Metro Spirit - 09.07.17

Heating up the CSRA
Diablo’s Southwest Grill continues growth
By Amanda Main
THREE GUYS WHO GREW UP in Columbia County
have become a success story in the restaurant business
after they opened their first southwest-style Mexican
restaurant in Augusta four years ago.
Diablo’s Southwest Grill is the creation of brothers
Brandon Wall and Brad Wall and their longtime friend
Carl Wallace. Carl and Brad already worked together and
have owned Augusta Granite Company in Grovetown
since before they decided to branch out into the
restaurant business several years ago. When Carl and
Brad pitched Brandon the idea to open a restaurant, he
was all in — even though they didn’t have a whole lot of
previous experience in restaurants.
“We went to all the trade shows learning about the
restaurant industry,” Brandon said. “Carl and I had
previously both worked in the restaurant industry, but it
was only for brief periods of time.”
The three opened Diablo’s with the plans of eventually
franchising, and franchising they have. Their flagship
store on Wheeler Road opened not even five years ago,
and the chain already is opening its ninth location, this
week in Columbia, South Carolina. Plans are in the works
for more locations.
What makes the fast-casual Mexican food taste
so special is what Brandon calls the “heat,” or spices
infused in the food — spices that have origins in Texas.
But not to worry — it’s not an overpowering heat.
“I think we’re so popular because we’re able to cater Co-owner Carl Wallace is responsible for most of the One point of pride for the co-owners is that everything
to a very broad audience from the people who like overthe-top
recipes at Diablo’s. He spent some time in Texas learning is made fresh in house, right in front of the customer.
heat with our ghost pepper cheese and spicy as much as he could about the Mexican food out there. “We locally source our chicken and use certified
sour cream and peach habanero sauce,” said co-owner “Really (the recipes) came from spending time in Angus beef,” Wallace said. “All our hot sauces, we make
Brandon Wall, who is head of operations. “But then the Dallas learning the regional flavors,” Carl said. “Learning in house. All our produce is cut fresh daily. We cook our
grandmothers that come in that just want a groundbeef
what was the consistent menu items, what was the chicken and steak over apple wood, so we’re cooking it
taco salad, the ground beef is not so over-the-
flavor profile that we should develop? And I read with a flame and cooking it with smoked wood.”
top spiciness. So we are able to serve a wide array of cookbook after cookbook of true southwest flavors, and Brandon’s brother, Brad Wall, oversees the
customers, from every heat level tolerance.”
the ingredients in true southwest food.”
construction and interior of the restaurants — and is
a self-described taste-tester. The rustic décor of the
restaurants is reminiscent of restaurants in Texas.
“We put a lot of emphasis on the interior of the store,”
Brad said. “We want the store to be a comfortable and
fun atmosphere. It’s not just a place to sit down and eat
great food, but it’s an environment that you actually
want to be in.”
For anyone who’s used to food in Texas, Diablo’s is
a welcome treat. And not to worry if extremely spicy
isn’t your thing — it’s more that the spices equal flavor,
rather than a burning mouth. The burritos are so big that
they don’t look possible to finish in one sitting, but the
flavors make it possible to eat every bite. Customers
can add things like pinto or black beans, spicy (or
regular) sour cream, corn salsa, cilantro lime or Spanish
rice, housemade guacamole and pico de gallo. The
guacamole tastes so fresh, it’s like it had been made just
before ordering.
The entrees are served with chips, and Diablo’s has a
salsa bar with hot, mild and salsa verde.
Besides burritos, Diablo’s also serves burrito bowls,
tacos, quesadillas, nachos, salads and kids meals. Meat
choices include chicken, beef, steak or pork. Any of the
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