PORTLAND, Ore. — For the last 40 years, Danny Cardoso has shared his love for Mexican cuisine in the Portland metro area. Over those decades, he went from selling tacos at the corner of 4th and Morrison to opening one of the first brick-and-mortar taquerias in the Rose City, Santa Fe Taqueria off Northwest 23rd Avenue.
But on August 29, Cardoso took to Facebook to announce Santa Fe Taqueria’s closure coming up on Sept. 30 after a 35-year run at his brick-and-mortar location. Cardoso said he decided not to renew his building lease for another five years, but rather hang up the towel and spend more time with his wife and three young daughters.
Cardoso thanks his mom for teaching him the ropes at such a young age. He told KGW’s Daisy Caballero that he comes from a big family, so he would often find himself in the kitchen with his mom, cooking.
"She would go, 'Oh it needs a little bit of salt, oh it needs a little bit of this,'” said Cardoso. “I didn't know she was making a cook out of me."
And boy, was that true. Cardoso later went on to open three restaurants in the Portland metro. While he said it wasn't an easy process, he is thankful for the journey.
He built a family within his work life — some staying with him for 27 years, like Elmer Sansores.
"Yeah, I'm going to miss it and Santa Fe,” said Sansores. “(I will) miss Danny, (and) all my friends."
Cardoso took pride in his all-Hispanic and Latino work crews, both at the front and back of the restaurant.
"I feel proud that I think I accomplished what I wanted to do," said Cardoso, "which was really to show the positive side of the Latin culture."
Cardoso attributes his success to keeping things fun, light and inviting for workers and customers.
“Wow, what am I going to miss most?” Cardoso mused. "I think it's the fun and cooking with people. I think it's being in the kitchen (with my crews)."
He told KGW that reality really kicked in when he made the closure announcement on Facebook. He shared what crossed his mind after publishing that message to the community.
"There was a mixture of feelings of sadness, a little grief but also euphoria all at the same time,” said Cardoso.
But one thing that will remain consistent is appreciation for all his customers.
"I almost think I could say that for the most part the public loves us. And that's a nice feeling. That maybe is my legacy — that the public loved us,” said Cardoso. “They gave us 40 years and they still would have given me more but I'm ready to go have some fun doing something else."