Haven Mavens to Open Taco Asylum in Costa Mesa

Courtesy of Haven Gastropub / Moxxe PR

One flew east, one flew west / One flew over the taco's nest.

​Hm... could Gustavo have been right? Nancy Luna at the OC Register got a string-along from chef-owner Greg Daniels of Haven Gastropub. Supposedly they are looking to expand the Haven gastropub to other locations, "including Orange County." If they open up in downtown Santa Ana, we are going to cry "I told you so!" If they open up in Aliso Viejo, I want my consulting fee paid in beer.

You Haven people... you are BEER teases. You're truffled mac-and-cheese teases.You're giving the entire OC foodie community a burger with arugula and blue [cheese] balls.

What is for sure is that the team behind Haven will be opening a quick-service taquería-cervecería called taco asylum [counterculture lowercasing theirs] at the Camp in Costa Mesa, the same place as Native Foods and 118 Degrees, this winter. These won't be carne asada or carne adobada tacos, no sirree: Daniels is talking about curried paneer and non-traditional tacos like that.

We wondered when the gourmet lonchera taco concept would land in a bricks-and-mortar place; sounds like just a few months. Let us know when you open, guys; we'll wait a few weeks, then cry "¡viva México!" and let slip the Gustavo of war.