Street tacos find a home in Laguna

A street-style taco catering company rooted in Orange County has chosen Laguna Beach for its first takeout store.

Rasta Taco received a unanimous go-ahead from the Planning Commission March 25 to open a 220-square-foot store on the corner of Beach Street and Ocean Avenue this summer.

Mario Melendez founded the business nine years ago in Dana Point and has been catering corporate events and weddings throughout Southern California, but the owner said he has wanted to open a brick-and-mortar facility for some time.

Customers will be able to order and pick up food from the takeout window and an adjoining lot will offer seven parking spaces. Currently there is no seating, but Melendez hopes to create an outdoor patio.

“That is phase two,” Melendez said. “Phase one is getting open.” He plans to begin serving customers June 1.

Melendez, who lives in Dana Point, scoured the Southern California coast for a location, including Newport Beach and San Diego before deciding on Laguna Beach.

“It was a combo of finding an available place, meeting the parking requirements and doesn’t have competition around the corner,” Melendez said. “Who doesn’t want to open a restaurant in Laguna?”

The city’s other Mexican restaurants include the relatively nearby and also low-key La Sirena Grill. But Melendez doesn’t consider La Sirena’s Mermaid Street location competition and said Rasta’s move-in should help both eateries.

Having both businesses “exposes more people to that kind of food,” Melendez said.

Rasta’s menu includes tacos with fillings such as carne asada, carnitas and Jamaican chicken, burritos and salads. Tacos start at $1.49 each and increase to $1.75 apiece for beer-battered fish or shrimp. They also serve breakfast burritos.

“I’m embracing these little tiny businesses that are trying to come into town, because there are a lot of vacancies,” project designer and Laguna Beach Chamber of Commerce board President Gregg Abel told commissioners at the March 25 meeting.

Commissioner Ken Sadler said Rasta could attract the city’s youth.

“I like the price point you are going for,” Sadler said. “I know Shirley’s Bagels [also located downtown] appeals to the high school kids and hopefully this will do so as well.”

Melendez must return to the Planning Commission with a landscape plan and also get Community Development Director Greg Pfost’s approval on how he and staff will keep the surrounding area free of trash.

Sadler was pleased with the arrangements.

“One of the concerns with take-out restaurants is the possibility of the proliferation of trash, so it’s good to see this condition is in here,” Sadler said. “Hopefully [Melendez] takes that to heart and tries to make sure that that doesn’t become an issue.”

Rasta will be open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday, Melendez said. Staff recommended opening at 10 a.m., but outgoing Commissioner Linda Dietrich suggested allowing Melendez to open earlier if he desired.