As his motorcade made its way into Austin on Friday, March 11 for his keynote address at South by Southwest, he stopped for lunch at Torchy's Tacos.

The Austin-based shop has expanded to Dallas-Fort Worth -- 10 shops total -- and it has become a cult favorite taco shop among Texans. Its menu includes all kinds of meats served in flour or corn tortillas, but Torchy's makes it political by serving three tacos called The Republican, The Democrat and The Independent.

Reuters White House Correspondent Jeff Mason notes that Obama ordered all three of Torchy's politically-minded tacos.

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Here's what's in each taco. Do your politics match your taste buds?

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Or with:

  • The Independent: fried portobello mushroom strips with refried black beans, corn, carrots, queso fresco, cilantro and avocado, drizzled with ancho aioli
  • The Republican: jalapeno sausage, cheese, pico de gallo and poblano sauce
  • The Democrat: shredded beef barbacoa, avocado, queso fresco, cilantro, onions and tomatillo salsa

The timing on Obama's taco stop was timely, as Austin and San Antonio's mayors just called a taco truce.

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ABC TV station KVUE talked to two people who were inside the restaurant. They "were going to initially going to avoid the presidential traffic, we were going to go paddle boarding this morning, but we were like, 'Let's just go get tacos instead' and then we ended up right in the thick of it," said Julie Sweetin and Kasey Sandlin. They traded paddle boarding for the president.

Obama has patronized Franklin Barbecue, Magnolia Cafe, and Stubb's Bar-B-Que in Austin in the past, according to Eater.

Here's a moment-by-moment look at Obama's taco lunch in Austin: