el Restaurante magazine, AugSep 2020 edition by MaidenNamePress

elRestaurante AUG/SEPT 2020

| YO U R S O U R C E F O R M E X I C A N A N D L AT I N F O O D S E R V I C E T R E N D S | w w w.elrestaurante.com |

REVISITING REOPENING Better Basics:

DELIVERY DONE RIGHT

A fresh spin on

CEVICHE

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID BOLINGBROOK, IL PERMIT NO. 467

elRestaurante | YO U R S O U R C E F O R M E X I C A N A N D L AT I N F O O D S E R V I C E T R E N D S | w w w.elrestaurante.c o m |

In This Issue 7 10

HOTLINE

24 14

REVISITING REOPENING—See saw of reopening/ reclosing challenges operators

COVER STORY—A Fresh Spin on Ceviche By Kathleen Furore

BETTER BASICS: Delivery Done Right (In English and Spanish)

FROM MEXICO—Yogurt on Mexican Menus: Versatile ingredient enhances myriad dishes

AT THE BAR—Good to Go!

33 10

Cocktails-to-go boost sagging sales

MARKETPLACE (In English and Spanish)

RECIPES

MY FAVORITE RECIPE—Mestizo Restaurant’s Fried Avocado with Shrimp and Crab

30 ON THE WEB AT www.elrestaurante.com

We Need Your Help! The el Restaurante Reader Advisory Panel is a group of readers who advise us on editorial issues and evaluate product samples from advertisers. Join us and your voice and opinions will be heard! Register at: elrestaurante.com/advisory_panel_registration

editor’s note

elRestaurante | w w w.elrestaurante.com |

I WANT SUMMER BACK…the kind of summer with crowded beaches and crowded baseball stadiums and crowded restaurants spilling over (inside and out) with unmasked, un-socially distanced customers. But that’s SO not gonna happen this year! Here in Chicago, we’ve been making the most of this (hopefully) once-in-a-lifetime kind of summer. Publisher Ed Avis and I have Kathleen Furore, editor

been doing our best to keep our favorite restaurants busy while trying to spread the dining-out love around. What we’ve found— after perusing restaurants’ websites and Instagram and Facebook pages—is that many haven’t updated the pictures they’re sharing. That’s a problem in my book—so I suspect it’s an issue for many of your customers and potential customers, too. Case in point: I wanted to find someplace with an outdoor patio in a suburb I haven’t visited for quite some time. I googled “outdoor patio” in the name of the ‘burb, found lists of several restaurants, and proceeded to check them out online. I was surprised that many didn’t have a single picture of the patio. And even those that did had clearly dated pictures posted— staff without masks, tables practically set on top of each other, crowded spaces with unmasked, non-social-distancing customers. I assumed the images were from pre-pandemic times— but that wasn’t enough to convince me to click the “reservations” tab. I know nothing is easy or normal now—and taking and posting new pictures likely isn’t at the top of your very long, complicated “to do” list that keeps changing as cities and states adjust and re-adjust safety protocols. But taking a few minutes to review how you’re presenting your restaurant on all of your social media platforms, then updating any out-of-date pictures (and other information that’s different due to the pandemic), is a worthwhile use of any “free” time you have. It might seem like a small step—but it’s one that offers the potential for big returns (now and in the future) if it convinces COVID-weary customers to give your restaurant a try.

el restaurante | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

Ed Avis PUBLISHER Kathleen Furore EDITOR Ala Ennes ART DIRECTOR Elyse Glickman, Karen Hursh Graber CONTRIBUTING WRITERS MAIN OFFICE phone: 708.267.0023 PRESS RELEASES TO: kfurore@restmex.com MAILING ADDRESS P.O. Box 13347 Chicago, IL 60613 SHIPPING ADDRESS 1317 W. Belden Ave. Chicago, IL 60614 AD SALES/ENGLISH Ed Avis 708.218.7755 edavis@restmex.com Suzanne Bernhardt 678.880.9282 suzanne@restmex.com AD SALES/ESPAÑOL Alfredo Espinola alfredo@elrestaurante.com PUBLISHED BY Maiden Name Press, LLC Volume 24, Number 4

el Restaurante (formerly el Restaurante Mexicano) (ISSN 1091-5885) is published five times a year by Maiden Name Press, LLC 1317 W. Belden Ave., Chicago, IL 60614 el Restaurante is distributed by subscription at the cost of $40. All contents copyright© 2020 Maiden Name Press, LLC. Nothing in this issue may be reproduced in any form without publisher’s consent.

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hotline

The Survey Says…

Soups, sauces and salsa !

68% of Mexican Restaurants’ Dining Rooms Partially or Fully Re-opened

Immersion Blenders

Mexican restaurants are re-opening across the country in fits and starts, and 68 percent have reopened their dining rooms at least at partial capacity, according to a July 23 survey by el Restaurante magazine. The survey covered the same topics as el Restaurante’s May 18 survey.

