El Sazon and World Street Kitchen are expanding to Minneapolis food halls

An Eagan gas station may have put El Sazon Tacos & More on the map, gastronomically speaking. But it’s no longer just a pit stop.

Karen and Cristian de Leon, the couple behind a budding restaurant empire, are bringing their original concept to the heart of the city, and there’s no more need to fuel up.

El Sazon Tacos & More will open in March at Eat Street Crossing, in the stand vacated last month by Bebe Zito’s burger operation, Karen de Leon told the Minnesota Star Tribune.

“It was very sudden,” she said.

The de Leons got the idea when they had heard about the vacancy. They wanted a central location to offer their tacos, burritos and bowls at lunch and dinner, and inquired, not expecting much to come of it. Instead, they got an offer to move in immediately.

But they had to push the brakes slightly. They had just opened a new restaurant, Xelas by El Sazon, in Stillwater, at the end of January. And their south Minneapolis restaurant, El Sazon Cocina & Tragos, is celebrating Valentine’s Day this weekend with a special menu inspired by chef Cristian’s nostalgia for one of his earlier jobs cooking at Chino Latino.

Other than the owners being incredibly busy, El Sazon’s new food hall spot is nearly ready to go. They’re hoping for a mid-March opening.

“It’s the perfect size, and it has all the equipment,” Karen said.

They’ll be making almost everything on the menu at the Eagan BP that made them famous, including chef Cristian’s slow-braised birria beef. The only items they won’t serve are pizza, because they won’t have the right oven at ESC; and ramen, since neighboring tenant Staff Meeting has that covered.

The Eat Street Crossing news isn’t the only thing the de Leons have cooking.

They’re planning to expand Xelas’ hours in Stillwater this spring with a brunch buffet (chilaquiles station!), and will soon be starting a chef’s table taco omakase within the restaurant. By summer, they will open up patio seating, and also launch a lunch-only food truck from the parking lot.

Yup, it’s a lot.

“I think we work well under pressure,” Karen said, laughing.

All the places to find El Sazon (elsazonmn.com):

In 2010, World Street Kitchen was part of a revolution in street dining with its food truck and, as chef and co-owner Sameh Wadi told the Star Tribune at the time, “A dream come true.”

Fifteen years and a lot of Yum Yum rice bowls later, he and his brother Saed Wadi are ready to open a second location of the popular fast-casual restaurant known for serving global cuisine inside the Market at Malcom Yards.

“I think we were like the second or third truck out there,” Sameh Wadi recalled. “I have vivid memories of having issues sourcing some of these ingredients. And now it’s commonplace.” The two moved from the truck to a restaurant on Lyndale Avenue in 2012. Since then, the restaurant has become a favorite for dishes that delve into cuisines that Wadi fell in love with on his travels.

Through the years, it has also served a rotating selection of specials. “Something I’ve been excited about is introducing some of my Arab heritage into the menu,” said Wadi. “Six years ago we introduced our hummus bowl with different toppings and elevated that to the same mindset as the rest of the menu at World Street Kitchen.”

The new stand will serve mostly the classic Yum Yum rice bowls, topped with a choice of braised meat and veggies, and their burritos. But as they get going, expect to find more specials and some of what Wadi calls “snacky things.”

World Street Kitchen will replace Mr. Paul’s Po' Boys and Jams, which recently announced its closure both inside Malcom Yards and its original Edina location.

“It’s the first time we’ve ever expanded,” said Wadi. “Right now the timing made absolute sense. Largely it comes down to the ownership and management of the market. That’s something that we’re really excited about. The reputation and the way they treat their tenants.”

Plus, his staff is looking forward to more challenges. “Our executive chef, sous chef, chef de cuisine have all been there for years,” he said, and the team is ready for new horizons. The stand will open soon, but a date hasn’t been set.

The addition is part of the new growth at the market. EggFlip and SushiFlip recently joined the lineup, a new outpost for the downtown Minneapolis egg sandwich eatery. Other stands include Abang Yoli, Bebe Zito, Del Sur Empanadas, Martes Tacos, Momo Dosa and Wrecktangle Pizza.

Eat Street Kitchen is at 2743 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls. (eatwsk.com); Market at Malcolm Yards is at 501 30th Av. SE., Mpls. (malcolmyards.market).