Friday, March 29, 2024

Totchos eatery lives up to the hype after Westshore Town Centre debut

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A year and a half in the making and the Westshore Town Centre is becoming more delicious by the minute!

After a long-awaited debut, the first of its kind tater-tot shop, Totchos, has opened its doors with fanfare. 

Related: There’s a new tater tot-themed eatery coming to Langford this fall

Attributing the lengthy wait for the restaurant launch to implications involving labour shortages caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Totchos co-owner, Ashley Reardon says the delayed launch has made all the difference to the early success of the business. 

It was insane. We were lined up outside the door on Friday (February 10th) when we opened. We had the tables flipping every half an hour to 45 minutes,” said Reardon.

Having to close an hour early due to a shortage of food, Reardon tells Victoria Buzz the wave of support and welcome she and her husband have received at the Westshore Town Centre has helped them feel at home and further inspired them to run a business in Langford. 

“We moved out to Langford because it’s a quieter area but there’s less stuff going on for our kids. We are big kids so we kind of just brainstormed and we were like, let’s just do something fun,” says Reardon.

Known as the only restaurant on Vancouver Island serving a delicious variety of tater-tot inspired meals, Totchos holds a deeper meaning to Reardon as a tribute to her late mother, Charlene, who passed away in October 2022. 

“She couldn’t see it open but she was really excited. Most of the recipes are hers and I learned all my cooking from her,” says Reardon. 

As a child, Reardon’s parents would infuse tater tots into meals with additional healthy ingredients to help inspire Reardon and her siblings to eat balanced meals. 

A concept that Reardon has passed onto her children, the new restaurateur tells Victoria Buzz that the realization of this business has come full circle as her eldest daughter encouraged her to pursue the business. 

“I was sitting with my oldest daughter one day and she’s like, mom if we ever can we should open a tater tot restaurant. I ended up getting a settlement, and we were just like, okay let’s try this,” says Reardon. 

For those curious about what’s offered on the menu, Reardon wants guests to know there’s a meal waiting for everyone. “We’re 90% gluten-free, there are only three things on our menu that isn’t gluten free. We also have plenty of vegan and keto options,” says Reardon.

With the introduction of this exciting new restaurant, Artigiano is also slated to open at the shopping centre in February, offering a full-service, sit-down café will occupy the Langford location, serving a wide range of specialty coffees and teas, sandwiches and wraps, and fresh bakery items.

Later in March, locals can expect Vina Taste to open up shop, serving pho and other traditional Vietnamese specialties and by April, Kitchen Story – a Korean comfort food option will make its debut at West Shore Town Centre. 

(Photo by Totchos via Facebook)

Totchos Restaurant

  • Where: Located in Westshore Town Centre, 2945 Jacklin Road
  • When: 
    • Monday to Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
    • Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
    • Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
    • Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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