#1 Selling

The results, detailed in the chart below, show that the industry is slowly recovering but is still experiencing significant challenges as restaurants and their customers carefully navigate life in the time of COVID-19. Business Situation

July 23

May 18

Dining room partially reopen

57%

26%

Dining room fully open

11%

Restaurant totally closed

15%

14%

Open only for takeout & delivery

17%

59%

Same staffing level as before crisis

36%

27%

More staff than before crisis

12%

Fewer staff than before crisis

52%

61%

el Restaurante also uncovered the safety precautions Mexican- and Latin-themed restaurants are taking to keep their employees, customers and suppliers as safe as possible. The following chart offers a snapshot of results from the July and May surveys: Safety Step

July 23

May 18

Require employees to wear masks

85%

100%

Require employees to wear gloves

76%

70%

Changed to a digital or disposable paper menu

68%

60%

Provide hand sanitizer

90%

70%

Take employees’ temperatures before they start

62%

50%

Require employees to complete a questionnaire about their health and exposure to COVID

38%

23%

Require customers to wait outside until table is ready

26%

50%

Removed or spread out tables

77%

90%

Removed condiments from tables

70%

80%

Added barriers between tables (i.e. plexiglass shields)

26%

Want more information from the front lines? Check out Publisher Ed Avis’ coverage of what’s happening at restaurants nationwide in “Revisiting Reopening,” which starts on page 10!

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SOBREMESA

Cómo las opciones exclusivamente virtuales pueden ayudar a aumentar los ingresos de los restaurantes Las cocinas fantasma, conocidas a menudo como restaurantes virtuales, están diseñadas para servicio exclusivo de pedidos para llevar o de entrega a domicilio. Aunque estos términos suelen ser intercambiables, existe una diferencia entre ambos conceptos. Una cocina fantasma es un espacio— como una cocina comercial – donde la comida es preparada para servicio para llevar o de entrega a domicilio. No cuenta con asientos, ni Un restaurante fachada o meseros. Por ejemplo, a mediados de junio, un chef y propietario de una mexicano, por ejemplo, cocina comercial en Cleveland Heights, Ohio, utilizó ese espacio para crear una cocina podría crear una marca fantasma especializada en comida sudamericana. especial de tortas o Un restaurante virtual, de lo contrario, es creado un restaurante con un local físico. El operador utiliza esa cocina para crear nuevos elementos del menú, disponibles exclusivamente a través de pedidos en línea para llevar o de entrega a domicilio.

Las cocinas virtuales y fantasma son una vía de expansión para la industria de servicios de alimentos:

empanadas, o un programa de comida únicamente disponible para pedidos en línea y de entrega a domicilio.

Datos de la industria muestran que el 53 por ciento de los operadores utilizaron una cocina fantasma para atender pedidos fuera del local durante el confinamiento del coronavirus1. Incluso antes de la pandemia, casi la mitad del total de las ventas de alimentos y bebidas en restaurantes se realizaban fuera de las instalaciones, y ahora el servicio de entrega a domicilio a través de terceros y para llevar (el cual ha tenido el mayor aumento en ventas1) seguirán siendo la norma2. Ante los nuevos hábitos de consumo y la incertidumbre acerca de la reapertura, las cocinas fantasma y los restaurantes virtuales ofrecen a los operadores una forma de aumentar sus ingresos, permitiendo aumentar al mismo tiempo la oferta del menú y el alcance geográfico sin tener que invertir en nuevos espacios físicos.

Explorando los beneficios

Comprender los beneficios de estas opciones de servicio puede ayudarlo a incorporar elementos de estos conceptos en su operación. No solo le permitirán ofrecer el tipo de experiencia sin necesidad de contacto y con distanciamiento social que los clientes exigen, sino que su negocio también se beneficiará. Usted será capaz de: • Administrar costos y aumentar las ganancias maximizando el inventario y reduciendo el desperdicio • Ampliar su menú, probar nuevos elementos e introducir nuevos conceptos con menor riesgo • Abarcar nuevas áreas geográficas sin invertir en un comercio • Aprovechar a su personal actual para innovar su concepto o explorar uno diferente

Para conocer más sobre como Sysco puede ayudar a su operación, contacte a su representante de ventas local o visite nuestro sitio web en www.Foodie.Sysco.com 1

Sysco puede ayudarlo a expandir su servicio de comida fuera de su local para aumentar sus ganancias:

• Incrementar el alcance del cliente sin el costo de contratación de personal adicional • Obtener más información sobre sus clientes a través de los datos capturados por pedidos en línea/a través de aplicaciones • Adaptarse a la creciente demanda de comida fuera de las instalaciones y servicios de entrega • Mantener la flexibilidad en un clima empresarial que cambia rápidamente

