San Diego-based restaurant group Shōwa Hospitality is set to open another one of its Taco Stand locations near Alicia Landing at 24440 Alicia Pkwy in Mission Viejo, according to a liquor license recently filed with Orange County’s Santa Ana office.
A representative of Shōwa Hospitality did not return a request for comment.
The Taco Stand’s inception was one of necessity when restaurateurs Julian Hakim and Aram Baloyan “needed an authentic taco stand experience” that could live up to what they’d get just across the border in Tijuana and further down the Baja Peninsula.
That experience, according to the company’s website, includes signature tacos featuring handmade corn tortillas, premium proteins cooked to perfection such as carne asada, al pastor, camaron, and nopal, as well as fresh ingredients for the brand’s in-house guacamole and salsas.
More than that, however, the duo knew if they truly wanted to capture the spirit of Baja California, they’d also need to offer Mexican popsicles, Rosarito-style churros, Micheladas, and other staples from the region.
Today, The Taco Stand operates 10 locations from San Diego, Encinitas, and La Jolla, to Laguna Beach, Costa Mesa, and Orange, with additional outposts as far afield as Miami and Las Vegas.
