Appetizer Appeal: Small plates and street tacos keep customers happy and check averages up
Move over chips and salsa. Appetizers are returning to their tapas roots, as chefs turn out vibrant, small dishes that are big on Latin flavor. more
Features
Mexican Restaurant Owner’s New Project Pumps up Margarita Profits
Do you think your margaritas are making as much profit as possible? Bernie Garcia, president of Moctezuma’s Mexican Restaurant & Tequila Bar, thinks your margaritas could be filling your cash register even faster, and his new project will help. more
Oct 19, 2017 7:21 PM
Latin Trends: Western Foodservice Expo Offers Many Choices
Restaurants looking for interesting products with Latin twists had a lot to choose from at the Western Foodservice Expo in Los Angeles, which ended on August 29. more
Sep 5, 2017 4:14 PM
Tomas Estes: Pioneering Mexican Restaurants in Europe
Mexican food is growing in popularity around the world, and Europeans can thank Tomas Estes for introducing the cuisine to their continent more than 40 years ago. In this edited transcription of a recent interview with el Restaurante publisher Ed Avi more
Aug 22, 2017 7:43 PM
“Pro” Organizations: Discovering new sources for unique Latin-American foods
If you’ve attended a major restaurant trade show, you’ve probably noticed pavilions organized by various “pro” organizations (ProMexico, ProEcuador and ProChile), as well as similar groups without “pro” in their names. These groups all have generally more
Aug 23, 2017 7:28 AM
"Pro" Organizaciones: Descubrir nuevas fuentes de alimentos únicas de América Latina
Si has asistido a una gran feria de restaurantes, probablemente has notado pabellones organizados por varias organizaciones “Pro“, tales como ProMéxico, ProEcuador y ProChile, así también nombres de organizaciones similares, pero sin "pro" en sus den more
Aug 23, 2017 7:23 AM
Denver’s Mexican Scene: From Chingon Carnitas to Hanging Tequila Barrels
Denver is a booming city that mixes a hip urban feel with world class outdoor recreation opportunities, so it’s no surprise that the restaurant scene is hopping. And Mexican restaurants are keeping pace – traditional Mexican spots are finding new cus more
Aug 22, 2017 7:57 PM
State Restaurant Associations Pursue Mexican/Latin Restaurants
You are wanted! State restaurant associations across the U.S. are realizing that owners of Mexican and other Latin restaurants are underrepresented among their members, and some are taking steps to recruit them. more
Aug 22, 2017 10:15 PM
Las asociaciones estatales de restaurantes buscan restaurantes mexicanos y latinos
Le necesitan. Las asociaciones estatales de restaurantes de todos los Estados Unidos se han dado cuenta de que los propietarios de restaurantes mexicanos y de otros restaurantes latinos no tienen suficiente representación entre sus miembros y algunas more
Aug 22, 2017 10:26 PM
Productos, Empresas y Organizaciones Latinoamericanas en el NRA Show
El más grande National Restaurant Association Show, año 2017, en la historia de Chicago, son los términos como la mayoría de quienes asistieron definieron a este gran evento en donde empresas, productores, marcas, y miles de participantes de todo el more
Aug 15, 2017 2:30 PM
TRA Marketplace: Portal to New Hispanic Products
There are countless interesting food products emerging in Mexico and other Latin American countries that could feasibly find their way to menus of American restaurants, if they can get a foothold here. These products, ranging from liquid salt to anna more
Jul 14, 2017 11:38 AM
The Magic of Mexican Chocolate
Chocolate. Uncle Julio’s Mexican Restaurants use it to craft a piñata bursting with fresh seasonal fruit and handmade churros. El Corazon de Tejas uses it in the mole that tops its chicken enchiladas and in the scrumptious dessert called chocoflan an more
Nov 14, 2016 10:27 AM
Side Show: Side dishes can be star players on restaurant menus
In the past, a side dish was merely an accompaniment to a main meal—steak with potatoes or side salad with salmon—but as the small dish/ shared plate trend continues into 2017, chefs are discovering the power side dishes wield. more
Feb 3, 2017 5:31 PM
Nachos: Una de las Joyas de la Cocina Mexicana
Los nachos, una de las joyas de la corona culinaria mexicana, gracias a su fácil elaboración y personalización al gusto del cliente, se han vuelto famosos en el mundo y de manera especial, en Estados Unidos. Aquí escribimos sobre la base de su more