Cómo incorporar elementos de una cocina fantasma/restaurante virtual en su operación • Revise su menú actual para identificar elementos populares y redituables • Analice su inventario para comprender cómo aprovechar al máximo en nuevas aplicaciones • Cree un menú de comidas fuera del local • Asóciese con un servicio de entrega a domicilio • Configure pagos y pedidos móviles y en línea • Incorpore un programa de lealtad • Capacite al personal de cocina • Capacite al personal que se encargará de tomar los pedidos, empaquetar los alimentos y administrar las entregas • Designe a un miembro del personal para encargarse de la atención al cliente • Establezca un protocolo de seguridad/manejo de alimentos • Desarrolle una estrategia de mercadotecnia que le permita comunicar las nuevas ofertas a sus clientes, incluyendo publicaciones y anuncios en redes sociales y envío de correos electrónicos directamente a los clientes, entre otros • Conéctese con los canales en línea locales para promocionar su servicio • Use análisis de sus plataformas móviles y en línea • Busque obtener comentarios de los clientes que le permitan identificar cuáles elementos funcionan

• Nuestro equipo de Marketing Services ofrece apoyo para su menú y oportunidades de mercadotecnia. • Aproveche las asociaciones de Sysco con proveedores de servicios por medio de terceros para ayudarlo con soluciones de mercadotecnia, sanación, entrega a domicilio, y más. • Encuentre consejos y mejores prácticas sobre redes sociales para comunicar su nuevo menú de servicio fuera de su local en nuestro sitio web de Sysco Foodie. • Desde productos de sanación para mantener su operación limpia, hasta soluciones de empaque seguras, en Sysco tenemos los productos que necesita para ayudarlo a aprovechar su oferta de servicio fuera de su local al máximo.

Monitor de Impacto de Servicios Alimenticios de Technomic, 8a edición: semana que termina el 8 de mayo de 2020 | 2Monitor de Impacto de Servicios Alimenticios de Technomic, 9a edición: semana que termina el 15 de mayo de 2020

• • • • •

•

• •

•

Foodie.Sysco.com/Snapback/ ©

SOBREMESA

How virtual-only options can scale up restaurants’ off-premise revenue Ghost kitchens often referred to as virtual restaurants, are designed to fill only delivery or take-out orders. While the terms are sometimes used interchangeably, there is a difference between the two business models.

A ghost kitchen is a space —such as a commercial kitchen or commissary— where food is prepared for delivery or pick-up. There are no seats, no storefront, and no waitstaff. For example, in mid-June, an Ohio chef and restaurateur who owns a commercial kitchen in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, used that space to debut a ghost kitchen specializing in South American cuisine available for delivery or curbside pick-up.

A virtual restaurant, on the other hand, is created at an existing brick-and-mortar location. The operator uses their kitchen to create new menu items that are available exclusively for online ordering and delivery or pick-up.

A sit-down, family-style Mexican restaurant, for example, might create a special torta or empanada brand, or a meal kits to-go program, available only for online ordering and delivery.

Ghost and virtual kitchens are a burgeoning bright spot in the foodservice industry: Industry data shows that 53 percent of operators used a ghost kitchen to service off-premise orders during the coronavirus stay-at-home orders1. Even before the pandemic, almost half of total restaurant food and beverage sales were off-premise; and now, third-party delivery, curbside pick-up, and take-out (which had the biggest sales increases 1) will remain the norm2. With the new consumption habits and public uncertainty about reopening, ghost kitchens and virtual restaurants offer operators a way to boost revenue while expanding menu offerings and geographic reach without investing in new brick-and-mortar spaces.

Understanding the benefits of these off-premise service options can you help you incorporate elements of these concepts into your operation. Not only will they allow you to offer contactless, socially distanced dining experiences customers are demanding; your business also will benefit. You’ll be able to:

To learn more on how Sysco can help your operation, contact your local Sales Consultant or visit us at www.Foodie.Sysco.com

• Review your current menu to identify popular and profitable items • Analyze your inventory to understand how to best leverage for new applications • Create an off-premise dining menu • Partner with delivery service • Setup online and mobile ordering and payments • Integrate your loyalty program or create one • Train culinary staff • Train staff that will take orders, package food, and manage deliveries • Designate a staff member to attend to customer support

Exploring the Benefits

• Manage costs and increase profits by maximizing inventory and reducing waste • Expand your menu, test new items, and introduce new concepts at a lower risk • Reach new geographical areas without the investment of a storefront • Leverage your current culinary staff to innovate your idea or explore a different one

How to incorporate elements of a Ghost Kitchen/Virtual Restaurant in your operation

• Increase customer reach without the cost of hiring more staff • Learn more about your customers through data captured by online/app orders • Adapt to the growing off-premise dining demand and delivery services • Stay flexible in a rapidly changing business climate

• Establish safety/food handling protocol • Develop a marketing strategy to communicate your new offerings to your customers, including social media posts, social media ads, direct to customer emails, among others • Connect with local neighborhood online channels to help promote your service • Use analytics from your online and mobile platforms to revisit menu ideation • Seek customer feedback to understand what items are working

• Our Marketing Services team offers support for your menu and marketing opportunities. Sysco can help you • Leverage Sysco’s third-party partnerships to help you with marketing, sanitation, third-party delivery, and more. enhance your off-premise • giftFindcards, social media tips and best practices to communicate your new off-site menu offerings to your customers in our Foodie site. offerings to help you • From sanitation products to keep your operations clean to safe packaging solutions, at Sysco maximize your profits: we have the products that you need to help you make the most out of your off-site offerings. 1

Technomic Foodservice Impact Monitor 8th Edition—Week Ending May 8, 2020 | 2Technomic Foodservice Impact Monitor 9th Edition—Week Ending May 15, 2020

Concierge is here to help. Sysco Marketing Services is here to help you reimagine your business with the steps for a successful

Snap–Back!

