‘Ghost kitchen’ at NOA cafe now serving up French inspired tacos
Popular cafe NOA is expanding into the fast-food industry, launching online-only sales of the late-night Gallic delight, French Tacos.
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Popular cafe NOA is expanding into the fast-food industry, launching online-only sales of French Tacos.
The Edge Hill institution will now be serving French-inspired tacos, grilled with savory or sweet fillings.
NOA and Candy Cafe on Grafton Street owner Vivek Ponugoti said the concept was born from wanting to serve a fast-food option which focuses on “flavour and quality” using local ingredients.
“Nobody (in Cairns) is actually targeting fast food options, which is booming everywhere in the world, and why not?” he said.
“Everything is put into a wrap, shoestring fries, spicy sauces, a cheesy sauce, choose your meats, then it all gets toasted, it’s a fast food joint with a lot of options.”
There are also sweet taco options available with Nutella Tiramisu and a Biscoff Tiramisu on the menu.
The Parisian-inspired tacos cooked up by NOA chef and proud Frenchman, Matthew Devie, are only available for pick up or delivery out of NOA’s kitchen via Uber Eats.
It is open seven days a week but the tacos will eventually be sold at Candy Cafe in Grafton Street, between 9pm and 1am on Friday and Saturday.
Mr Ponugoti said Cairns was the “perfect” location for this new fast-food option, which offers quality ingredients and something for the partygoers in the CBD that’s available after all other restaurants have closed.
“We want to target the audience who are from Gilligan’s Bar because after 9pm in Cairns, there’s no restaurants which are open,” he said.
“It’s a very strange thing to see, in my city, India, everything is 24 hours.”
After the successful launch of French Tacos last week, Mr Ponugoti said he would also like to open a food truck in the future.
“I’ve already ordered branded greased food paper and packaging bags, with fast-food, you want to penetrate into the market very quickly,” he said.
“Our goal eventually is to even do something like a customised food truck.”
NOA was opened in 2014 by Sam Byrd who owns restaurants in Cairns including Guerrilla, Hopscotch, and Palooka.
Mr Byrd sold NOA to Vivek Ponugoti earlier this year.
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Originally published as ‘Ghost kitchen’ at NOA cafe now serving up French inspired tacos
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