Mamacita Taqueria to Open in Square

Starting in April, the Square will have one more restaurant offering reasonably priced ethnic food.

Mamacita Taqueria, a new Mexican eatery, will open in space shared with Ma Soba after the popular noodle store closes briefly for renovations.

Beginning in mid-March, Ma Soba, the pan-Asian restaurant that abuts Holyoke Center, will undergo $400,000 worth of renovations, resulting in a shared dining area with two separate counters, one for Ma Soba Express and one for Mamacita Taqueria, said Clarence E. Mah '92, the co-owner.

Mah, who co-owns Ma Soba with his brother, Glen D. Mah '94, said they decided to revamp the current restaurant to accommodate a Mexican restaurant after witnessing the success of other area Mexican eateries.

"In the Boston area, there are a couple other taquerias that are doing well," Clarence Mah said, citing Anna's Taqueria by Boston University as an example. "We both went to Harvard, and figured it would work well here."

The two men said they are trying to target the student crowd with both the taqueria and the renovated Ma Soba.

"We attract more graduate students during lunch and dinner because most undergraduates are on the meal plan," Clarence Mah said. "But we still plan on serving undergraduates at night."

The 20 percent discount currently offered to all undergraduates after 9pm will be valid at Mamacita Taqueria as well.

Once construction begins in March, the restaurant will close occasionally, although Clarence Mah said the brothers hopes the store will remain open as much as possible.

When finished, the Dunster Street front of the store will be the entrance to Mamacita Taqueria, which will serve Mexican-style tacos and burritos, prepared by a Mexican chef and served by a Latin American staff, according to Clarence Mah.

The other half of the restaurant will serve the same pan-Asian food in Ma Soba Express and will retain the same cooks and staff that it currently has.

In addition, Clarence Mah said Ma Soba Express will once again serve sushi, which the restaurant has not offered recently.

The two eateries will have a joint grand opening when construction is completed in April.