As you move forward with reopening or expanding your services, it’s important that you strategize your snap-back plan. This includes current safety and social standards, the power of an online and social media presence, and the creativity and resilience of your team!

Our team of associates is available to assist you. • • • • •

Understand your local, state, and federal guidelines Communicate with your customers Streamline your business – smarter, faster, better! Rethink your business and expand your services Reconfigure your space and implement social distancing measures • Connect with our service partners to setup a website, online ordering, and delivery services • Gain access to helpful tools, such as Sysco | Studio

Let’s partner to create your menus and marketing. • Limited menus for dine-in, carryout, and delivery • Pop Up Shop menus and marketing • Banners and signage to promote your safety and sanitation protocol • Customer promotions and social media messaging

For our concierge service, call 1-800-380-6348 or email info@syscomarketingservices.com

update

REVISITING REOPENING Closed, Open, Closed Again: Seesaw Creates Tough Situation

its toll on restaurants nationwide. Now, many that were just starting to hear their cash registers ring again are returning to delivery-only models and wondering how long they can survive. In fact, data from Yelp in mid-July revealed that

| BY ED AVIS | Sabor a Mi Grill Tequila & Botanas in Rancho Cucamonga, California endured the initial COVID-19 shutdown that started in mid-March by offering takeout and delivery.

16,000 restaurants of all types had closed permanently. “We are surviving,” Hart says. “But I don’t know what’s going on in the future.”

When the state allowed a partial reopening in mid-June, owner Liz Hart reopened her patio and some tables inside, and quickly saw business return, especially on the weekends. But

A LINGERING THREAT Pepe Stepensky, a Mexican restaurant owner in the San

in early July, with rising infection numbers, the state again

Diego area, says customers were slowly returning to inside

prohibited inside dining.

dining at his two Porkyland restaurants during the month

“The government just shut us again, and that’s been hard,” says Hart, whose patio remains open. “We had more hope before, but now it’s like we start from zero again.” The seesaw of closing, opening, and closing again is taking

el restaurante | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

they were open. “Once they let us do the dining in, we put our tables and chairs back in at the distance they need to be, and started our marketing—‘Now open for dine-in,’ and things like that,”

“We are constantly trying to figure out, ‘Are we going to get shut back down?... We can keep the restaurant going with just takeout, but what really hurts me is knowing that the bussers, the wait staff, the newer kitchen staff would be out of work. It’s really stressful.” –KARLA GARCIA, TECALITLAN MEXICAN RESTAURANT, Chicago

Stepensky says. “Customers were coming back, but not ‘Wow!’ People are very wary.” When the state reclosed dining rooms, Stepensky was

face letting them go again. “We can keep the restaurant going with just takeout, but what really hurts me is knowing that the bussers, the

more prepared to deal with the situation than the first

wait staff, the newer kitchen staff [would be out of work],”

time his restaurants went dark. His delivery and carryout

Garcia says. “It’s really stressful.”

business has remained strong, and one of his Porkyland locations is in a shopping center with an open-air food court

A BALANCING ACT

that remains open to customers.

There’s not much a restaurant owner can do to prevent

“I hope we keep increasing sales,” Stepensky says. “But

the government from shutting things down again, but

if there’s a second round of the pandemic as they predict

here are a few ways to ease the pain the ever-evolving

for November and December and we have to close again it’s

situation has caused:

going to be really tough. It’s going to be a really close call.”

• MAINTAIN YOUR TAKEOUT AND DELIVERY SERVICE EVEN

The threat of restaurants reclosing has even affected

AFTER YOU’VE REOPENED THE DINING ROOM. That way

restaurants in areas that have not experienced the full

you’ll be ready if you need to shut down again—and you

seesaw situation. Chicago, for example, let restaurants par-

may enjoy extra revenue in the meantime. Jim Urdiales,

tially reopen dining rooms in June and has not closed them

owner of Mestizo Restaurant in Baton Rouge, Louisiana,

again. Nevertheless, with the continued uptick in confirmed

expanded his takeout business when restaurants shut

COVID cases, some owners are worried.

down in March and has continued that even after the

“We are constantly trying to figure out, ‘Are we going to

state allowed a partial reopening of dining rooms two

get shut back down?’” says Karla Garcia, co-owner of Teca-

months later. “We were shut down on March 16 and

litlan Mexican Restaurant in Chicago. “We don’t want to get

the next day we were full throttle to-go,” Urdiales says.

too much inventory. It is stressful because we don’t know

“To-go now is still 40 percent of our sales, and with

what’s going to happen.”

dining room at 50 percent capacity, we’re actually doing 100 percent of the sales we were doing before COVID.”

