Welcome to the March/April 2025 edition of el Restaurante!
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Editor’s Note
I’m sitting in Barcelona writing this issue’s editor’s note, trying to get my body clock adjusted to the 7-hour time difference between this amazing Spanish city and my home in Chicago while marveling at how easy technology has made it for Publisher
Hotline: Immigration Remains Top of Mind for Mexican Restaurants
Recent headlines from across the country paint a concerning picture for the restaurant industry where immigration is concerned:
Hotline: Sassiest Salsa Contest Offers Big Prizes for Great Recipes
Are you proud of the salsa you make in your restaurant? Then put your salsa recipe to the test and enter the el Restaurante Sassiest Salsa Contest sponsored by Sammic!
Five Questions: John Iannucci, CEO, Mas Mex
Mas Mex, the restaurant group behind Escalante’s Fine Tex Mex & Tequila and Fat Rosie’s Taco and Tequila Bar, has made expanding Fat Rosie’s a key part of its corporate strategy — and leading the way is John Iannucci, who took on the role of CEO in t
Memorable Margaritas
Several years ago, Tony Estrada and his family introduced a Cucumber Jalapeño Margarita with watermelon and basil at Revolución Mexican Steakhouse — one of three restaurants he, his late dad Antonio and brother Adrian owned in Chicago’s Lakeview neig
Better Basics: Impressive Empanadas
On three Sundays in February, Chicago Empanada Mama became more than the full-service, upscale, casual dining restaurant that has attracted diners since it debuted in the city’s West Town neighborhood in June 2023. It became a culinary classroom that
Culinary Trends: Conchas
When Popeyes® adds a concha sandwich to its menu — something the company did when it partnered with Tequila Don Julio — you know the concha truly has arrived on America’s culinary scene.
Anton Rodriguez
Chef’s Table: Mexican Restaurants Take Differing Approaches
Does a chef’s table make sense for your restaurant? It’s a question more and more restaurateurs are asking as they search for ways to stand out from the crowd in today’s challenging culinary marketplace.
At the Bar: The Return of Rum
Margaritas are probably the most popular cocktails being made behind your bar. But there’s a trend mixologists and other bar pros see heating up the craft cocktail scene.
Marketplace: March/April 2025
Read about Mexican servingware, huitlacoche, churros, cilantro spirits and more
Cathy Quiel
My Favorite Recipe: Richard Lambert, Richard Lambert Tamales
On March 23rd, National Tamale Day will be celebrated in restaurants, tamale shops, and homes all across the country. It’s a day founded in 2015 by tamale chef Richard Lambert, owner of Richard Lambert Tamales in Santa Barbara, California, and Nation
