Houston & Peach

Popular Warner Robins gourmet taco spot is opening a new location in Middle GA

A popular gourmet taco spot just south of the Museum of Aviation in Warner Robins is opening another location across town.

The Taco Shed is expected to open its new location in mid-July at 670 Lake Joy Road, Suite 400, said owner Derrick Baas. That’s the spot in the Kathleen community previously occupied by a Shane’s Rib Shack.

“We offer unique tacos — no hamburger,” Baas said. “Our hand-cut steak and chicken are marinated for two days.”

Among the proteins for the 23 tasty taco options are ahi tuna, mahi-mahi, shrimp, brisket, fried green tomatoes and pork. The Taco Shed also serves up breakfast burritos, nachos, salads, quesadillas and churros for dessert.

The restaurant also features a taco of the month. For June, it’s Bang Bang Shrimp: napa cabbage, red cabbage, shredded carrot medley, fried shrimp tossed in a homemade bang bang sauce, chopped tomatoes topped with cilantro and sesame seeds.

“Everything is made homemade,” Baas said. “Everything is made fresh. We do nothing out of a box.”

A lot of the tacos are named after people and locations in Houston County, including the county’s high schools. The shipwreck, a fried shrimp taco, honors the longtime restaurant and previous tenant of the 100-A GA. 247 location.

This popular gourmet taco shop in Warner Robins just south of Robins Air Force Base off Ga. 247 is opening as second location in Middle Georgia. Ahi tuna taco anyone (front)? The seared ahi tuna includes cabbage, pickled red onions, sesame seeds, cilantro and Asian BBQ. It’s called the 96. The Demon taco (back) has fajita-style steak with onions and peppers, mushrooms, cheddar jack cheese and chipotle aioli.
This popular gourmet taco shop in Warner Robins just south of Robins Air Force Base off Ga. 247 is opening as second location in Middle Georgia. Ahi tuna taco anyone (front)? The seared ahi tuna includes cabbage, pickled red onions, sesame seeds, cilantro and Asian BBQ. It’s called the 96. The Demon taco (back) has fajita-style steak with onions and peppers, mushrooms, cheddar jack cheese and chipotle aioli. Telegraph file photo

The restaurant generally opens for breakfast and lunch, then closes a few hours and reopens for dinner.

The second location will have most of the same food options but limited hours. It initially will not open for breakfast, which means breakfast burritos won’t be an option.

How Baas got started

Baas, a Warner Robins native and Northside High School graduate, has served in the Air Force, run a golfing business providing caddies at high-end golf courses and has worked in the restaurant industry as a bartender, waiter, cook — “all of it.”

He has lived in Florida, California, Oregon, South Caroline and Texas. While in Texas, he fell in love with the variety of tacos offered at different taquerias he frequented.

Wanting to own his own business, Baas took a leap of faith — moving back to his hometown and opening The Taco Shed on Jan. 11, 2016.

This will be a second leap of faith for Baas, who’s facing the challenge of finding enough workers to fully staff both restaurants.

“We’re trying to provide the same quality and level of service. It’s just a matter of finding the talent — the employees,” he said. “In my lifetime, we’ve never had to worry about labor. It’s a unique situation.”

BP
Becky Purser
The Telegraph
Becky covers new restaurants, businesses and developments with some general assignment reporting in Warner Robins and the rest of Houston County. She’s a career journalist with ties to Warner Robins. Her late father retired at Robins Air Force Base. She moved back to Warner Robins in 2000. Support my work with a digital subscription
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