Austin woman sues Torchy's over cow tooth

An Austin woman, Nohemi Castillo, is suing Torchy’s Tacos after alleging she nearly swallowed a cow tooth in a takeout taco from the chain’s South Congress location and sought medical care that evening. Her lawsuit accuses the restaurant and its parent company of negligence and food-safety failures, and seeks up to $250,000, with any award to be determined by a jury. Torchy’s says it investigated the complaint and confirmed the object was a cow tooth, explaining that its barbacoa is made from beef cheek supplied by an outside vendor and that such material can occasionally occur during processing. The company says it is working with the supplier to strengthen procedures and prevent a recurrence.