For the last eighteen months, we have been watching as Carlos Salgado's Taco María truck became the darling of the food community. People who refused to eat from a mobile catering truck lined up for Taco María's food, from burritos to chilaquiles, from ezquites to bone marrow quesadillas.
It's finally time; the truck is going to be parked and Taco María will move into the OC Mart Mix sometime this spring.
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It's been a long journey for Salgado, who moved back from a string
of pastry chef gigs in the Bay Area and had to fight his way into the
surprisingly closed clustertrucks that have popped up all over the
county; after several rounds of no luck getting into the gatherings, he
pulled up in front of the OC Mart Mix, where he's been a regular
attendee. It's easy to tell where the truck is even without looking for
the minimalist logo; just look for the line.
Salgado signed a
lease this week at the OC Mart Mix, becoming the second full-service
restaurant in the space. Taco María (which won't change names) will be
located in the back atrium of the OC Mart Mix, adjacent to the Cheese
Shop and across from We Olive, with a patio and a few seats inside. The
space will need to be fully built out, which Salgado is hoping will
happen in time for a spring opening.
We've said it before, and
we'll say it again: if Salgado can serve what he does from an offsite
commissary and a food truck, just imagine what he can do with a full,
permanent kitchen of his own. We can't wait.
Stay tuned for further updates from us.
