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    Home » US Travel » California

    Celebrating Our 20th Anniversary at Taco Maria (During Covid)

    Published: Jan 23, 2022 · Modified: Jan 15, 2024 by Jennifer Che

    Epure Hong Kong

    Taco Maria in Costa Mesa has always been one of our favorite Mexican restaurants in LA.

    Chef Carlos Salgado is originally from Mexico but spent over ten years training in some of the best kitchens in the US, including 2-Michelin starred restaurants like Coi in San Francisco and Commis in Oakland. He opened Taco Maria in 2013.

    Prior to achieving a Michelin Star, Chef Salgado was a James Beard Award semifinalist for Best Chef West consecutively for the past four years, and was named Food & Wine Best New Chef in 2015.

    Dining During Covid

    Nantucket bay scallops
    Caesar Salad
    Taco Maria Starters
    Tomato Salad

    Notoriously challenging to book, this Michelin-starred restaurant got even harder to book during Covid. They removed all indoor dining and limited seating to parties of four. They also opened up bookings only 1-2 weeks in advance, so Bryan diligently logged onto their website (at midnight in Hong Kong!) to grab seats for us during popular, coveted weekend slots.

    Taco Maria - The Food

    Pickles
    Grilled avocado
    Beans
    Steak
    Duck Mole
    Grilled Fish
    blue corn tortillas!
    Taco Maria LA

    Bryan booked Taco Maria for our actual 20th anniversary (yes, we've been married for 20 years!) which also happened to be our first day in the US after flying in from Hong Kong. We went with Bryan's parents and got one of the best outdoor seats right under a huge olive tree! Bryan's parents loved it so, so much, so we went back a month later.

    Honestly, everything is good, so you can't go wrong. The menu isn't very big. In fact, we (a group of four) literally ordered every single item on the menu. It was glorious to try so many dishes!

    I love the blue corn tortillas, grilled avocado, salads, and Nantucket Bay scallops. Bryan loved the duck, and his dad was a huge fan of the steak.

    This is one of those places that we will always seek out whenever we are in Southern California. Just remember to plan ahead in order to secure a booking.

    Highly, highly recommended!

    Update 2023: Taco Maria closed in July 2023 due to its lease ending. The owners are looking for a new space and hope to open again.

    Taco Maria Los Angeles
    3313 Hyland Ave
    Costa Mesa, CA 92626

    Other Posts in this Series (Some to be published in the next 1-2 weeks)

    Traveling During Covid – Our Three Month Trip Around the World
    Majordomo Los Angeles – Part of David Chang’s Momofuku Empire
    Celebrating Our 20th Anniversary at Taco Maria (During Covid)
    Daybird LA – Best Szechuan Hot Chicken
    Playa Amor Los Angeles – Amazing Mole
    MÍRAME Beverly Hills – Modern Mexican

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    Jennifer Che Tiny Urban Kitchen

    Hi, my name's Jen and welcome to my cooking, eating, and travel site! I am an expat who moved from Boston to Hong Kong 5 years ago. Born and raised in Ohio to Taiwanese immigrant parents, I am a chemistry nerd, patent attorney by day, blogger by night, church musician on weekends, and food enthusiast always. Feel free to explore away, maybe starting with the Recipe Index or one of the travel pages! I hope you enjoy this site!

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