Taco Trio opening in Saco delayed

SACO — The building at 28 Elm St. appears ready for its next incarnation as a Mexican restaurant. The coastal scenes that decorated the former seafood eatery are now gone, and have been replaced with decorations depicting ancient Mexican symbols. Signs for Saco Taco Trio have been installed on the roof and in front of the building.

Karen Rasmussen and Manny Pena, owners of the popular Taco Trio restaurant in South Portland, plan to open a similar restaurant at 28 Elm St. in Saco at the old Skipper’s Seafood and Rotisserie restaurant location. They had hoped to have the new restaurant in operation in the Spring, and many Mexican food fans had been eagerly waiting the restaurant’s arrival, periodically posting on Facebook.

Taco Trio fans may have to wait a little longer for the Saco restaurant to open.

Rasmussen said on Monday that right now, there is no scheduled opening date for the Saco restaurant, as she and Pena have not been able to hire an adequate number of staff to run the eating establishment. Like many restaurant owners in the state right now, they are struggling to find employees.

“I hope the situation changes soon. It's been sad to miss the entire spring and summer, but we need to hire 12-15 people, plus a couple of assistant managers,” she said. “That has proven to be impossible.”

Taco Trio, located at 119 Ocean St. South Portland, serves a wide variety of tacos, quesadillas and burritos as well as other meal items, drinks and desserts.

Publisher Liz Gotthelf can be reached at [email protected].