Aug 7, 2017 8:47 AM
Overexpose.me
Beyond Tastings: Agave Spirits, Latin Culture Celebrated at Tequila y Mezcal Week 2017
John Henry knows that people who appreciate agave spirits often crave more than just a sip of the powerful elixir – they also love the deep Latin culture and tradition that accompanies agave. Henry, proprietor of el Buho Mezcal, has been celebrating more
Jun 29, 2017 1:43 PM
Mexican All-Star Pairing: Mezcal and Chapulines
Looking for something authentic and delicious to pair with your new mezcal cocktail? Tess Rose Lampert, a beverage expert and author who presented at Agave Academy during Mezcal y Tequila Week 2017 in New York, encourages you to try chapulines (grass more
Jun 29, 2017 1:22 PM
Empanadas: Pockets of Possibility
In Mexico and South America, the empanada is prepared in ways that reflect the tastes and foodstuffs of individual countries, including Chile, Argentina, Peru and Ecuador, among others. more
May 27, 2017 1:06 PM
Mexican Dining in the “Big D”: The Dallas Mexican Restaurant Scene is Moving Past its Comfort Zone
Savory TexMex cooking—fajitas, burritos, chile con carne—was born in Texas and still pleases many palates in and around Dallas. But in the past decade, a cadre of chefs has introduced that city to a new level of Mexican cooking, including regional sp more
May 27, 2017 12:35 PM
Limited Liquor Licenses: No tequila? No rum? No problem!
Depending on your restaurant’s location and your state’s legal requirements to obtain a full liquor license, there are many steps required to become a “full” bar. For some restaurants, there’s a waiting period before that permission is granted. For o more
May 27, 2017 1:10 PM
Tequila 101: A Primer for a Category In Its Prime
Tequila has become one of the world’s best selling spirits. But as much as your customers like tequila, do they really understand it? And more importantly, do you? Do you know the categories and types of what has become a back-bar favorite? Or how ab more
Apr 5, 2017 2:22 PM
Indy Mexican Restaurant Report: Optimistic, Worried About Labor
What does the independent Mexican restaurant industry in the United States look like these days? In a nutshell, check sizes and annual sales are up, but fewer restaurants are reporting growth. more
Oct 28, 2016 2:04 PM
Immigration Webinar Available for Viewing
This webinar, led by attorney Becki Young, covers important immigration issues related to restaurants. more
Feb 28, 2017 5:43 PM
Stefano Giovannini
Five New York Restaurateurs Redefining Mexican Fare
New York has had a thriving Mexican restaurant scene for decades. But another trend has emerged. Chefs and restaurateurs who recognize that Mexico is home to a vast cuisine that has been inadequately represented in the United States are striving to s more
Feb 3, 2017 6:01 PM
2017 Manager of the Year Awards
We are proud to announce the 2017 el Restaurante Manager of the Year Awards, sponsored by Jarritos. Be sure to nominate your top managers today! more
Jan 31, 2016 7:38 PM
el Restaurante’s 2016 Restaurant Managers of the Year: Winners are listeners who manage with empathy
Want to become a better manager? Learn how to listen. That’s a key piece of advice from winners of el Restaurante’s 2016 Manager of the Year Awards. Sponsored by Jarritos, the first annual awards contest recognizes managers of Mexican and other Latin more
Nov 14, 2016 10:43 AM
Photo by Hanna Friberg
Miami: Melting Pot of Latin Cuisine
Grace Della loves it when one of her Miami Culinary Tours clients says that all Latin food is hot and spicy. “That’s our best client, because there is so much to discover,” says Della, whose company has been leading tours through Miami’s many distinc more
Nov 14, 2016 10:49 AM
Portland Portrait: Farm-to-Table Meets Regional Mexican
The Pacific Northwest is rich with organic farms, productive fisheries, and people who appreciate that bounty. So it’s no surprise that the hip city of Portland has a thriving upscale Mexican restaurant scene that is tapping into the area’s farm-to- more
Aug 5, 2016 8:40 AM
L.A. Portrait: From Combo Platters to Alta California Cuisine
When the taxi dropped me off in front of Guelaguetza Restaurant on Olympic Boulevard in Los Angeles, I thought a wedding reception was going on—the line was out the door more
Feb 12, 2016 12:34 PM
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