Martha Doyle owns El Tajin Mexican Restaurant in Montrose, Scotland. In this interview, she discusses how she discovered her talents and the challenges of introducing Scotland to authentic Mexican cuisine. Read more
The National Restaurant Show, which took place from May 18-21 in Chicago, was full of products of interest to owners of Mexican/Latin restaurants. We used our booth at the show as our base to meet readers and advertisers, but we also explored the sho Read more
Ask Chef Yanni Sanchez of Mercado Cocina, Glenview, Illinois about the challenges she’s faced as a female chef, and she says one anecdote in particular comes to mind. Read more
JEFF LUKES
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 Read more
Pop UP Restaurant -Cocina Comercial Compartida- es un nuevo concepto, en un ambiente variado y multicultural, donde nuevos chefs exponen su arte culinario y adquieren más experiencia. Read more
When “West Fest” happens on the street in front of Tecalitlan Mexican Restaurant in Chicago, Karla Garcia and her staff go all out. “We transform our parking lot into a restaurant and sell food and liquor for three days,” Garcia says. “It’s absolute Read more
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How does your menu say “salads“? If it’s with words like “taco salad” and “fajita salad” that’s ok. But wouldn’t you like to turn ok into outstanding? Read more
Some things just work better in groups. That seems to be the idea behind the rise in food halls and markets – places that gather multiple restaurants, and sometimes other related businesses, in one place. Three of these venues, including a new one in Read more
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Cuando la temperatura sube, la mayoría siente la necesidad de aligerar las cosas. Tejidos más livianos, colores más claros, alimentos más ligeros y sabores más refrescantes. Si los clientes empiezan a cambiar los burritos cargados de queso o un Read more
CLFortin Getty Images/iStockphoto
When temperatures rise, most people get the urge to lighten things up. Think lighter fabrics, lighter colors, lighter foods and more refreshing flavors. If guests are trading cheese-heavy burritos or a carne asada plate for a salad or grilled fish t Read more
A la hora de innovar, impactar, atraer nuevos clientes y hacer crecer el negocio, los restaurantes latinos están echando mano de la piedra volcánica como una nueva tendencia en el arte culinario. Read more
No es aventurado interpretar la madurez del movimiento de cócteles artesanales como una extensión de las artes culinarias contemporáneas. Hay una generación de chefs que han establecido un estilo exclusivo mediante la selección cuidadosa de ingredien Read more
It is not a stretch to view the maturing craft cocktail movement as an extension of contemporary culinary arts. There’s a generation of chefs who have established a signature style by carefully selecting ingredients and preparation techniques. The sa Read more
When customers order a specialty margarita at Revolución Mexican Steakhouse in Chicago for the first time, most probably expect the basic rim of salt. What they get instead is a work of art. Read more
Cuando los clientes piden por primera vez una margarita especial en el Revolución Mexican Steakhouse de Chicago, probablemente esperan que el borde del vaso esté cubierto de sal. Pero lo que les sirven en realidad es una obra de arte. Read more
Mangos are considered the world’s most popular fruit—and they’re especially good choices for Mexican menus, because they can add a touch of refreshing sweetness to everything from salsas and sides to entrees, desserts and cocktails. Read more
Los mangos son la fruta más popular del mundo y son una opción especialmente adecuada para los menús mexicanos, porque pueden darle un toque dulce y refrescante a todo, desde las salsas y los platos de acompañamiento hasta los platos principales, los Read more
When your customers look at your menu, what do they see? They see your cuisine, of course, but they also learn about the character of your restaurant, the mood you are trying to establish, and maybe even how clean and well-run your restaurant is. Read more
Jill Gubesch, the wine director for Frontera Grill/Topolobampo in Chicago, was named Best Sommelier in the 2019 Jean Banchet Awards for Culinary Excellence in January. We asked her a few questions about Mexican wines. Read more
Pepe Stepensky and his wife, Deborah Stepensky, own four restaurants in San Diego, including two locations of Porkyland, which is famous for its carnitas. In this interview with el Restaurante publisher Ed Avis, Pepe discusses his history in the busi Read more
Miguel Gutierrez owns El Agave, an authentic Mexican restaurant in Catonsville, Maryland. In this interview he discusses his path to opening the restaurant and the recipes that have helped him succeed. Read more
El deseo de promover la cultura, productos y comida de la cocina autóctona indígena mexicana, es la leña que aviva el fuego de la creatividad de dos emprendedores al crear programa gastronómico en la televisión de Chicago. Read more
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Treating the dessert category as an afterthought increasingly risks leaving money on the table. Historically, many Latin restaurants haven’t put much effort into this category, offering a few predictable options like flan and fried ice cream, and dim Read more
The National Association of Foodservice Equipment Manufacturers wrapped up their show in Orland this past weekend. El Restaurante publisher Ed Avis walked the show and found several interesting products for Mexican/Latin restaurants: Read more
John Tunney founded Besito Mexican restaurant, with four locations in the Eastern U.S., in 2006. In this interview with publisher Ed Avis, Tunney explains how he got into the business and what makes Besito successful. Read more
Serving great tortillas is part of the success recipe for many Mexican restaurants, and the fresher they are, the better. Pure Taqueria, a six-location restaurant in Georgia, has mastered the freshness angle by making their own corn tortillas in-hous Read more
You probably have a Facebook page for your restaurant, 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. Read more
“Con huevos la vida es más feliz”, es uno de los eslóganes de Con Huevos Restaurant, especializado en desayuno méxico-americano. Los fundadores y dueños, ambos divorciados de anteriores matrimonios, se unieron para, no sólo comenzar este negocio, si Read more
Rob Arellano knows that experiencing great Mexican food goes beyond tasting – it includes the sounds, smells, and sights, too. His new restaurant, Descanso: A Modern Taqueria, located in Costa Mesa, California, replicates that with a unique feature: Read more
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 Read more
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 Read more
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. Read more
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. Read more
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 Read more
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. Read more
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. Read more
JEFF LUKES
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 Read more
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: Read more
