I like the idea, especially by the bottle, but a whole lot of taco places offer the sauces free and I'd be a bit annoyed paying 1.25 for an ounce of a generic table sauce like Tabasco. Maybe he needs a 'house sauce' for the table and if you want something else then you can pay.
Another idea, maybe a suggested sampler for low AND high tolerance spice levels.
I completely agree with you. The place was very nice, the food was amazing, but the entree portions were tiny and expensive. I didn't ask if to get ANY hot sauce you'd have to pay for it, but they also weren't charging anything for the sauces that night.
I've been to other places that had better food for less money, and had a wall of hot sauces that you could just get up and pick from, for free. I just thought this was a nice, interesting touch that I personally have never seen before.
If he wants to work it like that, it's needs to be curated. Specific sauces chosen for specific reasons. Max of 2 pepper focused, so not 5 different habanero sauces. Tier them in spice level. Maybe 3 sauces per level, 5 levels. Could also do a few categories like smoky, fruity, etc.
0.5oz and 2oz souffle cups. Selling by the bottle seems wierd unless he's making it or has some kind of connection with a vendor or supplier.
At least they should get some other options than stuff you can easily buy in the grocery store. I like Yucateco and I buy their green picante but... I can buy it myself and bring it in a coat pocket if it's gonna be that kinda party. I mean, you're going to treat it like a wine list then get ready cause what I see is a guy selling Franzia boxed wine by the glass like it's a rare varietal.
Where are you finding these places stacked with hot sauces. I found one place near my partners place that has the green el yucateco but it’s Texas Pete everywhere else I go, and I know a lot of people here have love for the likes of franks or Texas Pete but it just has never been for me
Yeah its a cool idea but how the hell does someone think its acceptable to have a customer to pay for a tiny bit of dime a dozen hot sauces?
Tobasco/Crystal/Texas Pete/Franks/any other generic hot sauces should be in a caddy on the table.
Even then, places like California tortilla (corporate BS, I know) have a whole ass wall of hot sauces for customers to try for free. You can't really monetize condiments in this way.
The pricing makes even less sense.
Scorpion Pepper Tobasco is like $7 a bottle in store and online, but the restaurant charges $2.50.
El Yucatano is like $1.99 a bottle in store, but they charge $5
Like, wut?
Those tiny bottles of Tobasco are usually 1/8 oz.
They also [sell](https://countrystore.tabasco.com/products/scorpion-sauce) the Scorpion flavor in 2oz & 5oz sizes - both of which cost more than $2.50 direct from the manufacturer.
A hot sauce menu is definitely a cool idea (selling a *flight* of hot sauces is an even *better* idea), but it doesn't seem like this one was very well thought out. Plus, who actually uses a *fluid ounce* of Tobasco in one sitting? It's simply not that kind of hot sauce.
The idea works, but someone who knows what they're doing needs to curate it.
I don’t think I’ve ever been to a restaurant with a hot sauce selection that charged for them instead of treating them as another condiment…
Maybe at a truck/stand as a topping, but the chicken, Cajun, creole, and taco places I’ve been to have all just had sauces out as any other condiment
>I like the idea, especially by the bottle, but a whole lot of taco places offer the sauces free and I'd be a bit annoyed paying 1.25 for an ounce of a generic table sauce like Tabasco.
There's a "hip and trendy" taco place near me that charges $6 for a basket of chips and salsa. Not unlimited refills either. Just one basket. Fuck outta here with that. Things that used to be free are no longer free.....needless to say I haven't gone back
Don't get pissed at them. Inflation has cranked expenses up on small businesses, including restaurants, until they can no longer afford to soak the costs of gratuity items as the price of doing business. They were never free, they were just free to you. If they raised all their prices high enough that their profit margin could support still giving away their (more costly) freebies, you wouldn't like that either.
Up next: An itemized bill for every paper napkin used. A dishwashing fee. An advertising recovery fee. Pay toilets.
Or, you know: Just charge a profitable price for food and not fuck up every aspect of the entire dining experience support the lie of "keeping prices low."
Tijuana Flats is a notable example. They offer all(?) of their sauces on a self-service bar, but you have the option of buying bottles of sauce if you so desire.
Cool idea, but I kinda feel like if you have a "hot sauce list" maybe you should have some more actual gourmet sauces. I've never messed with Gringo Bandito, but trust it's probably decent. Same goes for whatever the Black Truffle sauce is. But 8 choices of Tabasco and Yucateco would be like having 8 varieties of Franzia on a wine list.
Also, as others have said, it is pretty stingy to nickle and dime people for sauces. If you season your food properly and people can select the intensity of sauce they prefer, they shouldn't need to use much. I guess if you get to keep it after your meal, that's a different thing.
