Rumor Confirmed: Renee Raven Loves Lubbock’s New Velvet Taco

Folks have long been suspicious about my particular proclivities, but I'm here to set the record straight: I love Velvet Taco. In fact, it's my new favorite and I can't get enough.

Velvet Taco is a Texas original, with its first location in Dallas, Texas. Y'all know me: I have a huge bias in favor of anything Texan, but Velvet Taco gets so many points beyond that from me -- for flavor, originality, the vibe of the restaurant, and the incredibly friendly and quick service.

Lubbock's first-ever Velvet Taco recently opened at 2401 Glenna Goodacre Blvd, across from Texas Tech. I swung by to give it a taste Saturday for lunch. I was very impressed and happy with my entire experience, from start to finish.

At Velvet Taco, you have the option to choose from a wide variety of different taco flavors. Truly, it's without borders. This immediately solves a problem I commonly have: "Do I want Asian or Mexican? Indian? Or maybe American?" At Velvet Taco, the answer is simply 'yes.' It would already be impossible to get bored with their diverse menu, but then they went and created a Weekly Taco Feature (WTF) where guests can try limited-time tacos 52 times a year. That makes your choices basically infinite.

We met up with General Manager Stephanie Hill, whose enthusiasm for Velvet Taco was infectious. She told us how thrilled she was to bring the concept to her hometown. Hill is from Lubbock, and I'm so glad a local who "gets it" is steering the ship. She didn't know it, but I watched as she personally checked on every table to make sure they were enjoying their food. Now that's a good general manager.

On to the food. I went for broke and ordered three tacos, a side item, a cocktail and a dessert. If that sounds like too much food...it absolutely was way too much food. But I have no regrets.

We started with cocktails, I had the grapefruit Paloma, and my buddy Trey had a large Kick Ass Margarita because life is short. Beware: these drinks are stronger than you would guess, and super tasty, too. Proceed with caution (and a ride if you plan on having more than one or two).

I tried the #3 Spicy Tikka Chicken, #6.5 Beer-Battered Cauliflower, and the #17 Mexi-Cali Shrimp. My buddy Trey had the #18 Chicken & Waffle, #10 Kobe Bacon Burger, and #12 Slow Roasted Angus Brisket.

When the food came up, I actually gasped at how incredible it looked and how generous the portions were for the price. Here's our actual food:

Each taco tasted completely different from the next, and they were all delicious. I don't like picking a favorite because they are all so flavorful and unique, but I can see myself ordering the Spicy Tikka Chicken over and over again for sure. Just look at it:

We rounded out our meal with a side of Elote, which could have honestly been lunch in itself. It was rich and delicious and...why am I obsessed with the fork/spoon thing that came with it? It's not a spork; it's actually both a fork and a spoon:

As ridiculously full as I was, it wasn't leaving without trying their signature red velvet cake. It's everything you want from red velvet -- that rich cocoa taste paired beautifully with decadent cream cheese icing. Velvet Taco tops theirs with a signature cajeta (Mexican caramel) sauce and it is absolutely delicious and craveable. Check it out:

So my ultimate verdict? Velvet Taco is a must-try for Lubbock foodies. And a must-try again. And again. It stands out among other choices near campus, which isn't to diminish any other restaurant. It's just that Velvet Taco is that special.

I highly recommend the patio for a very chill vibe and a nice breeze. And make sure to get some Jarritos. They photograph nicely with your other items, because your food is so totally going up on your Insta.