You don’t have to go far in the Coachella Valley to find a good taco. But these days it’s not rare to see people venturing from all corners to Palm Desert just for a taste of Ruberry Salsa. Terry and Ruben De La Rosa’s food is just that good.
Back story: The couple found fans of their tacos and homemade salsas at VillageFest in Downtown Palm Springs and outside nearby Hair of the Dog pub during the pandemic. They recently opened a brick-and-mortar location at 73030 El Paseo in Palm Desert, replacing the former El Paseo Grill.
- The name is a fusion of their first names.
What they’re saying: “People walk by, and they see the banner says ‘Tacos.’ But once they see the sign with the menu, they stop in their tracks,” — Terry De La Rosa
On the menu: Terry and Ruben saw a need for a fusion of Asian and Mexican cuisine, and they leaped at the opportunity. You’ll find chicken wasabi, Korean and Hawaiian tacos, and their signature salsas.
Entrepreneurial spirit: After being laid off from her bartending job in 2019, Terry thought, “I don’t want to go and keep working for other people.” So, the couple began selling their salsas that were so popular with family members.
- The tacos were added after Ruben was inspired by fusion foods he had seen on Food Network.
Palm Springs sensation: Setting up at VillageFest proved to be just the right move. Business was slow at first, but word quickly spread. A partnership with Hair of The Dog soon followed, and they never looked back.
- “Slowly but surely, we started becoming one of the longest lines at VillageFest.”
- “As soon as all the bars start closing, all the other customers, even at other bars, start running to Hair of the Dog to get our tacos.”
Bottom line: “I don’t have to do any advertising,” Terry said. “Our customers are our best advertisers, they’ll post us on Instagram and tag us, and we’ve had so many people find us that way.”
