‘Taco Mafia’ PBS Television Show Stars Austin Restaurants Nixta, Cuantos Tacos, and Discada

Austin’s Taco Mafia — the group of friends and owners of some of the city’s best restaurants in town of new-school Mexican restaurant Nixta Taqueria, Mexico City-style taco truck Cuantos Tacos, and Northern Mexican-style taco truck Discada — are the stars of a new PBS documentary series. Taco Mafia premiered on Thursday, October 12 at 8 p.m., and new episodes airing every week through the end of November.

Eater Austin was able to check out the first two episodes of the series. Here’s a sample of what viewers will see and hear about in the show.

Special guest stars

Although the show centers on the five members of the Taco Mafia (Edgar Rico and Sara Mardanbigi of Nixta, Luis “Beto” Robledo of Cuantos Tacos, and Xose Velasco and Anthony Pratto of Discada), many other homegrown figures appear in the documentary. Expect to see Congressman Greg Casar, Tracy Malechek-Ezekiel of Austin wine restaurant Birdie’s, Adriene Mishler of popular YouTube channel Yoga With Adriene, and of course, Aaron and Stacy Franklin of Franklin Barbecue. Plus, you’ll hear from the families of most of the members — including some adorable throwback pictures.

Beto’s three jobs

Robledo started his culinary training by helping his manager at KFC study for her program at Le Cordon Bleu. He eventually enrolled in the program himself, and then landed a job at Japanese restaurant Uchiko. The birth of his daughter spurred him into fulfilling a dream of having his own business, but that meant a period of hardcore hustling: he was working construction with his father a few days a week, working at Uchiko, and driving for Uber.

PBS

Discada’s origin story

Velasco’s father created the discada recipe used at the truck today, which he would put into use when throwing backyard parties for family and friends. However, he soon tired of all of the chopping involved, so he told Xose that anytime he wanted to throw a discada party, he and his friends, including Pratto, would need to help (a reasonable request given that Velasco’s father says the boys were eating about 25 to 30 tacos per party). Pratto says some of his favorite memories from high school were doing the discada in Velasco’s yard.

Nixta’s DM sliding

Edgar Rico and Sara Mardanbigi of Nixta met while working at a catering company together — however, Rico’s first week was Mardanbigi’s last. However, the energy between the two was electric, and Rico wanted to invite Mardanbigi to the company’s holiday party — though he says Mardanbigi slid into his direct-messages first. In one sweet moment of the documentary, Mardanbigi says, “Anytime we’re next to each other, [we] just melt into each other.”

Cuantos Tacos’ truck modifications

When Robledo bought the 1967 Ford Step Van for his first food truck, he quickly ran into a problem: the interior clearance was less than six feet, and Robledo is six foot six. However, his friends came to the rescue by cutting a strip through the roof and installing a steel box so he could fit in his own food truck.