At the Santacruz Taco Co., which opened last month on the edge of Chinatown, you can get $4 tacos with authentic items like braised beef tongue and beef cheeks, but you can also get ceviche with a Hawaiian twist, made fresh to order.

To add to the multicultural element, the chef plans to offer a Japanese omakase style of eating when hours are extended to dinner.

For now, the restaurant is only open for breakfast and lunch, except on Taco Tuesdays, but it should be serving dinner in about a month. First to discover Santacruz Taco were probably Hawaii Pacific University students, whose downtown campus includes Kukui Plaza, where the new business is located in the ground-floor mall.

ABOUT THE BUSINESS

Owner Julio Gutierrez-Santacruz has made his family’s homestyle Mexican food at various farmers markets on Oahu since 2012, and will still be cooking at two weekend markets.

Although he’s been cooking “since I was born,” Gutierrez-Santacruz said his culinary training came from a Japanese chef who taught him about traditional omakase, in which diners leave the selection of dishes to the chef’s creativity and inspiration.

Omakase revolves around fresh ingredients of the day and often allows customers to interact with the chef.

“People will sit at the bar and watch all the action in the kitchen. There’s not going to be a menu, just small bites,” he said. “It will come in a taco form or smaller portion of a regular plate.”

Gutierrez-Santacruz gave up the corporate information-technology world last year to satisfy a different appetite. Living in Hawaii for more than 20 years, he has incorporated local tastes into his cuisine.

“You can go get tacos anywhere, anybody can make you a ceviche, but our ceviches are a little different. It’s my own interpretation of poke: Pokeviche, a kind of fusion of citrus, spiciness and the ahi flavor that everyone likes here in Hawaii,” he said.

ABOUT THE FOOD

Given his long association with farmers markets, Gutierrez-Santacruz has good sources for local meat, fish and produce, and aims to make his food as healthful as possible. “We don’t do overly greasy food.” He grills his tortillas rather than fries them and doesn’t do refried beans.

He cures his own chorizo sausage, makes his own tortillas and bread, and uses plenty of micro herbs. He also plans to make his own mole — a spicy chili and chocolate sauce — when he opens for dinner.

His recommendation for a filling meal for only $10 are the tortas, Mexican hot sandwiches loaded with beans, veggies, cheese and choice of asada (charbroiled steak), pollo (charbroiled chicken), chorizo or carnitas (pork confit). “They give you a kanak attack!”

His Pokeviches are $10. Besides ahi, they also come with shrimp or fish, marinated in lime juice with tomatoes, onions and cilantro. He plans to add tropical flavors such as lilikoi, mango and pineapple to the ceviche and to seafood “cocktails.”

With an eye toward vegan palates, Gutierrez-Santacruz makes his bread without milk and substitutes olive oil for butter. It’s a softer, sweeter version of a hamburger bun, he said.

The most popular tacos are made with corn tortillas and filled with braised lengua (beef tongue) and cachete (beef cheeks). Other protein choices are available, all topped with cilantro and onions, for $4.

The 10-inch grilled quesadillas are $7, also filled with choice of protein.

Breakfast items include $5 burrito-and-coffee combos — the Mexicana with onions, bell peppers, tomatoes, cheese and eggs; or chorizo and eggs with potatoes and onions..

HOW TO ORDER

Call ahead or order at the restaurant, including takeout.

GRAB AND GO

There are several tables in a small, vividly colored dining room. Park in the municipal parking lot on South Kukui Street or nearby lots.

Grab and Go focuses on takeout food, convenience meals and other quick bites. Email ideas to crave@staradvertiser.com.