City Tacos' Gerry Torres debuts Tostadas in North Park this weekend, just a short stroll from his modern University Avenue taqueria. Taking over the former Swoon space, Torres has replaced the coffee and dessert bar with Tostadas, a new, casual counter-service eatery that will operate from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily.
With seating for 50, Tostadas's current menu revolves around fresh juice — blends include Yellow Submarine (pineapple, cucumber, apple, carrot) and Mean Green (celery, parsley, spinach, carrot) — and a variety seafood dishes, from lobster soup to flambeed oysters and crab-stuffed salmon. The namesake tostadas, which run from $3.50 to $6, include red snapper ceviche, shrimp aguachile with serrano pepper, lemon, red onion cucumber and garlic and the Sandia, which swipes the crisp tostada with chipotle mayo and stacks on ahi tuna, watermelon, red onion, jicama, apples, mango and peanuts seasoned with soy and citrus. Most of the seafood served, from fresh fish to scallops, shrimp and octopus, will also be sold by the pound from a small cooler.
Torres says he plans to expand the menu to include more entrees and will eventually offer breakfast and brunch. When Tostadas' receives it liquor license, likely in four months or so, it will serve wine, Mexican craft beer and local brews, including house beers from new neighbor ChuckAlek Brewing Industries, who will be opening a biergarten in an adjacent space.