ISSUES WITH STAFF

• MANAGE YOUR INVENTORY CAREFULLY. You probably always

A key concern for restaurants dealing with the seesaw

are careful with inventory, but that’s more important than

situation is staffing. Some restaurants that furloughed

ever when the risk exists that you could be shut down any

employees during the height of the pandemic and rehired

day. Consider adjusting your menu to focus on items that

them when dining rooms reopened had to let them go

are good for takeout and delivery so you can still use the

again when dining rooms re-closed. “When they closed us again, I had to tell my people

ingredients if your dining room is closed. • KEEP YOUR EMPLOYEES AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE. In many

that I had to be fair with everybody and give everyone

areas, if a restaurant employee gets sick, the restaurant

even hours,” Hart says. “Some of them applied for unem-

needs to shut down for a quarantine period, regardless

ployment again, so I let them take that money and I give

of the overall situation. “We’re trying to be as proactive

those hours to the others.”

as possible, because the last thing we want is to have to

Garcia, who required all of her staffers to be tested for COVID-19 before they returned to work, does not want to

shut down for two weeks because someone gets sick,” Garcia says. AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

| el restaurante

update

The Mask Struggle

• LET MANAGERS DEAL WITH UNMASKED CUSTOMERS. Don’t put your staff in the uncomfortable position of having to tell people

| BY ED AVIS | Karla Garcia remembers well the woman who ran

without masks that they need to put one on—leave that up

into her restaurant, Tecalitlan Mexican Restaurant in Chicago,

to management. At Maudie’s Tex-Mex, which has seven locations

without a mask and asked for her takeout order. Garcia pointed

in Austin, managers politely explain the policy to anyone not

to the “No Mask, No Service” sign and politely asked the woman

wearing a mask. “We’ve had a

to don her mask.

couple of customers who come

“But I’m just picking up my food,” the woman said. No dice,

up without a mask, and when a

Garcia said. The woman walked out in disbelief, returned a minute

manager explains to them that

later wearing a mask, and said, “You’re lucky, I had one in my car.”

this is our policy, they under-

Garcia says she thought, “No, you’re lucky, because you weren’t

stand that,” says Elisa Munoz,

going to get your food!” “I took the sign down and changed it to ‘No Mask, No Service, Not Kidding!’” Garcia says. Getting hassled by customers who don’t want to wear masks is an experience many Mexican restaurant owners share.

Maudie’s director of human resources. • OFFER DISPOSABLE MASKS. Have a basket of disposable masks, preferably individually wrapped, available for customers who show up without masks. That eliminates the excuse of not having one. • REFUSE SERVICE. Everybody needs customers, especially now. But as a last resort, you may need to ask a non-wearer to leave. “I feel

“It was very hard to make

like I repeat myself 50 times a day about wearing masks,” Garcia

people wear a mask,” says Pepe

says. “I want to say, ‘You either want to eat here or not, buddy!’”

Stepensky, owner of Porkyland, a Mexican restaurant with two locations near San Diego. We tried to make them understand that it was for their own good.”Porkyland staff even offered customers clean, unused masks if they showed up without one. “A lot of

“Crisis Management Team” Helps Chronic Tacos Manage COVID Situation

people didn’t want to use them and said, ‘How do I know it hasn’t

| BY ED AVIS | When the COVID-19 crisis took hold across

been used?’” Stepensky says. “It really was a headache.”

America in mid-March, restaurants scrambled to get a handle on

The bottom line is that restaurant staff are more at risk than

the situation. Chronic Tacos, which has 49 locations across the

customers since they are exposed to the constant flow of guests.

United States and 8 international locations, deployed a tactic

A guest who pops in for a minute—like the woman who came to

more commonly associated with government agencies: a crisis

pick up her order at Tecalitlan—is probably at little personal risk.

management team.

But staff who are working with customers all day long are at risk if everyone is not wearing a mask. “I feel bad for my staff, because not only are they serving, but they’re also trying to police the masks,” Garcia says. “We get put in a tough position. I tell people I’m just following the rules and trying to keep everybody safe. And people still don’t care. They say, ‘This is ridiculous.’ I tell them, ‘You’re being ridiculous. You just gotta wear it until you sit down, then you can take it off.’” Mexican restaurant owners interviewed for this story offered a few tips for getting customers to wear the masks: • MAKE YOUR SIGNS OBVIOUS. Garcia says adding “Not Kidding” on her mask sign has helped. “People will try to run in—then they see the sign and stop dead in their tracks,” she says.

el restaurante | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

“When the crisis first hit, there were just so many unknowns,” says Michael Mohammed, the company’s CEO. “You weren’t just concerned about sales, you were worried about everybody’s

well-being. Because we’re a franchise, we wanted to make sure we were communicating with the franchisees about what was happening, both from a health and safety standpoint and an economic point of view.” Mohammed says he fired up his crisis management team the day the shutdowns began. The team was divided into groups dealing with operations, marketing and development. “Our focus was diverted from strategic projects we were working on and we put our full efforts towards dealing with the crisis at hand,” Mohammed says. “We had a team member focused on specific vendor related issues; one focused on safety and health issues to ensure everyone was following the ever-changing protocols; and another on finance to help franchisees navigate the Cares Act program.” The marketing-focused team members ensured that the

