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By Natalia Otero
La Popular, an upscale Mexico-based restaurant led by renowned Chef César de la Parra, opened its first U.S. location on November 21. Originally from Mexico City, La Popular is known for taking simple dishes of ancestral Mexican culture to another level, using authentic ingredients that create adventurous flavors.
The U.S. location -- in Roseville, California -- is a collaboration between Grupo Carolo, which owns 27 restaurants in Mexico, and the Eureka! Restaurant Group, a chain of casual dining restaurants. Grupo Carolo has owned a stake in Eureka! Restaurant Group since 2020.
“From homemade tortillas to mole and desserts, La Popular's cuisine is prepared using authentic Mexican recipes,” says Eduardo Gómez, general director of Grupo Carolo and Eureka! Restaurant Group. “I am excited to introduce Mexico's rich culinary history and traditions to the United States. For me, Mexican cuisine is much more than food; it encompasses the sense of belonging to a community and a place.”
Chef de la Parra has worked in a variety of Michelin Star restaurants and has more than two decades of experience. In addition to de la Parra’s work on La Popular’s menu, the restaurant features craft cocktails designed by Trevor Tyler, vice president of beverage operations. The bar offers more than 80 brands of tequila and mezcal, including different artisan products, from small batch and exclusive distilleries in Oaxaca, Jalisco and Guadalajara.
Alexia Peters, vice president of marketing for Eureka!, describes La Popular as “a restaurant that shares the same focus on energy, discovery, and community that our current and future concepts embody.”
La Popular will continue to grow this year with two more locations in California – Claremont and Porter Ranch – and locations in Las Vegas and Austin.
“La Popular is an elevated, energetic destination that brings authentic Mexican cuisine to the United States, that proudly represents the genuine culture, traditions, and history of Mexico,” Gómez says. “We know that the United States loves this type of cuisine, so we wanted to bring Mexico City to the them in an elevated, fun culinary experience. Additionally, we were excited about increasing our presence in the markets we’re familiar from our successful Eureka! restaurant openings.”
Natalia Otero is a freelance writer based in Bogota, Colombia.
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