Episode 425 - Stephanie Velasquez and Nicolas Vera of Ema and Papalo Taqueria

What's Eric Eating

Today on the podcast Eric is joined by Stephanie Velasquez and Nicolas Vera of Ema and Papalo Taqueria. Stephanie and Nicolas speak with Eric about how they both got into the culinary scene, meeting/working together at Xochi, how they bonded over their passion for food/working in restaurants, how dining at a restaurant in Mexico became the inspiration for their own concept ideas, getting their first incubator space, how the idea for Papalo Taqueria evolved, opening Papalo 2 weeks before the pandemic, how they adapted to survive the pandemic, how Ema came to be, where the idea for Ema came from, the community response so far, the familial roots for the name Ema, their reaction to being included in the Michelin Guide, and much more!
Follow Eric on Instagram/Threads @ericsandler. You can also reach Eric by emailing him at [email protected]. Check out some of his latest articles at Culturemap.com:

• Michelin Guide Removes Shuttered Houston Vietnamese Restaurant
• 7 Hot Takes on Houston's 30 Restaurants in the Texas Michelin Guide
• Houston's New European-Inspired Teahouse is Steeped in Style
• Houston Ice Cream Shop Now Serving All Organic Scoops