"Tacos for Strength" might sound like Miami's own version of Popeye and his can of super spinach, but it's actually Mercadito Midtown's bid to help put a dent in childhood hunger around the country.
The year-long campaign kicks off Friday, and features a different taco every month created by one of a toque-bedazzled roster of hotshot chefs. Five percent of the sales will be donated to Share Our Strength, the Washington D.C.-based organization dedicated to ending hunger in America.
Among the local players will be Michael Schwartz (Michael's Genuine Food & Drink) and Thomas Buckley (Nobu), along with Wylie Dufresne (WD-50 in New York), Michael Fiorello (Mercat a la Planxa in Chicago) and more. The first strong taco -- Tacos de Albondigas -- comes from chef Andrew Carmellioni of Locanda Verde in New York. It's poached shrimp and chorizo meatballs in a corn tortilla with salsa verde and red cabbage slaw, a combo that will sell for $16 for four tacos.
You gotta admit, that sounds a whole lot better than a can of spinach.