Some blue fists are clenched on the ground floor of the Bayou Lofts building, at the northeast corner of Travis and Franklin — La Calle Tacos y Tortas purports to be bringing Mexico City-style street fare to the space at 909 Franklin St. Owner Ramon Soriano Tomka anticipates a February opening, and is currently plugging the chance to win free tacos for a year via various social media platforms.
The storefront is the former home of dim sum spot Hong Kong Diner, and sits between the former homes of Franklin Street Coffee and Brewery Incubator, the kitchen-kickstarter-turned-brewery-fermenter that was evicted in 2014 following complaints about a late-night game of naked Twister.
A rendering posted to La Calle’s facebook page shows what the spot could look like after buildout is complete:
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Across Franklin St. sits the Islamic Da’wah Center, which opened in 2002 after former Rockets center Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon purchased the former Houston National Bank building — constructed in 1928 by banker, oilman, newspaperman, and former Texas governor Ross Sterling. Catty-corner to the Lofts building is the 1884 Houston Cotton Exchange building, now home to wine and whiskey bar Public Services.
Images: Swamplot inbox (photos), La Calle Tacos y Tortas (rendering)
What’s with the Militant Communist logo? And what does it have to do with street tacos, ironically served inside a building?
It’s FINNALY open!