The people behind the popular language-learning app, Duolingo, have decided to take language learning beyond the app. Well, that’s the case if you live in Pittsburgh, want to learn Spanish, and enjoy a good taco. The app is opening its own takeout-only restaurant called Duo’s Taquería. It’ll be run by acclaimed chef Marcella Ogrodnik.
The menu at Duo’s will be inspired by Mexican cuisine. Specifically, street tacos made with nixtamalized heirloom corn, whatever that is. Pork, chorizo, and vegan options will also feature, as will sides and desserts.
First, Duolingo. Then, we feast.
Sure, you could just get something delivered to you, but where’s the fun in that? Prospective in-person customers get to answer a few speech-based challenges into a microphone at the counter when they order. Those that choose to participate could be rewarded with free food or discounts. That’s better than Duolingo’s usual harshness, and at least there’s Mexican food afterward.
We get where they’re going with this. How many times have you gone to eat somewhere and thought you’d try something exotic like the ‘Risotto ai funghi porcini’, but it turns out that’s just rice and mushrooms and you’ve completely butchered the name. Maybe if you’d been doing Italian in Duolingo, you would’ve known that.
While it’s a cool idea, and we’re very happy for the people in Pittsburgh, we’d also like something like this. Towards the end of last year, Duolingo said it would be adding Xhosa and Zulu languages to the platform. It would be cool if we, here in SA, also got a popup takeout-only outlet with language-based discounts. We probably won’t, but it’s nice to dream.
Source: The Takeout