Luchador Tacos has opened a fourth location at 945 Center St. in Auburn. Co-owner and President Katherine Mitchell said the restaurant is based on simplicity and authentic Mexican recipes that originate in East Los Angeles, where she grew up in a Mexican-American household. Other locations are in Paris, Windham and North Conway, N.H.  Submitted photo

The wait is over in Auburn for the opening of Luchador Tacos’ latest location at 945 Center St.

The quick-serve restaurant offers hand-cut and marinated carne asada street tacos with homemade salsa verde and red hot sauces to choose from. Other items include burritos, quesadillas, chips and salsa, churros and salads. Protein choices include beef, pork and chicken.

Katherine Mitchell, co-owner and president of Luchador Tacos, previously told The Buzz that the restaurant is based on simplicity and authentic Mexican recipes that originate in East Los Angeles, where she grew up in a Mexican-American household. She said a few compromises were made from her traditional recipes to accommodate regional tastes such as adding dairy products like cheese and sour cream, which are not traditional in East Los Angeles.

For now, the Auburn location is working on a compressed schedule of 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday. Check their Facebook page or website for updated information, special offers or to order online.

Luchador Tacos has three other locations: Paris, Windham and North Conway, New Hampshire. The original Luchador Tacos opened in May 2017 as a little food shack in Paris.

The Afro Taste Restaurant and Lounge at 134 Main St. in Lewiston features cuisine from East Africa. A grand opening is expected in the coming weeks. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

Afro Taste Restaurant and Lounge grand opening coming soon

Another restaurant that’s been in the works for months opened mid-May in what Afro Taste Restaurant and Lounge called a soft opening — mostly word of mouth and social media. It offers lunch and dinner and turns into a music and dance venue in the evening. A date has not been set for the grand opening at 134 Main St., but The Buzz has learned a grand opening announcement is expected in the next few weeks.

The Afro Taste Restaurant and Lounge in the former Pedro O’Hara’s space at 134 Main St. in Lewiston has a lounge and a small dance floor. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal

The focus of the restaurant is very unique in the area: East African cuisine with ingredients sourced locally or directly from Africa and not offered anywhere else in Maine, according to owner Gael Karomba. “There is nothing like this in the Lewiston-Auburn area,” he said.

The restaurant and bar is approximately 3,200 square feet, while the music lounge area about 1,200 square feet, according to Karomba.

Manager Bernard Katende said they are quickly gaining a following, with most of the customers coming from the local area. He said people are coming from Portland and even farther away, as word of mouth spreads about the African-themed business.

Katende also said there is a menu in place that changes daily as the kitchen gets a handle on what dishes are popular and readily available. He said some base items will always be available.

Live music is blended with DJs from around the country representing African, Caribbean, Latin and American music — think Afrobeat, reggae, hip-hop, R&B and more.

There are two other African restaurants in Lewiston and another small restaurant in Portland, but the scale of the operations is smaller in comparison.

The 1800 Club at 34 Court St. in Auburn, seen on June 11, 2021, closed permanently May 18, according to a post on its Facebook page. It  opened nearly two years ago. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal

The 1800 Club has closed its doors

Just a few weeks shy of its second anniversary, The 1800 Club at 34 Court St. in Auburn closed its doors permanently May 18, according to a post on the club’s Facebook page. The restaurant and live music venue was popular, but had its share of ups and downs.

An explanatory note to customers reads, in part, “we wanted to be a part of this community, but a lot of the community seemed to not want us around.”

The Buzz reached out to owner Lisa Cooper for an explanation, but did not hear back.

Burnout, working too much and not spending enough time with family are listed as contributing factors to the decision.

Other businesses that have occupied the space include No Tomatoes, Midnight Blues Club, Lavish Nightclub, House of Bacon, Naral’s and 207 American Grille.

The Buzz offers quick hits about trending area business happenings. Have a Buzzable tip? Contact business writer Christopher Wheelock at 689-2817 or cwheelock@sunjournal.com