It’s Torta Time: Tortas, cemitas and pambazos bring ethnic flair to a menu favorite
Endlessly versatile, economical and take-out friendly, the eternal appeal of the sandwich has earned it a prime spot on industry trend lists for several years. more
Features
Facebook for Mexican Restaurants: Seven Tips for Max Success
You probably have a Facebook page for your reprographics shop, and you may even keep it regularly updated with fresh posts and special offers. But are you taking full advantage of it? Here are seven tips from three Facebook experts. more
Beyond Tableside: Restaurant Features Built-In Planchas
Rob Arellano knows that experiencing great Mexican food goes beyond tasting – it includes the sounds, smells, and sights, too. His new restaurant, Dencanso: A Modern Taqueria, located in Costa Mesa, California, replicates that with a unique feature: more
Photo Gallery: 2018 Manager of the Year Winners
One of our favorite things about the el Restaurante Manager of the Year Contest, sponsored by Jarritos, are the photos that winners send in once they receive their certificates. They have started to trickle for 2019, and here they are. Check back oft more
2018 Managers of the Year: Stepping Up Your Game
Who is the most hard-working person in your restaurant? Probably one of the managers, right? That’s why we launched the Manager of the Year Contest, and why Jarritos generously sponsored it – so that we could honor those individuals who truly get the more
Web Sites, Digital Promotions: Firm Focuses on Latino Restaurants
When you look at the web sites of Latino restaurants, you see a wide variety – some are loaded with beautiful photos and special offers, but many feature just an amateurish photo or two and an address. more
At the Bar: Drink Menus Take Flight
Even when money is no object, customers love to try before they buy— and they often stumble upon a new discovery in the process. That edict applies to orders at the bar, too. more
En el bar: El menú de la bebida en formato degustación
Aun cuando el dinero no es problema, a los clientes les encanta probar antes de comprar; y a menudo hacen nuevos descubrimientos en el proceso. Esa afirmación también se aplica a la barra del bar more
Los restaurantes se enfrentan a los desafíos de la contratación
Pregunte a restaurantes en cualquier lugar sobre los problemas a los que se enfrentan y es probable que uno de los temas que salga a relucir en la mayoría de los casos sea el de la contratación y retención de buenos empleados. more
Restaurants Struggle to Meet Hiring Goals
Ask most any restaurant in any location about the challenges they face, and one topic is likely to show up across the board: hiring and retaining good employees. more
JEFF LUKES
2018 Independent Mexican Restaurant Report: Lack of Labor Slowing Growth
Mexican restaurant owners are enjoying a solid year, with more than half reporting sales up over last year, according to the el Restaurante 2018 business survey. But labor issues – especially a lack of available workers – are holding some restaurants more
Latina Chef Tackles Lack of Women’s Chefwear
Denise Portillo is an experienced chef, restaurant owner, and entrepreneur. In fact, she was named Culinary Woman of the Year by the National Latina Business Women Association – Los Angeles in 2010. Despite all that success, one thing eluded her: more
Interesting Beverage Products at Comida Expo
Publisher Ed Avis found some interesting products for Mexican/Latin restaurants at Comida Expo in San Diego last week, particularly among beers/liquors. The distribution of these products varies, so they may not be available in your area, but they’re more
Spicy Experimenting Leads to New Business Opportunity
When Chef Bret Thompson was opening his Mexican restaurant Pez Cantina in Los Angeles four years ago, he wanted something tangy to sprinkle on his tortilla chips. “I was looking for a unique salty and lemony seasoning,” he remembers. more
Sponsored: Mexican Menu Tip: Top Quality Cheese Makes the Difference
Cheese is an essential ingredient in many Mexican dishes, and using a top quality authentic cheese makes any dish better. “Mexican restaurant customers truly appreciate a dish that contains authentic quality Mexican cheese,” says Arturo Nava, marketi more
Considering Expansion? Listen to Experience Before Jumping
Rumba Cubana Restaurant & Bar in New Jersey opened its fourth location in Clifton about a year ago, and a location in Jersey City will open in August. A sixth location, in Rochelle Park, is in planning stages. The restaurant, which focuses on quality more
El Restaurante’s Guadalajara Adventure
El Restaurante Publisher Ed Avis and account executive Jorge Rennella travelled to Guadalajara, Mexico in late August. We visited the factories of two of our advertisers – Muebles Lacandona and Folcklor Latino – ate a lot of great food, visited th more
Western Foodservice Expo Hidden Latin Secrets
Mexican and other Latin food specialties were not as prominent at the Western Foodservice Expo in Los Angeles last week as in some previous years, but there were some hidden gems, especially in the Sabor Latino sections of the show. Below are some of more
Fresh Suds: Denver Mexican Restaurant to Brew its Own Beer
Beer is a big seller in Mexican restaurants -- mostly Corona, Dos Equis or other major brands. But Los Dos Potrillos, a Mexican restaurant in the Denver area, will soon offer its customers something special: Beer brewed in-house. more
Futuros Millonarios Mexicoamericanos Agregan Cervecería a su Línea de Restaurantes.