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restaurants continued serving customers even with their dining rooms closed. “Obviously, people would be scared to come into the restaurants,” Mohammed says, “so we wanted to make sure all of our online functionality, our apps, were in place and optimized. We made sure all of the locations were connected with the third-party delivery programs. That was part of our business already, but we wanted to make sure it was fully integrated, that we weren’t going to miss out on business.” The marketing staff also came up with the idea of creating family packs, such as their taco kit that includes a choice of protein, tortillas, rice, beans, chips, salsa, queso, guacamole and churros. The family pack served four for $30. The operations group helped franchisees with business issues. For example, they helped them apply for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans and coached them on negotiating with landlords if they needed rent abatement. “There was constant communication with the franchisees so they would have the information they needed to survive,” Mohammed says. The crisis management team still meets weekly via online video, as does each group within the team. “It’s definitely been a challenging time, but we’ve got a strong system and strong franchisees,” Mohammed says. “Now we are less in crisis mode and looking strategically at this next quarter and what needs to be done.”

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A Fresh Spin On

Ceviche

| COVER STORY |

Xico’s Ceviche Verde

Claro’s ceviche packaged for delivery

| BY KATHLEEN FURORE | In an

Marketing Institute stats show

August 1 email Xico restaurant

that seafood was the second-

in Portland, Oregon sent about

most missed item for consumers

the day’s takeout and delivery

who couldn’t eat in restaurants

menu, Ceviche Verde led the list

during the pandemic.

of available options. For $17,

And while COVID-19 stalled

customers could order a ½ pint

seafood sales at restaurants,

of ceviche made with fresh, local,

seafood has become the fastest

wild, red banded rockfish in lime

growing category at supermar-

juice with green herbs, avocado,

kets and food outlets featur-

cucumber, olive oil and a small

ing online sales and pickup or

bag of chips—enough for two

delivery services, a report from

people or a meal for one. “Order

Alaska Fish Radio/ Alaska Com-

by noon, have it tonight!” the

mercial Fisheries News says.

Seafood was the second-most missed item for consumers who couldn’t eat in restaurants during the pandemic. – ALASKA SEAFOOD MARKETING INSTITUTE

subject line promised. That the ceviche was the

SWIMMING WITH OPTIONS

first item on the list (which

Ceviche’s versatility makes it an

also included “Oaxaca Salads,

ideal menu addition for most any

Carnitas, Guac, Esquites, Bur-

Mexican and Latin restaurant.

ritos, Rotis Chicken”) speaks to

• It can be made with many

the popularity of this dish typi-

types of fish and seafood.

cally made from fresh raw fish

Firm or semi-firm fish like sea

cured in fresh citrus juices.

bass that won’t fall apart in

It also dovetails with recent

the acid of the citrus juice,

data about diners’ penchant for

shellfish like shrimp and scal-

seafood: Nielsen reports that

lops, and squid are a few op-

sales of fresh seafood at retail

tions. The secret to success?

spiked nearly 60 percent to near-

“Freshness is the most impor-

ly $163 million for the week end-

tant thing. All of my memories

ing June 27, while Alaska Seafood

[of eating ceviche] are from beAUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

| el restaurante

Baja Lounge’s Green Ceviche Shrimp Tostada

Seafood has become the fastest growing category at supermarkets and food outlets featuring online sales and pickup or delivery services. –ALASKA FISH RADIO/ ALASKA COMMERCIAL FISHERIES NEWS

lops from Montauk. “That

featuring ceviche with

way, you should be getting

shrimp, octopus, scallops,

the best prices,” he says, not-

avocado and a special

ing that approach works only

house sauce at Baja Lounge

“if your customers trust you

in Chula Vista, California;

and don’t demand things like

or creatively plated like the

salmon when it’s off-season.”

Ceviche Sampler starring

• It works well for restau-

Peruvian, Mexican, and

rants at most any price

Avocado & Mahi at Stir in

ing in Mexico and using what-

point. Ceviche is found

Raleigh, North Carolina.

ever people were pulling out

everywhere from beachside

The Peruvian Ceviche fea-

of the water,” says T.J. Steele,

taquerias to more upscale

tures corvina, red onions,

executive chef/owner of Claro

concepts. You can serve it

sweet potatoes and tiger’s

in Brooklyn, New York, who

in plastic cups accompa-

milk; the Mexican Ceviche

relies on the local, in-season

nied by crackers or chips;

includes citrus cured mahi,

catch for his ceviche menu.

atop crisp tostadas or

shrimp, avocado, salsa and

For now, that means tilefish,

stacked in colorful towers

cotija; and the Avocado &

sea bass and day boat scal-

like the Especial Torres

Mahi Ceviche is made with (continued on p. 18)

el restaurante | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

| COVER STORY |

Aguachile—which translates to “chile water”—is a version of ceviche usually made with shrimp. But as Jim Peyton of Lo Mexicano Consulting notes, “It usually consists of very fresh, raw shrimp laid on a plate and bathed with a pureed mixture of lime juice, chile and salt…Since finding shrimp of the proper freshness (sashimi quality) is often difficult, I tried making the dish with perfectly fresh fish. The result was terrific!” Like traditional Peruvian-style ceviches, aguachile is cured in citrus juices. The difference? “The acidity is toned back in favor of commanding green-chile heat, and salted vegetables like cucumbers and onions contribute a potent yet watery broth of sorts for the shrimp to bathe in,” an article by food writer Max Falkowitz at tastecooking.com explains.

