New Mexican eatery is quick, casual

WEST LINN TIDINGS

07-19-2007

When Dan and Kclli Wedin searched for a restaurant franchise, they knew they didn't want just any fast-food enterprise. Instead, they were impressed with the "quick casual" cuisine offered by the Taco Del Mar Corporation, whose founders imitated the 1980s beachfront huts offering fish tacos along the southern California coastline. They were delighted to become a part of a group that has risen from its launch on Seattle's historic Pier 57 in 1992 to one of the top five Mexican quiek-casual restaurants. With the recent store opening in Central Village, the Wedins end nearly a year of preparation to join the nearly 300 Taco Del Mar franchises in the western United States and Canada. The Wedins had to pass the muster with landlord Gramor and go through all of the stringent tests, background checks and training that Taco Del Mar demands.

Gramor apparently has enough confidence in the couple to offer them a second store in another of its commercial developments in Happy Valley, where the Wedins live.

According to Dan Wedin, customers will find a "friendly, upbeat atmosphere" at the restaurant. He prides himself on emphasizing the freshness and consistency of the food available at Taco Del Mar. A detail-oriented man, Wedin follows common sense and company rules to offer good quality food. "Our salsa and guacamole are made fresh daily," he said, "and our fish, for example, is never kept more than 20 minutes after cooking." The new restaurant caters to vegetarians and vegans as well as people who need gluten-free food. "They can actually get a meal." he said. "They're not just coming in for the rice. And they can get a burrito or taco that has everything that a normal taco or burrito has, except meat." With a menu that includes six types of meat and three kinds of beans, customers have a wide variety.

Standing in front of their food bar and wall-size menu are Dan and Kelli Wedin, owners of the new Taco Del Mar restaurant in West Linn's Central Village. Hands-on owners, the Wedins will be found working inside their restaurant at just about any time of day or evening. able. And the signature entree, the Alaskan fish taco, is still available — cooked fresh. One of the most popular items on the Taco Del Mar menu is the mission-style burrito, with added rice.

And for hungry folks, Wedin suggests the mondo burrito, 23 ounces of pure Mexican pleasure that includes beans, rice, meat, cheese and pico de gallo— hand wrapped in a large tortilla with four options: flour, wheat, spinach or tomato. Also popular are the platters, which are considered entire meals, and the salads. Also on the menu are quesadillas, meat and cheese nachos and chips and dip. And Taco Del Mar's youngest customers have their own menu of kid favorites. The restaurant also caters, offering a taco bar, taco salad bar, burritos in bulk, box lunches and the famous six-layer dip.

Currently, Wedin is featuring a tasty mojito sauce — a mild, cilantro and lime sauce. When placed on a mondo burrito, mojito sauce transforms it into a Mexican delight. "We try to provide a nice, friendly, upbeat, clean atmosphere," Wedin said. "Our employees are friendly and offer good customer service."