Apr. 11—When Perla Ramón decided she wanted to get into the restaurant business, the competitive powerlifter was planning to focus on healthy foods. But her plan took a turn when she consulted with her husband and business partner, Pedro López.

"I wanted to start with healthy food, which was going to be, you know, meal prepping, protein shakes, and all that," Ramón said. "When I told my husband the idea I had, he said 'We're gonna starve ourselves. We need to add tacos.'"

Fusion Tacos, which opened three years ago as a food truck in Santa Fe, got its name from just that: the fusion of street food and healthy ingredients. Quesabirria tacos and chorreadas are joined on the menu by protein shakes and keto bowls.

"That's where the name comes from," Ramón said. "The fusion between the health and the, you know, good, greasy Mexican."

Now, between the food trucks, the brick-and-mortar locations and the catering units, there are 11 Fusion Tacos locations around the state. And there's another soon to come.

The two Albuquerque Fusion Tacos locations, at Green Jeans Farmery at 3600 Cutler NE and 10000 Coors NW, will be joined by a third location, at 5950 Gibson SE.

The Gibson location will be a franchise. Ramón and López are franchising Fusion Tacos to their longtime employees, and are hoping to eventually expand outside of the state.

The expansion comes just a few weeks after Fusion Tacos took first prize at the American Food Truck Festival, hosted at Balloon Fiesta Park. Diners ate at different food trucks then voted for their favorite cuisine. It was the second time the restaurant had competed.

"Last year was our first time attending, and as you can see, I've very competitive," Ramón said. "So we took second place, and this year, I said we're gonna go get first — and we did."