Baja Lounge’s Mango Aguachile

!""#$%$#&'(!

6789:;6$&<#=>(#('$&6?5-4,;6+1.21.@8.0A+,-./0123.-42*+15

)))*+,-./0123.-42*+15 AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

| el restaurante

| COVER STORY |

mahi, avocado, red onions,

packaged apart from hot

sweet potatoes, and green

food is important for delivery

tiger’s milk.

California. “We don’t make one big

• It can be adapted to appeal to vegan customers. No fish

and carryout service. (For

batch of ceviche for the

or shellfish, you say? That’s

• It is appropriate for takeout

more about optimizing your

whole day—we are very care-

right! Think heart of palm,

and delivery menus. This is

delivery menu, see story on

ful with the fish and make

cauliflower and coconut

an especially important con-

page 19.)

each order individually so it

instead of fish and seafood

sideration during these un-

is always as fresh as possi-

to appeal to vegan and

certain times. Steele—whose

is paramount—especially

ble,” says Robert, a member

vegetarian customers.

ceviches are among the top

because the restaurant had

of the kitchen staff oversee-

(See sidebar below.)

sellers he’s been dishing out

to revert to delivery and car-

ing food prep, who says cevi-

during the pandemic—says

ryout only when COVID-19

ches is selling well during the

keeping ceviches cold and

cases started to peak again

dining-in shut-down.

At Baja Lounge, freshness

Make It Vegan! In February 2019, a new booth called “Veggie Veggie Fruit Fruit” debuted at the Disney California Adventure Food & Wine Festival in the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, California. The menu—designed for visitors looking for healthy, vegetarian and vegan fare—included Cauliflower Ceviche with Chile Corn Crumble and Tortilla Chips. Vegan ceviche, of course, isn’t new to Mexican menus. La Vegan Mexicana in Santa Ana, California, for example, offers tostadas topped with ceviche made of cauliflower, cucumber, tomato, purple onion, cilantro, salt, lime and Jocelyn Ramirez’s Ceviche de Palmitas PHOTO BY ZOHRA BANON; REPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM LA VIDA VERDE

Kathleen Furore is the editor of el Restaurante

spices, and Borracha Mexican restaurant in Henderson, Nevada has touted a vegan coconut ceviche made with a coconut serrano dressing and served with crispy plantains on its website. But its appearance at such a mainstream venue shows its time has arrived. Jocelyn Ramirez, the chef/founder of Los Angeles-based catering company Todo Verde and author of La Vida Verde: Plant-based Mexican Cooking with Authentic Flavor, not only agrees that plant-based Mexican food has arrived; as she says in her recently released cookbook: “I believe that plant-based Mexican food is both the past and the future of Mexican food culture.” While she has traveled a “labyrinth of a journey” on the road to following a plant-based diet, she’s arrived. Says Ramirez: “I was once freaked out by the idea of eating a meal without meat, but now I find a satisfying comfort in recipes that challenge my palate to explore a bit further…” It’s something she does with dishes like her Ceviche de Palmitas made with heart of palm “because it has a core texture similar to crabmeat,” she explains. The ceviche is made with palmitas marinated in lemon and olive oil paired with tomato, avocado, cucumber and jalapeño, then topped with black sesame seeds and cilantro. You can find Ramirez’s Ceviche de Palmitas recipe on page 43. La Vegan Mexicana’s Cauliflower Ceviche Tostada

el restaurante | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

beter basics EDITOR’S NOTE: Just as I was searching for someone to interview for a story about how to maintain the flavor and quality of restaurant food for delivery, I stumbled upon a March 30 article in the New York Times. One of the sources appeared to be the perfect person to contact: T.J. Steele—the executive chef/ owner of Michelin star-rated Claro in Brooklyn, New York and one of Starchefs’ 2019 Rising Stars. And perfect he was! Steele was more than willing to share his experience of launching food delivery in the midst of the pandemic— an experience that offers lessons I think every restaurateur can learn something from.

| BY KATHLEEN FURORE | There’s one fact that sets the stage for T.J. Steele’s pandemic-inspired tale of bringing delivery service to Claro: The restaurant was never, ever set up to deliver its award-winning Oaxacan cuisine to customers’ homes. As he told the New York Times, he’d always felt it just wasn’t worth the effort. But desperate times called for desperate measures, as they say—and when news came that New York City’s restaurants would go dark for inside dining on March 17, Steele sprang into action. “We listened to the news really carefully, and our core group decided right away that we would do whatever we were allowed to do to stay open,” recalls Steele, who admits it was a scary time for him and his staff. As the restaurant’s website notes, “‘Claro’ means ‘clear’ in many different senses, but also means ‘of course’—a phrase that’s used

