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South Philly Barbacoa goes under roof

The early bird gets the lamb. Cristina Martinez and Ben Miller now have a restaurant in South Philadelphia.

After declaring their independence from life working on a food cart, Cristina Martinez and Ben Miller are planning a soft opening of their brick-and-mortar shop, South Philly Barbacoa, this weekend.

They have secured 1703 S. 11th St., the revolving-door restaurant space off the corner of 11th and Morris Streets in South Philadelphia. For a year and a half, the couple had been selling the Mexican food from a cart parked near their house nearby at Eighth and Watkins Streets. The setup did not delight authorities.

For now, they will be open Saturday and Sunday starting at 5 a.m. - yes, ayem - and they will be open till they are sold out. Day 1 is Saturday, July 4.

Menu will include the signature barbacoa, pancita, and consomé. Tacos are $3.

You can make yourself and five friends very happy with a "kilo" for $60; it includes tortillas, salsas, consomé, cilantro, limes, onions, and chiles. A half-kilo is $30. It's cash only.

Aguas frescas will be sold during the warmer months, and atole when the chill sets in.

Meanwhile, the couple is raising funds for a whetstone corn mill to make even better tortillas.