Wooden scent boxes replaced the menu at Lucky Taco in Vancouver, BC, during "Aroma by Tia Rosa"
By Ed Avis
Everyone knows that well-prepared Mexican food smells great, but normally restaurants use descriptive menus to help customers choose. That concept changed in mid-April at Lucky Taco in Vancouver, British Columbia. The popular taqueria partnered with tortilla maker Tia Rosa to create a menu that consisted of hand-made wooden boxes infused with scents.
The idea, called Aroma by Tia Rosa, was a promotional campaign for the tortilla company. The concept was developed by agency King Ursa, with Taste Agency serving as the execution partner in collaboration with Tia Rosa.
“The idea was built around a simple challenge: how do you get people to truly experience a tortilla brand beyond the taste test?” says Brad Wishen, CEO of Taste Agency. “Smell is the sense most tied to memory and emotion, and Mexican cooking is arguably the most aromatic cuisine in the world. King Ursa wanted to flip the traditional dining format on its head. Instead of guests choosing a dish from a written menu, they would choose entirely by scent, letting their nose guide them before their eyes or their brain could interfere.”
Guests choose their tacos by smelling the Aromenu boxes at Lucky Taco
The event occurred April 20 and 21 and attracted 140 guests. The “Aromenu” replaced the traditional printed menu; instead of reading about the dishes, guests were presented with a series of colorful wooden scent boxes, each infused with the aroma of a specific taco. Guests lifted the lid, took in the scent, and chose their meal by smell alone.
“Guest reaction was exactly what we hoped for and in some cases went further,” Wishen says. “People paused. They took their time. They second-guessed themselves, compared scents, and talked through their choices with their table. A few guests correctly identified dishes they had strong memory associations with, while others were genuinely surprised by what showed up on the plate.”
Wishen adds that the most unexpected outcome was how much conversation the Aromenu generated between strangers at nearby tables.
Lucky Taco was chosen for the event because the restaurant has an intimate, distinct identity and is known for quality sourcing and well-prepared Mexican food, Wishen says. The chef, Jesus Brown, created four tacos for the event: Quesabirria, Taco Asada, Taco Gobernador (sautéed shrimp with peppers, onions and Jack cheese); and Taco de Nopales y Queso.
“The response from both guests and media really validated the format, and we think the scented menu concept has a lot of room to grow,” Wishen says.