First Look: NOLA-born eatery Vals opens its first BR location today on Perkins Road

A new taco joint is opening its doors on Perkins Road today, July 1. Vals has taken over the former Rock Paper Taco spot, washing the space in the brand’s signature blush pink.

But coming to a city that seems to be dominated by Tex-Mex options, partner Turk Dietrich promises that Vals is more than that.

“We are decidedly not Tex-Mex,” he says. “Throughout the South, Louisiana specifically, probably 8.59 out of 10 Mexican spots are really Tex-Mex. [Vals] has a lot more traditional Mexican dishes, be it from Tijuana or from Mexico City. Our chef, who created everything, spent about a year in Mexico learning the food, the culture, the whole thing.”

Both menu-wise and style-wise, Dietrich and his partner, Matthew Kohnke, feel that Vals will bring something fresh to Baton Rouge. The concept’s first location is in uptown New Orleans, housed in an old gas station with tons of outdoor seating. While this Baton Rouge spot doesn’t have a lot of outdoor space, Dietrich says there’s one thing that made this location a no-brainer: the parking lot.

With a lack of outdoor seating at the new location, Dietrich says they’ve tried to bring in that feel with two areas flanking the restaurant. To the left, there is a room with tall, sliding glass doors that open into a fenced-in, turfed area with lawn games, ideal for parents who need a spot for the kiddos to run around. To the right, patrons will find a small patio area with a few tables, which Dietrich says will be great as the weather cools down for fall.

Similarities between the two locations include the restaurant’s signature color scheme of baby pink and deep navy and the menu. Dietrich says both the food and drink menus are identical to its New Orleans counterpart. Dietrich’s picks include elotes, the shrimp quesadilla and vegetarian tacos, like the sweet potato and the cauliflower.

The drink menu also has standouts, including margaritas that use freshly squeezed juices. When patrons walk in, they are immediately greeted with the restaurant’s large horseshoe-shaped bar that mirrors the one found in the New Orleans location. Dietrich and Kohnke are also partners of Cure, a New Orleans cocktail bar with a James Beard Award, so the bar was not an oversight at Vals.

“We always wanted to hover 50/50 between drink and food,” Dietrich says. “We want people to come here, be able to sit at the bar and treat it like a bar. We also want families to come and treat it like a restaurant. The idea is to kind of like toe the line between that, but the ultimate goal was always to be fun.”

Dietrich says it took a lot of work to transform the former Rock Paper Taco into Vals. That included building out more space and taking away a large bar that lined the back of the restaurant. Vals’ vibe is set with funky art, tropical plant murals and real tropical plants both inside and outside. Built-in shelves house books, bottles and more greenery. Dietrich credits a lot of the design choices to Kohnke. Curved navy booths and salmon colored chairs further bring in the brand’s signature hues. When doors open, expect to chow down while listening to an upbeat playlist of music.

But don’t let the pretty setting fool you. Yes, Vals has a stylish design, but Dietrich says the goal is to be a relaxed spot for patrons—no dress code required.

“We’ve always wanted Vals to not be snooty and be very fun and very casual, with loud music and good times,” Dietrich says. “And maybe you’re having so much fun that it convinces you to get an extra drink.”

Vals will open be open Wednesday through Friday this week from 4 to 9 p.m.

After the holiday weekend, Dietrich says Vals will be open six days a week, Tuesday through Sunday, and will begin serving lunch. Happy hour will be 4 to 6 p.m. every day. Dietrich says the restaurant will eventually be open on Mondays after things get up and running. Vals is at 7242 Perkins Rd.