A Mexican restaurant is moving into the shuttered Santorini Greek Kitchen in Fountain Square When Loco Mexican Restaurant & Cantina opens, it will be among 5 other Mexican restaurants in or near Fountain Square

Liz Biro | IndyStar

Show Caption Hide Caption Fox59's Sherman Burdette and IndyStar's Liz Biro hit Loco Mexican Fox59's Sherman Burdette and IndyStar's Liz Biro hit Loco Mexican In the Fall Creek Place neighborhood.

The owner of a Mexican restaurant thriving in a Fall Creek Place building where two restaurants failed in a single year plans his next location at Fountain Square's shuttered Santorini Greek Kitchen.

When Loco Mexican Restaurant & Cantina opens there this fall, it will be among five other Mexican restaurants in or near Fountain Square.

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“I will be done remodeling by middle of October, so we will see a Loco in Fountain Square late October,” Loco's Erick Carrasco said.

Santorini Greek Kitchen closed its 1417 Prospect St. restaurant in March after an 18-year run, leaving fans heartbroken. Hundreds of them responded to a Facebook post announcing the restaurant’s finale.

Santorini owners continue catering and carry-out service at Biltwell Event Center, 950 S. White River Parkway West Drive.

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Carrasco stirred excitement in mid-May when he revealed plans for monthly rooftop taco parties at his Fall Creek Place Loco before it opened July 3. Those parties are still in the works, Carrasco said, as he tries to acquire permits.

The restaurant is flourishing nonetheless. It brought popular Tex-Mex food such as nachos, burritos and enchiladas to the 2205 N. Delaware St. address where LongBranch's Asian fusion menu lasted six months and 22nd Street Diner's contemporary comfort food just four months.

The Fountain Square Loco will offer the same menu and drinks as the Fall Creek Place branch, where the bar serves 65 tequilas and a huge range of cocktails. In addition to Tex-Mex dishes, Loco offers signature Mexican specialties such as refreshing talapia ceviche with sliced avocado, skirt steak in red chilli sauce, Carrasco family soup recipes and choriqueso, a generous serving of melted cheese topped with sautéed chorizo, peppers and onions.

Loco faces some tough competition in and near Fountain Square. El Arado Mexican Grill, popular Mexican spot La Margarita and the Mexican sandwich shop Tortas Guicho Dominguez are a few blocks apart on Virginia Avenue. Revolucion, on Prospect Street, is in the heart of Fountain Square while Mr. Tequila's and Tex-Mex are both within a mile of the neighborhood.

Another Mexican restaurant was slated for the former Mama Irma, which closed in October 2017, but the wholesale 4 Birds Bakery has since taken over that Virginina Avenue space.

Carrasco was a bartender who had been working with Luciana's Mexican Restaurants in Indianapolis before he opened Loco, his first restaurant. Carrasco said he has been working in the restaurant business for the past 17 years, starting as a busboy and dishwasher and working his way up to bartender and manager.

Authentic tacos in Indianapolis The city's taquerias serve tacos packing meats you might not have ever considered eating and may not know how to pronounce. Don’t be intimidated. They’re worth the adventure.

Follow IndyStar food writer Liz Biro on Twitter: @lizbiro, Instagram: @lizbiro, and on Facebook. Call her at 317-444-6264.