If spring is about renewal, then we can appreciate the emergence of new restaurants in the spots of former ones. Here are a few fresh additions around town.
El Taco Rojo Birrieria has opened a second location at Bill Wright Toyota in the Auto Mall. The spot was last home to By The Way Cafe and will now be serving breakfast birria burritos, chorizo burritos, conchas and cafe de olla as well as lunch specials (11 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and agua frescas.
Birria is the star of the menu in options such as dorados (crunchy tacos), mojados (broth-smothered tacos) and quesatacos (cheesy birria tacos).
El Taco Rojo's flagship birrieria taco truck will continue to operate at 500 S. Union Ave.
The new location will be open from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at 5700 Gasoline Alley Drive (by the Toyota Service Center). Call 381-2222 to order ahead.
Online ordering will be available at eltacorojobirrieria.square.site but as of press time it was only offered for the food truck.
Speaking of new moves, Tacos El Asadero is now open in the former Casa Flores (before that Lie-N Den).
Billing itself as Bakersfield's only Tijuana-style taco shop — cooking its meats over charcoal — Tacos El Asadero had been operating in the food court area of Los Amigos Swapmeet on Kern Canyon Road.
The shop is located at 215 Niles Place. Updated hours have not yet been posted. Visit elasaderotacogrill.com or call 323-802-9654 for details.
As reported recently in The Californian, Tina Marie's Downtown Cafe will be moving into the spot being vacated by Chef's Choice Noodle Bar. (The Asian fusion restaurant just ended its last week downtown and is gearing up to reopen in early May in the former Johnny Garlic's at The Marketplace.)
Cafe owner Tina Marie Brown said she plans to rebuild her Chester Avenue location, which was ravaged by a fire in December, but is happy to be able to serve customers in a nearby location.
"It's kind of like all the puzzle pieces are falling into place," Brown told The Californian. "The best part is Tina Marie's downtown gets to stay downtown."
The cafe should open in the next 30 days in its new spot at 1534 19th St., Suite 100.
And finally, Love Sushi is now open for its first northeast location at 2658 Mount Vernon Ave. Unit B. The spot next to Urbane Cafe was formerly a Burgerim and Mariscos The Fresh Medallion.