Cuando Daniel Ramírez encontró el restaurante que buscaba para agregarlo a la cadena de negocios de la familia, nunca se imaginó encontrarlo con una cervecería y peor aún sentir el llamado visionario hacia la aventura comercial, al decidir mantener y more
Wine in Mexican Restaurants: The Time is Right
When somebody orders a glass of Mexican wine at La Contenta Oeste in New York City, the server doesn’t just bring the glass of wine – he or she also brings the bottle, shows the customer the label, and describes the wine and winery. more
La idea ha madurado: Vinos mexicanos en el menú
Cuando alguien pide un vaso de vino mexicano en La Contenta Oeste en New York City, el personal de servicio no sólo trae la copa de vino, sino que también trae la botella, le muestra al cliente la etiqueta y describe tanto el vino como la bodega. more
Potatoes on Mexican Menus: From Traditional Taste to Global Inspiration
From a 10,000-year-old cave in central Peru to the trendy modern menus of Europe, the humble potato has taken a culinary journey with some significant stops along the way—one of which was Mexico. more
ALFONSO LOPEZ URBINA
First-Person Interview: Amparo Vigil, Puerto Alegre, San Francisco
Amparo Vigil is one of four siblings who operate Puerto Alegre Mexican Cuisine in San Francisco. Puerto Alegre is more than a restaurant – it is a vital part of the Mission District neighborhood. Vigil was interviewed by el Restaurante publisher Ed A more
Interesting Products for Mex/Lat Restaurants at TRA Marketplace
The Texas Restaurant Association Marketplace last week in San Antonio was well-stocked with products suitable for Mexican/Latin restaurants. El Restaurante publisher Ed Avis was there, manning the el Restaurante booth, and visiting other booths. Here more
Bunge Minsa
Trendy Tortillas: Event Shows Value of Reconsidering Your Basic Tortilla
Your tortillas could probably be making you more money, if you are willing to be a little imaginative. That was a key take-away from the Tortilla Industry Association Convention & Trade Show in Palm Springs, California in early June. more
Polacos-mexicanos entre salsa mole y apellidos masculinos y femeninos
Beata Prazmowska, aunque de origen polaca, es mexicana. Junto a su hijo Diego Prazmowski y su socia Refugio Jiménez Moya, son los fundadores del negocio Mole Nabora more
NRA Show Loaded with Mexican/Latin Specialties
The National Restaurant Association’s annual convention in Chicago last week was full of products and innovations aimed at Mexican/Latin restaurants. Here is a small selection of some of the highlights: more
Factores para el éxito mundial del Show de Restaurantes 2018 en Chicago.
La participación masiva en el NRA Show 2018 de grandes países como Brasil, México, China, Alemania, Tailandia, Italia, entre muchos otros, es un elemento decisivo a la hora de abrir mercados, compartir ideas, tecnología y participar en la confianza y more
Mexican Craft Beer: Think Beyond the Big Brews When Stocking Your Bar
When el Tequilas Bar & Grill opened in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood last November, the owners didn’t want to serve the same beers every other Mexican restaurant taps. They wanted high quality, interesting brews to accompany the authentic, hand more
Cerveza Artesanal Mexicana: Piense Más Allá de las Grandes Cerveceras Cuando Abastezca Su Bar
Cuando el Tequila Bar & Grill abrió sus puertas en el barrio de Lincoln Park de Chicago el pasado mes de noviembre, los propietarios no querían servir las mismas cervezas que sirven los demás restaurantes mexicanos. Querían alta calidad y marcas inte more
Comentarios en medios sociales ayudan al crecimiento de restaurantes
Importante taller para promocionar su restaurante en internet, crear valiosa y más cercana relación con los clientes y hacerlos enamorar de su negocio a través de los comentarios, -revews- en los medios sociales, fue el Webinar dado el 8 de Mayo. more
At the Bar: Pointers for On-Premise Promotions
Everybody loves a bargain. Which means if you build a bar promotion that touts free tastings, discounted drink specials and entertaining diversions, people will come. At least for that particular promo. But the real question bar managers and bartende more
Margaritas: Pricing for Profitability
Even in this era of craft cocktails, the Margarita—as integral to Mexican dining as tortilla chips and salsa—continues to rule at the bar. But the rules for profitability on this enduring classic are changing. more
Margaritas: Un Precio Para un Beneficio
Incluso en esta era de cócteles artesanales, la margarita —parte integral de la cocina mexicana tanto como los chips y la salsa— sigue siendo la reina del bar. Pero las normas de rentabilidad de este clásico imperecedero están cambiando. more
Industry News
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