El Cholo goes fast food

Sounds like they're aiming for a Gringo-ized Taqueria chain, where you order at the counter and your food is brought to the table. Our friend Nancy Luna at the OC Register got a sneak peak at Cafe Maiz in Mission Viejo (it's scheduled to open in mid-April). They'll still have many of El Cholo’s signature dishes, such as the Green Corn Tamales. Plus a make-your-own guacamole kit for the table (talk about your Gringo touches). But wait a second, what's all this doing in OC? For some years now, members of El Cholo's Salisbury family has been on an expansion kick, with stores in both La Habra and Irvine (that's in addition to Santa Monica and the flagship in Western Avenue). They also have The Cannery in Newport Beach and The Cat and the Custard Cup in La Habra. Café Maiz sounds like fun but it’s bound to face a bunch of competition from chains like Baja Fresh and Chipotle.