September 09, 2011

Tocabe on Food Network

Food Network to Feature Native Eatery Tocabe

By Carol BerryAn American Indian fast-casual restaurant in Denver has found its time in the limelight after a two-year trajectory toward recognition.

Tocabe, a name derived from the Osage word for “blue,” will be featured on the Food Network’s “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives” at 7 p. m. Mountain Standard Time on September 12.

Large illuminated hands grace the walls of the eatery located in a gentrifying area of northwest Denver, and symbolize both the three villages of the Osage Nation—the tribal affiliation of Tocabe’s co-owner, Ben Jacobs—and the extended hand of friendship.

“I think it’s such a big moment for such a small establishment,” Jacobs told Indian Country Today Media Network. “It’s pretty incredible for us.”
Comment:  For more on the subject, see Bringing Native Food to the Fore and Review of Tocabe.

Below:  "Decorative three hands on wall at Tocabe in Denver. The hands symbolize both the three villages of the Osage Nation and the extended hand of friendship." (Carol Berry)

1 comment:

Rob said...

For more on the subject, see:

http://indiancountrytodaymedianetwork.com/2011/09/food-network-praises-tocabes-healthy-indian-taco/

Food Network Praises Tocabe’s Healthy Indian Taco

From flash-frying to fresh produce, an Osage restaurateur of fast-casual orientation likes to think about health as well as taste when he assembles Native menu items to please a growing clientele.

Ben Jacobs, co-owner with Matt Chandra of Tocabe: An American Indian Eatery located in northwest Denver, has, for example, re-crafted the traditional fry bread to retain taste and texture, while frying it for only 20 to 30 seconds in a canola/corn oil blend instead of the four minutes or so for fry bread cooked in lard.