Elmhurst's Cilantro Taco Grill promises fresh food, grilled meat

ELMHURST – With a fifth location now open in Elmhurst, the Morfin family business is seeking to become the area’s go-to restaurant for fresh grilled Mexican food.

Cilantro Taco Grill opened May 14 at 677 N. York St.

Temoc Morfin of La Grange opened the first Cilantro Taco Grill in June 2013 in Stone Park. About three years later, he opened locations in Rosemont, Addison, Elgin and now Elmhurst.

Morfin’s restaurant concept is a hat tip to his roots, the Mexican state of Jalisco.

“People eat a lot of meat over there,” Morfin said. “In Jalisco, what’s big out there is the carne asada, you know, the grilled meats.”

The name Cilantro was chosen because, according to Morfin, the herb is used in almost every dish.

“Cilantro is one of the main herbs that goes into tacos,” Morfin said. “Cilantro and onion, that is the original way.”

Because the grilled steak is so important to the restaurant’s concept, Morfin makes sure it’s cooked with care. First, the meat is marinated for 24 hours. The following morning, the steak is grilled to seal in the juices and flavors, and before serving, the meat is chopped and grilled for a couple of minutes.

Morfin says another equally important aspect is the food’s freshness. To keep product rotating frequently, Cilantro Taco Grill has a relatively small kitchen so food can’t sit for longer than 48 hours.

The front of the restaurant also is small, with only bar seating available. That is because Morfin said Cilantro Taco Grill’s menu is ideal for takeout.

“We wrap it so you can eat it on the go,” Morfin said. “You can eat it in your car, you can eat it in your office, you can eat it almost anywhere.”

Morfin always wanted to open up a restaurant with a fresh, modern concept that was authentic and true to his roots.

After the first location opened, however, he realized the concept could be easily replicated, so he turned to his family.

Morfin is one of 11 children, four men and seven women. If he wanted to expand his business while keeping the menu and product close to home, it made sense to partner with his siblings.

Morfin is the owner of the Elmhurst Cilantro Taco Grill location, and he will be running day-to-day operations with his sister, Silvia Morfin.

“My plan is to have every brother and sister, every member of the family, have their own location,” Morfin said. “If all goes well, my long-term goal is to turn it into a franchise.”

He has to open a few more locations before he can start thinking about franchising, but this entrepreneur has the drive needed to scale the business.

The restaurant’s signature salsa, for example, will soon be sold in select grocery stores. Customers liked the salsa so much, Morfin seized the opportunity to bottle it, brand it and distribute it.

“What is a taco without a salsa, right?” Morfin said. “It’s a very good complement to basically anything.”

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Cilantro Taco Grill

Address: 677 N York St.

Hours: 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. Friday and Saturday

Website: www.cilantrotg.com

Phone: 630-359-4864