Should you love conventional Mexican burritos, tacos and tortas, a brand new restaurant opening at 160 Kenan Courtroom goals to hit the mark by providing genuine birria, carne asada, al pastor and pollo.
Whereas genuine meats will likely be a core a part of the menu on the forthcoming AzTec Taqueria, vegans and vegetarians may also take pleasure in marinated tofu. Do-it-yourself corn tortillas and freshly-prepared inexperienced and pink salsas may even be an integral a part of the fare.
The enterprise opened on Cinco de Mayo (Could 5).
Proprietor Salvador Tecpoyotl’s personal mother and pop are the culinary masterminds behind the recipes at his restaurant. Their genuine meals won’t ever have been seen within the space earlier than, he mentioned. These recipes and seasonings have been handed down for generations.
Tecpoyotl grew up within the Puebla area of Mexico. When he was 4 years outdated, his household immigrated to California the place he and his 5 brothers labored in fields choosing grapes for Solar-Maid Raisins firm in the course of the Nineteen Nineties. In 2004, they relocated to the Midwest.
In Wisconsin, Tecpoyotl rose up the ranks at a nationwide quick meals franchise from dishwasher to busboy to supervisor to basic supervisor over 17 years.
Working in an air conditioned restaurant was an “oasis” after years in a 110° area, he mentioned.
For the previous 5 years, he dreamed of taking all that he discovered and going into enterprise for himself. Although, it’s rather more than simply about making a living, he desires to welcome everybody to la carne asada, or relatively – everyone seems to be invited to his barbecue.
He desires to welcome everybody as in the event that they have been his circle of relatives.
“Household tradition for Mayans – for the lion individuals – is robust, it’s every little thing,” he mentioned. “Come over to the cookout, anticipate household tradition, wonderful meals, laughter, enjoyable, good recollections, we particularly need that right here.”
Tecpoyotl means “coronary heart made out of rock” in Mayan, and Salvador is placing all of his coronary heart into creating the bedrock of a possible new franchise. He mentioned he hopes the Verona location of AzTec Taqueria will likely be simply the primary of many that would rival nationwide chains.
A Mayan cross image within the enterprise’ emblem represents unity and the start of one thing new.
Getting it proper
Tecpoyotl’s household spent lots of time attempting out totally different salsa recipes to seek out simply the correct one and hope they turn out to be identified for them. The corn tortillas will likely be created from scratch in-house with a particular wood press.
The flour tortillas and the tortas are bakery-fresh and sourced regionally to assist the group relatively than being shipped-in, Tecpoyotl mentioned.
The birria, or shredded beef, will cook dinner for 12 hours till it melts in your mouth, Tecpoyotl mentioned.
Al pastor is a slowly-turning, spit-grilled pork, which is sliced into tacos. These acquainted with gyros or shawarma will acknowledge the vertical rotisserie that cooks the meat.
“The meats will likely be conventional and explosive in depth,” Tecpoyotl mentioned.
Individuals can select from corn or flour tortillas, tortas or bowls, to which they’ll add their alternative of meat or tofu, cilantro, onion, lime, pinto bean, cheese, white or Mexican rice, and selection of salsa.
Other than recipes native to Puebla meals, the cooking may even take inspiration from Tijuana avenue meals.
Tecpoyotl traveled residence to Puebla the place he examined meals to get impressed and was immersed within the tradition of his roots. He even visited the shed the place he was born, which in some way remains to be standing.
Conventional Mexican desserts akin to tres leches cake, horchata and churros may even characteristic on the menu, together with agua frescas – blends of recent fruit and water in flavors like mango pineapple and cucumber lime.
Open ambiance, open arms
The restaurant has a storage door that may open up on good days to an outdoor seating patio, in addition to an indoor bar with a window that may be opened as much as the skin.
The outside seats are vivid and colourful.
Mexican folks artwork flowers are painted on the partitions in addition to a mural of a Mayan calendar which incorporates photographs of a warrior and a jaguar, painted by Madison artist Julie Vornholt.
The 2 non-gender particular loos supply distinctive themes. One is black and white with a Day of the Useless motif together with skulls, whereas the opposite is in vibrant colours with photographs of roses referred to as the room of life.
Tecpoyotl is proud that as an immigrant with solely a highschool diploma, he spent three a long time working his manner so far, and now desires to provide again to the group.
“Constructing that is superior, however it has an even bigger that means for me,” he mentioned. “We’re a neighborhood family-owned enterprise and we would like everybody to be a part of our household. Our mission is to be a useful resource to the group, assist individuals who don’t have a voice. I don’t care the place you come from, I wish to go on these assets and provides again.”
He plans to serve free meals to native lecturers, firefighters, cops and different group “heroes” on a particular recognition day, which will likely be introduced quickly.
“We wished to begin off on the correct foot initially, and be right here for years to come back,” Tecpoyotl mentioned.
Now he feels able to “conquer the world.”
“I wish to fully blow away everybody’s expectations with this expertise,” he mentioned. “It’s been strategically deliberate, with no shortcuts.”
