Temescal’s Cholita Linda is be expanding, after all.
About a year ago, the popular taco and pan-Latin restaurant had been making plans to open a second location in Oakland’s Grand Lake neighborhood. The deal fell through, however, after the landlord pulled out of the deal and offered the lease to Sunnyvale-based Falafel Stop.
However, we’ve now discovered a new ABC license application for a second Cholita Linda, this time in Alameda. The application, which was filed Jan. 17, is for beer and wine service at 1337 Park St. (at Alameda Avenue), the former location of Flavors of India.
Cholita Linda’s co-owner Murat Sozeri confirmed the expansion with Nosh in an email. He added that the restaurant will also be expanding its Temescal operation to include a take-out only restaurant next door.
Chalet Linda got its start as a food stand at the Jack London Square farmers market in 2008; it opened its first brick-and-mortar location in February 2014. The restaurant’s fish tacos are especially popular, and they were named the best in the Bay Area by San Francisco Magazine in 2014. Other items on its menu include pan-Latin dishes like Cubano sandwiches, chicharron de Pollo plates and coconut pudding desserts.
If it opens up in Alameda, Cholita Linda will join brand-new taqueria Black Bull Tacos Y Cerveza, from the co-owners of Scolari’s Good Eats. Black Bull opened Dec. 28 in the former Kau Kau Corner location at 1635 Park St. (at Buena Vista Avenue). Last February, we reported that Scolari’s would be opening a barbecue restaurant in the space, but it is apparent that the concept has changed.
Black Bull’s menu focuses on an eclectic lineup of dressed-up tacos and burrito bowls. Tacos ($4.50 each) include braised lamb neck with mole negro, pickled shallots, sesame seeds and queso fresco; pork belly pibil with red onion habanero salsa and cilantro; and fried avocado with black beans, cashew cream, salsa and radishes.
Co-owner Michael Boyd told the East Bay Times that he and his partners decided to open a taqueria after scrapping a seafood restaurant idea. “Whenever we do family meals or shift meals (for restaurant employees), most of the time it’s tacos or Mexican-inspired,” he told the Times. “It’s also stuff that we’ve had on the Scolari’s menu at some points, and when everything else failed to come about for this location, we said, ‘Why not do tacos?’”
Boyd added that Black Bull will stand out from other Alameda taquerias because it is focusing on street tacos with organic and naturally-raised ingredients. It seems to be a successful concept so far, and has been met with mostly positive Yelp reviews.
This post was updated after hearing from Cholita Linda’s co-owner Murat Sozeri.
