Welcome to the January/February 2025 edition of el Restaurante!
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Editor’s Note
Welcome to the first 2025 issue of el Restaurante. The beginning of a new year is typically a time not only to celebrate but also to look hopefully ahead to opportunities the coming months will bring. Sadly, as everyone knows, that hope has been shat Read more
Latino Restaurants Step Up to Help Los Angeles Fire Victims
The tragic fires in Los Angeles have affected hundreds of thousands of people, and Latino restaurants are doing what they can to help by providing food to those in devastated communities. Read more
Five Questions: Tony Monaco, The Blind Coyote
Inspired by Orange County’s rich ranchero history, Tony Monaco recently debuted Blind Coyote Cantina in Yorba Linda, California. Blind Coyote is more than a new restaurant — it is a re-brand of The Blind Pig, Monaco’s American gastropub that occupied Read more
Creative Plating
When was the last time you took a good, hard look at the plates going out from your kitchen to customers’ tables? If it’s been a while, it is a task you and your kitchen staff should undertake, no matter how busy you might be. Because if what you’re Read more
Business Basics: 5 Reasons to Hire an Intern in Your Restaurant Kitchen
Have you ever considered hiring an intern in your kitchen? You might think it’s not worth the hassle, but many leading restaurant companies — such as Lettuce Entertain You, Pappas Restaurants and Restaurant Brands International — hire interns in thei Read more
At the Bar: Damiana Liqueur - Exploring Baja’s herbal liqueur
Several years ago, Chef Rosie O’Connor — former owner of the now-shuttered Provecho Grill in Menifee, California and current owner of that city’s Lady M Bistro — visited Villa del Palmar at the Islands of Loreto in Baja California Sur, Mexico. Her mi Read more
2025 Mexican Multi-Unit Report: Redesigns Help Attract New Business
For better or for worse, chain restaurants are how most people in the United States experience Mexican food. The 50 largest Mexican restaurant chains have a total of nearly 15,000 locations, so it’s no surprise that most American consumers are more a Read more
Marketplace JanuaryFebruary 2025
Read about Guaname Blend Wine, Radish POS, Simply Agave nectar, Cuaycura Liqueur de Damiana, The Chile Guy and Mini Taco Shells Read more
My Favorite Recipe: Sous Chef Emely Medina, El Tapeo
“Vamos de tapeo — let’s go for tapas.” That slang expression, common with locals in southern Spain, is where El Tapeo at Le Méridien Chicago Oakbrook Center gets its name — and it is what inspires its menu of modern Spanish shareable plates. Read more