Checking in with Taco María’s Chef Carlos Salgado

Jonathan Gold is the Pulitzer Prize-winning food writer for the L.A. Times. He first reviewed Taco María for Good Food in May of 2014, which you can stream above.

Since then, Chef Carlos Salgado has been voted one of Food & Wine’s Best New Chefs for 2015 and winner of the Golden Foodies award for his ever-evolving menu at Taco María in Costa Mesa, CA.

Along with his daytime brunch and à la carte lunch menus that boast updated versions of Mexican and American favorites like his Huevos Pescador(smoked sturgeon with brioche, a poached egg, cherry tomatoes and dashi hollandaise) and Mollettes (grilled bread and refried beans, topped with queso fresco, salsa tatemada and his own huitlacoche butter), it’s brunch like you’ve never had before. Meanwhile, Taco María’s special evening prix fixe menu offerings combine only the very best of Carlos’ weekly farmers’ market finds, like his Enmolada, made from calabacitas (squash) and shiitake mushrooms, served together with a date mole and marcona almonds.

Admittedly a lifelong student of the culinary arts, Carlos has also begun collaborating with other chefs and hosting his Guest Chef Dinner series. This month, Chef Wes Avila of the popular Guerrilla Tacoswill pair up with Carlos in the kitchen of Taco María on Sunday, October 20. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.