Taco Tuesdays

Taco Tuesdays at Tacos Léon in South Thomaston
The Dominguezes’ tacos, with house-made salsas and hot sauces, cost $2.25–$3.50, and two or three are plenty filling, especially with a side of beans or corn.
By Malcolm Bedell
Photographed by Gabe Souza

[dropcap letter=”T”]he Lions Club used to host lobster-boil fundraisers at its gray-shingled shed at South Thomaston’s town landing, but for the past decade the group hasn’t used the place for much besides Christmas tree sales. Lately, though, hungry crowds are filling the little parking lot on the Weskeag River again. Local restaurateurs Erin and Casey Dominguez turn the shack into Tacos León (“Lion Tacos,” en inglés) on summer Tuesday evenings, selling hand-pressed corn tortillas topped with chicken, duck, pork, or veggies — and giving 20 percent of proceeds to the Lions, who put the money toward various charitable causes, including scholarships, Little League sponsorships, and free eyeglasses. The Dominguezes also run the Salty Owl cafe at nearby Knox County Regional Airport. When they started Tacos León last year, they figured it for a quiet side project, but lines grew week after week, and the husband-wife team only had an hour between closing the cafe and opening the taco stand. Now, to cope, they take Tuesdays and Wednesdays off from the cafe. “It felt like a Tacos Impossible reality TV show,” Erin jokes. “But we’re super excited about our second season.”

Tuesdays through September, 4–8 p.m. Across the street from ’Keag Store (4 Elm St., South Thomaston).