Watch for Taco Del Mar signs popping up all over San Diego in the very near future. Taco Del Mar opened its first store in 1992 on Pier 57 in Seattle. The brainchild of brothers James and John Schmidt (who incidentally got the idea when they were in San Diego going to college in the late ’80s), they number close to 100 across the western United States and Canada. This casual, quick-service eatery offers guests food that is “fresh, fast and filling.” “Mondo Burritos” and “Ripping Fish Tacos” headline the menu.

John Boyton, who was one of the original “seed money” investors in 1992, has just signed on as the San Diego area franchisee and has expectations of up to 60 units in San Diego and Imperial counties.

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Arterra Restaurant’s Executive Chef Carl Schroeder has announced the appointment of James Foran as executive pastry chef. Foran has worked with some of the best chefs in the world, including Jean-Georges Vongerichten at the Drake Swissotel in 1990, and at some of the leading restaurants in the country. After serving at Vertigo Restaurant and One Market, both in San Francisco, he worked for Picasso Restaurant in Las Vegas at the Bellagio Hotel before coming to San Diego. “I am looking forward to creating desserts that truly showcase the freshest selections from the area,” says Foran.

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Check out recently opened La Cantina at 535 Fourth Ave., Downtown. Owner Emilio Savoji’s cozy little 55-seat “Latin-Mediterranean-Middle Eastern Cuisine” eatery also will have live music and entertainment. Savoji was a former co-owner of La Buca and prior to that worked for Prego Ristorante.

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The people who brought us Celadon have opened Rama Thai Cuisine. Located at 327 Fourth Ave., (formerly Juke Joint Café), this beautifully designed restaurant has a gorgeous back dining room where the entire rear wall is a stone waterfall.

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The 20th annual Gold Medallion Banquet at the Sheraton Harbor Island Hotel and Marina, a three-course meal and live auction, raised nearly $30,000 for the San Diego chapter of the California Restaurant Association. Gold Medallions went to George’s at the Cove (best American dining), P.F. Chang’s (best Asian dining), The Bitter End (best bar), Café 222 (best breakfast), Prado at Balboa Park (best casual dining), The French Gourmet (best caterer), Bertrand at Mr. A’s (best continental dining), Roy’s La Jolla (best ethnic dining), Corvette Diner (best family dining), Mille Fleurs (best French dining), Hotel Del Coronado (best hotel dining), Trattoria Acqua (best Italian dining), Casa De Bandini (best Mexican dining), Gaslamp Strip Club (best neighborhood dining), Savory (best new restaurant), The Fish Market (best seafood), Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse (best steakhouse dining), Loews Coronado Bay Resort (best brunch), In ‘n’ Out (best fast food) and to Viejas Casino and Turf Club (best casino dining). The Marine Room was awarded the People’s Choice award, Trey Foshee was honored as chef of the year and Bertrand Hug, proprietor of Mille Fleurs, was honored as restaurateur of the year at last month’s event.

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Save your appetites for the 11th annual Taste of the Gaslamp June 12 and 13. This walking and eating tour of Downtown will feature at least 20 different Gaslamp Quarter restaurants and a Samuel Adams beer garden. On Saturday, the participating restaurants include Acqua Al 2, CHIVE, Ciro’s Pizza, Dakota Grill & Spirits, Dick’s Last Resort, Galileo 101, Ghirardelli, La Cantina, Max New York, Mister Tiki Mai Tai Lounge, New Leaf, Ole’ Madrid, Osetra, The Fishhouse; Rama Thai Cuisine, Rock Bottom Brewery, Café Sevilla, Side Bar, The Field, Thin and Trattoria Mare E Monti. On Sunday, explore Aubergine, Dick’s Last Resort, Dublin Square, Fleming’s, Fred’s Mexican Café, Henry’s Pub, Jimmy Love’s, La Cantina, Lime, Lou & Mickey’s, Marketplace Grille, Max New York, Monsoon, Moose McGillycuddy’s, Rama Thai Cuisine, Rockin’ Baja Lobster, Sammy’s Woodfired Pizza, Sushi Itto, The Grape and Trattoria Mare E Monti.

Tickets are $25 per person each day or $40 for both days. For information, call the Gaslamp Association at (619) 233-5227 or log on to www.gaslamp.org.

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Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter appointed Jesse Mari-Hizon director of food and beverage. He has more than 11 years of hotel-restaurant experience. For more than a decade, Hizon was part of management teams with the restaurants of Starwood Hotels and most recently was director of food and beverage at the Sheraton Fort Lauderdale Airport Hotel in Miami. In California, he served as director of outlets at the Sheraton Universal.

Terryl Gavre believes the world would be a better place if everyone worked once as a foodserver. She is owner of Café 222, Downtown, and can be reached at (619) 233-4060, Ext. 316, or terryl@sandiegometro.com.