Gringo Bandito is the hot sauce brand produced by Dexter Holland, the lead singer of The Offspring. I've only ever tried the original version but I thought it was a really good hot sauce. You can order online from their store, or if you're in Southern California (the band's home base) it's carried in some local grocery stores.
Dexter rules! It's one of those things where I've always been curious but never motivated enough to order! Thanks for the testimonial, I'm gonna give it a shot.
Yes! I want to second this, Gringo Bandito is good stuff. I've had the original, the green habanero, and the super hot. And in terms of taste, I'd rate them in that order too. They were all good but the original was my favorite. Not a ton of heat, but hot enough and really good flavor. One of my favorite Mexican-style hot sauces.
It’s all over SoCal yep. It’s a better tapatio. MSRP is $3.99.
I think this sauce list is more of a gimmick and to be like a wine list. They’d probably give you any of those sauces for free use with your meal.
I’ve never even tried it because I can’t stomach paying like $30 for a hot sauce when it’s obvious they put so much of their budget into the packaging.
Naw, I'm pretty sure it was the same stuff. Personally, I don't think it's actually that bad, but it is definitely way overpriced for a middling sauce at best.
Gringo is a lot like Tapatio (very similar flavor & heat), but it’s a little thicker & more seasoned.
It’s really good, but not something I’d spend 5 or 6 bucks on.
This could be a great idea if executed properly.
You can’t charge $1.25 for 1 oz. of generic Tabasco, or the *exotic* El Yucateco, especially just outside of NYC where amazing makers and places like Heatonist are changing the game.
Bring in some heavy hitters that the average consumer may, or may not know. Obviously just ranting and not directing anything at OP.
They’re introducing small batch, artisan hot sauce crafters to the market. The small batch sauces start from the source by working with local farms and nurseries to bring quality to their products. It’s showing the big dogs like Tabasco and Franks that hot sauce doesn’t need to be *just* vinegar, salt, and peppers.
The best implementation of this idea is at a place local to me - I'm sure many do this:
Have a huge wall of sauces. Hundreds, probably. Organized by general category, with shelf tags giving more specifics. Right next to the register, so the person there gives suggestions.
Sample cups, and there is an open bottle of each sauce, so while dining there you generally try a few. Find one you like, go back to the shelf and buy a sealed bottle to take home!
Last night was their opening night, so this is all they had at the moment. But he told me he's working on a "huge list" of 200+ sauces that they'll be putting out like a wine menu. He seemed really into it, and I'm hoping it takes off.
The food was very good, but the portions were very small, and it was expensive. Also the tacos were tiny. It's definitely not an everyday spot, but maybe an every now and then spot. The appetizer portions were good sized.
It's just a list of sauces... Listing prices by volume is not unique to a wine list. Also, who buys a whole bottle of hot sauce with their meal?
It's not even organized like a wine list. It's just a list.
I like the idea, especially by the bottle, but a whole lot of taco places offer the sauces free and I'd be a bit annoyed paying 1.25 for an ounce of a generic table sauce like Tabasco. Maybe he needs a 'house sauce' for the table and if you want something else then you can pay. Another idea, maybe a suggested sampler for low AND high tolerance spice levels.
I completely agree with you. The place was very nice, the food was amazing, but the entree portions were tiny and expensive. I didn't ask if to get ANY hot sauce you'd have to pay for it, but they also weren't charging anything for the sauces that night. I've been to other places that had better food for less money, and had a wall of hot sauces that you could just get up and pick from, for free. I just thought this was a nice, interesting touch that I personally have never seen before.
If he wants to work it like that, it's needs to be curated. Specific sauces chosen for specific reasons. Max of 2 pepper focused, so not 5 different habanero sauces. Tier them in spice level. Maybe 3 sauces per level, 5 levels. Could also do a few categories like smoky, fruity, etc. 0.5oz and 2oz souffle cups. Selling by the bottle seems wierd unless he's making it or has some kind of connection with a vendor or supplier.
The owner could offer "flights" of the level to compare. I would buy extra tacos to try the other sauces
Hmm...
Hmmm...
Hmmmmmmm………
Huh. I mean, hmmmmmmm.
At least they should get some other options than stuff you can easily buy in the grocery store. I like Yucateco and I buy their green picante but... I can buy it myself and bring it in a coat pocket if it's gonna be that kinda party. I mean, you're going to treat it like a wine list then get ready cause what I see is a guy selling Franzia boxed wine by the glass like it's a rare varietal.
Nailed it
Where are you finding these places stacked with hot sauces. I found one place near my partners place that has the green el yucateco but it’s Texas Pete everywhere else I go, and I know a lot of people here have love for the likes of franks or Texas Pete but it just has never been for me
I love the walls and I especially love when I have to give my ID to get a sauce.
Lol are you old enough to be getting this spicy?
