Taco Dreams becoming big hit in Fairfield

FAIRFIELD — You would think that Emily O’Connor, the chef/owner of Fairfield’s popular Taco Dreams, would be up to something more glamorous with her busy morning than making fresh tortillas by hand. “Business has been so nuts lately that this is my Zen moment for today."

Her tattooed sous chef Henry, who certainly looks the part of a foodie up-and-comer, turns to us with a look of sly amusement as eggs sizzle in his sauté pan. "You're seeing Em’s way of being the nicest control freak ever.” The kitchen erupts in laughter as ‘Em' distributes perfectly rounded tortillas on the griddle.

“Well, this is how I enjoyed my mornings when it was just me.” It wasn’t so long ago that Chef Emily was a one-woman show serving a limited taco menu in the middle of the pandemic. Soon, word-of-mouth expanded along with the menu.

"My husband was my cashier when I first opened, but he’s an astrologer and he got super busy, too. Everyone wanted something fun and new to eat, or they wanted to know what their lives were going to be like on the other side of this.”

Did her hubby foresee in the stars that Taco Dreams was going to be this big of a hit? “Actually he did, but doesn’t need to get all woo-woo to know that I can cook!”

So how is life for Taco Dreams on the “other side?” “Just fabulous. I’m really excited about our retail and grab-’n-go lines.”

And then Emily wistfully confides in me as she stations a stack of tortillas for lunch. “I’m going to sound like a total kook here, but I believe a big reason why we’re successful is that our customers can feel the good times we have.”