Friday Foto

This week has been a sad one in the eyes of the local island food connoisseurs like myself. Two of my favorite restaurant locals closed this week. Sweet Mammas on Ocean Blvd. and, breaking my heart, the Del Taco.

Sweet Mammas has moved their big production kitchen to the store next to their Frederica Road location, and as I am sad to see them go, it's probably a smart move. It was a great place to get something to eat or drink after dining or a day at the beach.

Del Taco is a tragedy though. 28 years it has been there serving tacos and fries. A #4 for me please, Sweet Tea. The word on the street is that the landlord wanted too much to renew the lease, in hopes that he could kick them out to put something else their. I heard from a Manager that it's going to be a Starbucks. I like coffee, don't get me wrong, but a Starbucks will just solidify the yuppie persona that is associated with many Island dwellers. Plus, I've been to plenty of Starbucks, but never one that is as big as Del Taco. What the hell will they do with all that space? Just think, I would much rather sit on that back porch over watching the traffic, sipping a Double Chai Iced Latte listening to Macy Gray instead of chomping on a couple of soft-tacos (hear the sarcasm?), wouldn't you? Oh, and we can't forget Taco Tuesdays. Three Tacos for a dollar. The most I ever ate was 27 in HS... oh the days.

It's the end of an era I guess... I'll leave you with this lovely story told by the very last customer of Del Taco:

"So i got way way way too drunk wednesday night... woke up thursday with one of the WORST hangovers of my life. finally the sun came out so i went outside and sweated out some of the toxins for about 15 minutes.... i felt better... reese called... "where the EFF are you, you were supposed to take me to del taco at noon!!" (reese is car-less)... oh, sorry, i almost threw up on myself 4 times, i'll be right over... i pick up reese, we get to del taco as they're putting signs on the door "CLOSED"..... we beg the sign putter upper for food, as we notice the billboard that reads "thanks for the 28 great years, closing at 2:30".... the clock in my car reads 2:28... she instructs us to hit the drive through.....reese shouts all kinds of expletives at me, declaring his hate for me, because i've made him miss del taco by 10 minutes!..... we hit the drive through and the dude says "we're closed"...."BUT THE LADY UP FRONT SAID YOU'D SERVE US!!!" i whine into the magic voice box...."ok, what will you have?" euphorically we ask for hamburgers and burritos, OH MY... we pull around, pay the lady the money... "is it true this is going to become a starbucks?" i ask.... "we don't know what's going to happen here... is that the rumor?" she asks back... i shrug my shoulders and thank them all for letting us be the final customers... as they give us the food and close the window they all hug.... no more food was served that day, my friends.... Risi and I were the final customers at the legendary and institutional "DEL TACO"