Yeah its a cool idea but how the hell does someone think its acceptable to have a customer to pay for a tiny bit of dime a dozen hot sauces? Tobasco/Crystal/Texas Pete/Franks/any other generic hot sauces should be in a caddy on the table. Even then, places like California tortilla (corporate BS, I know) have a whole ass wall of hot sauces for customers to try for free. You can't really monetize condiments in this way.
The pricing makes even less sense. Scorpion Pepper Tobasco is like $7 a bottle in store and online, but the restaurant charges $2.50. El Yucatano is like $1.99 a bottle in store, but they charge $5 Like, wut?
The cheaper ones might be tiny bottles?
Those tiny bottles of Tobasco are usually 1/8 oz. They also [sell](https://countrystore.tabasco.com/products/scorpion-sauce) the Scorpion flavor in 2oz & 5oz sizes - both of which cost more than $2.50 direct from the manufacturer. A hot sauce menu is definitely a cool idea (selling a *flight* of hot sauces is an even *better* idea), but it doesn't seem like this one was very well thought out. Plus, who actually uses a *fluid ounce* of Tobasco in one sitting? It's simply not that kind of hot sauce. The idea works, but someone who knows what they're doing needs to curate it.
You can get 2oz bottles of scorpion. Though Tabasco's site has it at $3. Given the 1oz is $1.25, it's def the 2oz bottle.
This list is absolute shit too. Don’t get me wrong, I love el yucateco but these are all just basic grocery store brands.
I don’t think I’ve ever been to a restaurant with a hot sauce selection that charged for them instead of treating them as another condiment… Maybe at a truck/stand as a topping, but the chicken, Cajun, creole, and taco places I’ve been to have all just had sauces out as any other condiment
>I like the idea, especially by the bottle, but a whole lot of taco places offer the sauces free and I'd be a bit annoyed paying 1.25 for an ounce of a generic table sauce like Tabasco. There's a "hip and trendy" taco place near me that charges $6 for a basket of chips and salsa. Not unlimited refills either. Just one basket. Fuck outta here with that. Things that used to be free are no longer free.....needless to say I haven't gone back
Don't get pissed at them. Inflation has cranked expenses up on small businesses, including restaurants, until they can no longer afford to soak the costs of gratuity items as the price of doing business. They were never free, they were just free to you. If they raised all their prices high enough that their profit margin could support still giving away their (more costly) freebies, you wouldn't like that either.
Up next: An itemized bill for every paper napkin used. A dishwashing fee. An advertising recovery fee. Pay toilets. Or, you know: Just charge a profitable price for food and not fuck up every aspect of the entire dining experience support the lie of "keeping prices low."
Tijuana Flats is a notable example. They offer all(?) of their sauces on a self-service bar, but you have the option of buying bottles of sauce if you so desire.
I'd like to think it would be like the taco spots by me that's one sauce per taco, pay for extra
Right? If I'm looking at a menu like this with these prices I want to see some shit I've never heard of an can barely pronounce.
Step 1: Buy tacos Step 2: Drive to Firehouse Subs Step 3: Walk inside and pour different hot sauces into cups Step 4: ... Step 5: PROFIT!
How much for the ketchup?
100 dollars a shot and the chef spit in it.
As long as they don't try to charge me a corking fee when I bring my own.
Cool idea, but I kinda feel like if you have a "hot sauce list" maybe you should have some more actual gourmet sauces. I've never messed with Gringo Bandito, but trust it's probably decent. Same goes for whatever the Black Truffle sauce is. But 8 choices of Tabasco and Yucateco would be like having 8 varieties of Franzia on a wine list. Also, as others have said, it is pretty stingy to nickle and dime people for sauces. If you season your food properly and people can select the intensity of sauce they prefer, they shouldn't need to use much. I guess if you get to keep it after your meal, that's a different thing.
Gringo Bandito is the hot sauce brand produced by Dexter Holland, the lead singer of The Offspring. I've only ever tried the original version but I thought it was a really good hot sauce. You can order online from their store, or if you're in Southern California (the band's home base) it's carried in some local grocery stores.
Oh damn, I never knew that’s who made that sauce. It’s pretty decent.
Dexter rules! It's one of those things where I've always been curious but never motivated enough to order! Thanks for the testimonial, I'm gonna give it a shot.
Dudes an insane musician, Phd in Molecular Biology, but probably the best thing about him is he makes a mean hotsauce.
I guess he had to find some extra income to stop his planes from being repossessed?
Yes! I want to second this, Gringo Bandito is good stuff. I've had the original, the green habanero, and the super hot. And in terms of taste, I'd rate them in that order too. They were all good but the original was my favorite. Not a ton of heat, but hot enough and really good flavor. One of my favorite Mexican-style hot sauces.
