Soon this space will be transformed into the award-winning Blue Pacific Grill and Taco Bar’s first brick and mortar location.

First off, how would you describe the new restaurant?

Fast-casual, Fresh Ingredients. Globe Trippin Flavors. Local Beers on tap, International Wines, and sake! It will be an unpretentious, comfortable place to hang out with your friends and family. Come by on the weekends, have a drink, eat Tacos, and listen to Live music

How did you get started in the food business?

In the 80s when I lived in Hawaii and worked as a F&B Manager for a hotel chain.

Carne asada and chicken tikka tacos on paratha flatbread. Image Credit: Yelp User Emel P

What was your background?

I’ve had so many careers, Ifinally found my passion and calling in food service! Hospitality management, systems engineer, real estate accounting, bank business analyst, and now foodie!

When did you start vending at the Riverside Arts Market and when didyou transition into the food truck?

We began serving at RAM in 2012 and opened the food truck in 2014.

Tell us a little about the menu.

For starters, we will have 8-10 small international plates that will pair well with our beer and wine offerings. A far as our tacos, we will have our most popular Tacos offered on a daily basis, and rotate a special taco everyday. In addition to tacos and plated entrees, we’ll have salads and a kids menu.

Korean ribeye steak tacos. Image Credit: Yelp User Emel P

What kind of lessons did you learn from transitioning from a mobile vendor to a food truck that you’ll be incorporating into the new restaurant?

Quality food and ingredients, speed, consistency,customer service,multitasking, and patience!

Your new restaurant will be located on a high traffic road in the same shopping center as successful chains like Carabas and Jimmy Johns and home-grown favorites like The Loop and Kazu. What sold you on the new location?

Demographics and location!The neighborhood has a need for tacos in the area. With all these great restaurants around me, it becomes a destination for diners for the choices that are presented to them.

Talk a little about the layout and details about the restaurant.

Dining room as you enter, then a 6 seat bar to the right, and a counter to order on the left. We will have outdoor seating for those nice days and pleasant evenings where we plan to have live music on the weekends.

Cover Image: Yelp User Stewart P