Michael Scelfo OUT at Naco Taco

Alden & Harlow's Michael Scelfo has left his role as consulting chef at Naco Taco, Boston Magazine reports, and Alden & Harlow alums Amanda Howell and Robert Preciado are taking over as chef de cuisine and sous chef, respectively. The Central Square taqueria opened five weeks ago. While its brightly colored patio has been attracting large crowds since day one, the early response, at least in the Chowhound and Yelp spheres, has been mixed, coming down hard on service issues and portion sizes.

Citing a press release, Boston Magazine quotes co-owner Brian Lesser as praising Scelfo's "invaluable" guidance in creating the opening menu and "helping [Naco] get off the ground."

Naco features an assortment of tacos, tortas, and a few other items, including a new summer salad from Howell and Preciado that includes charred corn, papaya, and radishes.

In addition to Alden & Harlow, which hosted a well-attended pop-up by New York-based Mu Ramen last night and continues to be one of the most difficult-to-get reservations in town, Scelfo is working on opening up a new restaurant, Waypoint, at 1030 Massachusetts Ave. in Cambridge, although nearby residents aren't initially so thrilled about the idea of a restaurant opening in their just-outside-of-Harvard quiet zone.