Papa's Raw Bar Duo Opening Papaseatos, a Mexican Food Truck With a Florida Twist

Papa's Raw Bar cofounder Troy Ganter wants you to eat, drink, and be loco.

And not just at his wildly popular raw bar and seafood eatery, Papa's Raw Bar in Lighthouse Point. It's also the official, trademarked slogan for his newest concept, Papaseatos.

"That's the motto for the new restaurant, what will be a combination of Mexican street food, seafood, and sushi," says Ganter, who is striking out on his own for the first time and partnering with Papa's Raw Bar executive chef Chad Wyrosdick to bring the Papaseatos concept to life.

Ganter says he plans to launch Papaseatos as a food truck next summer and will expand the concept to a full-service restaurant and bar once he finds the right location. His hope is to stay within the Lighthouse Point/Pompano Beach area, close to both his father's original establishment, Papa Hughie's Seafood World, and their joint venture that opened in 2014, Papa's Raw Bar.

If summer 2017 seems painfully far off, for the time being customers can taste hints of Papseatos at Papa's Raw Bar, where Ganter and Wyrosdick have debuted a line of branded specialty hot sauces and logo'd apparel. Papaseatos dishes will also be featured as Papa's Raw Bar specials over the coming months, the perfect testing ground at an establishment known for its sushi, raw bar, and fish tacos.

"Papaseatos will be the best of both worlds. We won't be limited to just Mexican and Latin fare," Ganter says. "We also plan to offer specialty fusion items."
Expect the Papaseatos opening menu to include plenty of authentic Mexican fare but with a Florida twist. That means sashimi tacos, sushi burritos, and a rotating lineup of sushi and ceviche.

Ganter, known for supporting the local craft beer scene with Papa's extensive local selection highlighting South Florida brews, says his relationship with area brewers will provide the perfect platform to launch Papaseatos.

"While we won't be doing the usual food truck round-ups, the truck will be partnering up with some local breweries," Ganter says. "And it will also be available for private catering events — something we already do a lot with Papa's Raw Bar."

When it debuts later next year, expect the Papaseatos food truck to make regular appearances at a number of Ganter's favorite breweries from Palm Beach to Broward County. A rotating weekly schedule is already in the works to include stops at Copperpoint Brewing Co. in Boynton Beach, Saltwater Brewing Co. in Delray Beach, 26 Degree Brewing Co. in Pompano Beach, and Funky Buddha Brewery in Oakland Park.

Down the road, the Papaseatos restaurant will go one step further with a full tequila bar with weekly margarita Monday and taco Tuesday specials.

"We're going to keep it fun and crazy, just like the atmosphere and community we've created at Papa's Raw Bar," Ganter says. "I want everyone to eat, drink, and be loco."

Nicole Danna is a food writer covering Broward and Palm Beach counties. To get the latest in food and drink news in South Florida, follow her @SoFloNicole or find her latest food pics on the BPB New Times Food & Drink Instagram