New Mexican Restaurant in Downtown Hertford Offers Flavorful Rotisserie Chicken & Personalized Catering -- By Laura Bush Jenkins

For award-winning restaurateur Carolina Escobar, moving from Chapel Hill to open a restaurant in Hertford wasn't something she initially expected.

When she immigrated from Mexico to California in 1986, Carolina got her start working long hours in a food truck.  While she eventually became a nutritionist and worked Monday through Friday for the State of North Carolina, she revisited several of these early experiences and opened her own food truck.  It ran on the weekends and grew in popularity as it serviced the NC State, Elon, and UNC Chapel Hill campuses.

Escobar also owned a restaurant in Chapel Hill, where she received statewide recognition for her loco burritos and deserts.  As she retired there and saw opportunity to transition into the catering aspect of the industry, a friend in the Albemarle area noticed a vacant space for rent as he was working.  He and his wife contacted the property owners and persistently called Carolina as she was in Miami, ironically leaving a church service.

Carolina laughs as she recalls how she and her husband Hector quickly changed clothes and drove up immediately to meet the owners.  They operated on little sleep, but were excited about their dream and future possibilities.

Between the lease signing and business grand opening August 19th, Hector and Carolina didn't have much time to find housing.  As they looked for places to rent, a Pepsi vendor recommended a home in Hertford walking distance from the new location, and the Escobars bought it.

The new restaurant, Taqueria Isabella, is named after Carolina's first grandchild.  You can meet "Bella" as she opens doors, washes dishes, and connects with guests and the restaurants ten or so employees.

"She keeps herself occupied and makes our lives happy," Carolina notes with a smile.

Every morning, fresh tortillas are cooked from scratch and Carolina slow-cooks fresh rotisserie chicken with a smoked taste.  This Thanksgiving season, savory rotisserie  turkey is also available for pick-up or enjoyment in house.

Open Monday through Saturday from 11-3 and 5-9, Taqueria Isabella is one of the only restaurants in Hertford serving alcohol.  As you enjoy a margarita or Mexican beer, you may notice a hand-painted mural of Morelia, Carolina's hometown outside of Puerto Vallarta.  The menu also has artwork showcasing Madero, a well-known basilica welcoming people to Morelia.

As you prepare for special events, custom catering options are available for an indoor venue or through the food truck.  These include vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free options.  Recently, Carolina catered diverse events such as Toast the Perquimans downtown in Hertford Bay to a large wedding in Petersburg, VA at an events center.

To connect with Carolina and the team at Taqueria Isabella for catering and deliveries, contact 252 340 1278 or 919 697 2237.  You can also visit their new restaurant at 107 S Church Street, Hertford