Taco Maria to Park Permanently, Become Bricks-and-Mortar Restaurant at OC Mart Mix

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.

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.