Dorchester welcomes a taste of Cali-Mex cuisine today with the opening of Yellow Door Taqueria at 2297 Dorchester Ave. in the Lower Mills neighborhood. The taqueria features a menu from chef Colton Coburn-Wood, who grew up in Southern California and has compiled a rotating selection of tacos, ceviche, salads, and more for the diners of Dorchester.
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Yellow Door serve tacos on tortillas made in-house with masa, and on any given day, there will be anywhere from 10 to 12 rotating versions that evolve with the seasons and include fish, vegetable, and meat options, from carnitas to braised beef and stewed pork. There are also gluten-free tacos available.
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Here’s a look at the full opening menu, which also includes three kinds of ceviche, salads, and guacamole and chips:
Yellow Door is one of several restaurants under the purview of partners Brian O’Donnell and Ken Casey (the latter is a member of the Dropkick Murphys), including the nearby Lower Mills Tavern, Lion’s Tail in the South End, and McGreevy’s in Back Bay. Jarek Mountain, who also wrote the beverage menu for Lion’s Tail, oversees the drink list at Yellow Door, which highlights tequila and mezcal. There are a variety of cocktails, including frozen margaritas, as well as beers made locally and imported from Mexico.
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The restaurant was designed by Taniya Nayak, who also designed Lower Mills Tavern (and countless other recently opened Boston restaurants) and is married to O’Donnell. The restaurant seats 60 in about 1,200 square feet and draws upon the storefront’s previous life as an antique shop and apothecary. (The restaurant was originally slated to be named Antique Taqueria in a nod to the space.)
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Nayak retained the maroon and white tile floor from the apothecary and built the color scheme around teal and rust-colored hues. Yellow Door features a 15-seat granite bar with teal bar stools and reclaimed wood seating at individual tables. A few antiques make appearances in the design, including two neon signs and distressed cabinetry, and the window to the kitchen was modeled after a taco stand window.
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Yellow Door Taqueria is open from 4 p.m. to 12 a.m. daily.