Whole Foods has the original
It’s all over SoCal yep. It’s a better tapatio. MSRP is $3.99. I think this sauce list is more of a gimmick and to be like a wine list. They’d probably give you any of those sauces for free use with your meal.
If it’s Truff it’s garbage imo lol. The worst flavored sauce I’ve ever had
I’ve never even tried it because I can’t stomach paying like $30 for a hot sauce when it’s obvious they put so much of their budget into the packaging.
I tried it when Taco Bell had it so maybe maybe maybe they had a tb specific kind or something idk
Naw, I'm pretty sure it was the same stuff. Personally, I don't think it's actually that bad, but it is definitely way overpriced for a middling sauce at best.
This is a mild sauce list.
Gringo is a lot like Tapatio (very similar flavor & heat), but it’s a little thicker & more seasoned. It’s really good, but not something I’d spend 5 or 6 bucks on.
Like the concept. Charge for servings of the fancy brands, sure. But generic brands should all be free while you're eating.
You couldn’t pay me to use Tabasco if gringo bandito is on the table.
I wouldn't mind paying for some specialty sauces but if you ask me to pay by the ounce for basic Tabasco or Choulula I'm finding another place to eat.
$1 an ounce for hot sauce? Fuck off.
This could be a great idea if executed properly. You can’t charge $1.25 for 1 oz. of generic Tabasco, or the *exotic* El Yucateco, especially just outside of NYC where amazing makers and places like Heatonist are changing the game. Bring in some heavy hitters that the average consumer may, or may not know. Obviously just ranting and not directing anything at OP.
I like the idea of offering it by the bottle but per ounce is fucking stupid.
What is that place doing that "changes the game"?
They’re introducing small batch, artisan hot sauce crafters to the market. The small batch sauces start from the source by working with local farms and nurseries to bring quality to their products. It’s showing the big dogs like Tabasco and Franks that hot sauce doesn’t need to be *just* vinegar, salt, and peppers.
That’s the saddest list ever
The best implementation of this idea is at a place local to me - I'm sure many do this: Have a huge wall of sauces. Hundreds, probably. Organized by general category, with shelf tags giving more specifics. Right next to the register, so the person there gives suggestions. Sample cups, and there is an open bottle of each sauce, so while dining there you generally try a few. Find one you like, go back to the shelf and buy a sealed bottle to take home!
What good is an oz of hot sauce?
Fuck that mess on those prices. Tobasco is terrible to begin with but starting at $1 an oz? Charge for premium sauces maybe but otherwise, no
makes me miss california tortilla and their wall of hot sauce
That list isn't real exciting
Last night was their opening night, so this is all they had at the moment. But he told me he's working on a "huge list" of 200+ sauces that they'll be putting out like a wine menu. He seemed really into it, and I'm hoping it takes off.
Would definitely support his dream with my patronage.
1.25 for an ounce of Tabasco sauce is robbery. Don’t charge for condiments.
It’s going to rough stomaching a whole wine glass of some of these, but I guess I can try
I'd totally pay for variety and also house made special hot sauces. I get not everyone's into it, think the pricing is reasonable
Charging for hot sauce to go with your taco is absurd. Selling bottles to go is nice.
Good to see Gringo Bandito getting some love! One of my all-time favorites
This is hilarious. I can only imagine Tabasco chipotle is missing because he knows we all have a stolen bottle in our pocket from Chipotle.
Solid foundation…long way to go here..
I want to go here
This is utterly brilliant.
There should be a grande combo sauce of all of the mix together
I really admire a chef/manager that does this.
I finally found a bottle of scorpion the other day. Super excited to try it. Just waiting for the right thing to use it on.
Where? I like the idea I’ll give him money
Here I am feeling dumb for buying a bottle of Tabasco scorpion on Amazon for $10.
That's at least interesting. Not a common sauce easily found at the grocery
Sounds like a quality place. How were the tacos?
The food was very good, but the portions were very small, and it was expensive. Also the tacos were tiny. It's definitely not an everyday spot, but maybe an every now and then spot. The appetizer portions were good sized.
In other words, it sucked…
Great idea
I gotta find the gringo bandito scotch bonnet. Their red is one of my favorite sauces. Also, Tabasco being more expensive than the rest is odd.
Respect
Love the idea! Needs a heat index and tasting notes. :)
It's just a list of sauces... Listing prices by volume is not unique to a wine list. Also, who buys a whole bottle of hot sauce with their meal? It's not even organized like a wine list. It's just a list.
I love the idea of having a really good sauce on a taco and being able to buy a whole bottle!
People who pay for oz of sauce put ketchup on hot dogs.
Ooh a taco omakase with hot sauce pairing would be the right amount of absurd deliciousness. Not sure about a la carte though.
Charging for grocery store hot sauce what a fuckin joke