Barracuda Taco Stand Gears Up for Bay Opening

Coast Cuisine - September 2024

Owner Brett Jones wasn't necessarily looking to open a fourth location of his popular taco stand, but when the Buttercup building came up for sale, he couldn't resist.

- by Lisa Monti

Emily Ferretti photo

 Brett Jones wasn’t necessarily looking at Bay St. Louis to expand his Louisiana-based Barracuda Taco Stand and Margarita Garden, but when the Buttercup on Second Street building “cropped up” on his radar, it seemed like the right time and place for the fourth Barracuda.
 

 
Jones found that the yellow Buttercup building had that certain look and feel of his three taco stands in Uptown New Orleans, Algiers and Baton Rouge. The Bay Barracuda will have the same neighborhood gathering place vibe with outdoor seating only and a simple menu of freshly made tacos, margaritas, and other items with carryout and catering options.
 

Emily Ferretti photo

 
Jones started cooking as a teen and went on to manage restaurants and run casual to fine dining kitchens as a chef and general manager. His inspiration for Barracuda stretches back to a trip to Mexico City when he was 16, where he ate authentic tacos that tasted unlike anything he’d had before. That was a lightbulb moment, when he developed a “huge affection” for handmade tortillas.
 
“Some people like to make bread. I got into making corn and flour tortillas and fell in love with the process,” he said. He opened the first Barracuda in 2019 and has grown the business from one to four locations, with a fifth shop in Alabama in the planning stages.
 
Work on the Second Street building is winding down, with an opening timed to welcome Cruisin’ the Coast crowds in early October. Some soft openings this month will help fine-tune staff training and kitchen operations.
 

Rendering of the new Barracuda restaurant, formerly the Buttercup on Second St.

 
Jones said Barracuda is known for a menu that is simple, straightforward, and long on flavor, influenced by his travels in Mexico and the Southwest. The tasty tacos and flavorful margaritas, all made fresh daily, offer a unique culinary experience, with refinements that he and his crew have perfected over the years, like subbing pomegranate for out-of-season tomatoes.
 
The foundation of Barracuda’s tacos, of course, is the homemade, high-quality tortilla that Jones says, “makes what you put inside it taste even better.”
 
The crispy fish taco is a Barracuda staple and is based on the tacos Jones enjoyed on visits to Los Angeles neighborhood stands. The catfish is sourced in Mississippi, so it’s always fresh, never frozen. The fish is beer-battered and fried, served with shredded cabbage, homemade cream, spicy salsa macha and pomegranate. The grilled chicken taco is marinated in achiote, citrus for acidity, and guajillo chile adobo for some heat and is served with a side of green salsa. The roasted pork taco comes with chicharrones, pickled red onion, and cilantro.
 

The restaurant hopes to open in time for Cruisin' the Coast in October.

 
The menu also includes queso, salsas, guacamole, quesadillas, a meat or vegetable bowl, rice and beans and homemade chorizo. Specials are offered regularly.
 
The margaritas are made with just three or four ingredients, mainly fresh squeezed juices, a hit of salt and the tequila. A recent special featured fresh watermelon juice with Lunazul Blanco tequila. You can always get a classic version, a Mezcal margarita or a spicy version with jalapeño and spicy salt.

Jones said if Barracuda had an elevator pitch it would be, “We make really great tortillas and salsas and cook everything fresh every day.” He’s also mindful of menu prices and works to keep them friendly. Tacos are $3.95 to $5. The Lunch Box special - two classic tacos with rice and beans - is $10.
 
“The goal always is to buy the best meat and vegetables and sell for the lowest possible price,” said Jones. “We give the best value that we can.”
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