T.J. Steele in Oaxaca

DELIVERY

Done Right MAINTAINING QUALITY AND FLAVOR DURING COVID AND BEYOND

Claro’s enmoladas and entomatadas

better basics

Quesadilla de Barbacoa

of Steele’s dedication to his craft and his love for Oaxaca—always have been at the heart of his vision for Claro. But when the pandemic hit, some things became impossible. “We knew we couldn’t keep doing the same things at the

A new offering from Claro—chips and salsa to go

restaurant that we’d been do-

“I THINK TACOS ARE BEST WHEN THE TORTILLA IS WARM…AND I SEE THE TIME IT TAKES FOR FOOD TO BE DELIVERED. IF A TACO SITS FOR ALMOST AN HOUR, IT WON’T REPRESENT THE FOOD OR MY RESTAURANT IN THE WAY I WANT IT TO.” – CHEF T.J. STEELE

to put a person at ease.” It’s

relationships with craftsmen,

a fitting name for an estab-

artists, mezcaleros, cooks

lishment whose owner saw

and farmers. The menu in-

THE TRANSFORMATION

the situation so clearly and

cludes dishes made from the

Though he’d never taken the

decided he would, of course,

region’s GMO heirloom (crio-

time to craft a delivery menu,

do whatever he could to keep

llo) corn, and most every-

Steele undertook that task

business going.

thing on the menu—including

practically overnight, turn-

the masa, cheeses, chorizo

ing to his own experience of

CLARO PRE-PANDEMIC

and moles—is made by hand.

dining on delivered meals—

When Claro debuted in

Meat and produce are organic

something he’d done myriad

Brooklyn’s Gowanus neigh-

and locally sourced when

times as a resident of New

borhood in August 2017, Grub

possible; and diners lucky

York City.

Street, the popular food blog

enough to land a seat in the

from New York Magazine, de-

backyard patio can watch

of getting takeout at home

scribed it as “Steele’s paean

tortillas being pressed, and

and being pissed off at what

to the foods and people of

tlayudas, memelas and tosta-

I got—so I had to try to

Oaxaca.”

das cooking on the wood-

minimize that,” Steele says

fired comal.

of his approach to creating

It was an apt description. Steele, after all, had lived

ing before,” Steele says.

Those hand-made dishes

“I had a lot of experience

a delivery menu full of food

part-time for many years in

and the ingredients used to

that would not only offer

Oaxaca, where he cultivated

make them—so illustrative

value but also “show up like

el restaurante | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

the customer wants it to.” Steele admits the process

of a to-go lasagna.” Even ceviche made the menu. “It’s

of remaking the menu—

one of my favorite things!”

which, as he remembers,

says Steele. “I was hesitant

started on Friday, March

at first about having raw fish

13—has been a work in

[for delivery]…but we keep

progress. There have been

it in separate bags away

tweaks to both the dishes

from the hot food. It’s gone

being offered and the pack-

over really well.” (For more

aging it’s being delivered

about ceviche, see the story

in—all made with the goal

that starts on page 14.)

of making food that travels well, Steele says.

Tweaking recipes was also a key step in making

Top Mexican restaurants make their own tortillas,and they know the best tortillas come from the best corn. Rovey Seed Co. is known across the country for providing the best quality non-gmo and organic white, yellow, blue, and red corn for tortillas and chips, as well as food grade lime, and other ingredients.

some dishes more delivery-

FINE-TUNING THE FOOD Every restaurant, of course,

friendly. The seared duck breast in

has to make decisions

mole negro is one example.

about what to offer on its

Steele switched the protein

delivery menu based on

to a braised short rib. “A

many factors.

duck breast would arrive

For Steele, tacos didn’t

cold and dry and would be

make the cut. “I think tacos

ruined if it was reheated in a

are best when the tortilla is

microwave,” Steele explains.

warm…and I see the time it takes for food to be deliv-

PERFECTING THE PACKAGING

ered,” he says. “If a taco sits

Adjusting recipes for

for almost an hour, it won’t

delivery is just the first

represent the food or my

step in making dishes more

restaurant in the way I want

deliverable. Packaging is

it to.”

the second (and perhaps

Quesadillas are a differ-

equally important) part of

ent story. “The fat in the

the equation. If the sauce

cheese will absorb into the

has dried out and the

tortillas and keep them mal-

cheese has hardened or slid

leable—there are enough

off the top of the enchilada

juices [in the contents of

a hungry customer had

quesadillas] to prevent

been craving, all the work

them from drying out,” says

put into the preparation

Steele.

won’t matter—the dried

Two of the top sellers are

out enchilada is what that

Claro’s takeout version of en-

customer will remember

tomatadas and enmoladas.

the next time he or she is

The enmoladas, Steele says,

choosing a restaurant for

“felt like a [Mexican version]

their next takeout meal.

WWW.ROVEYSEED.COM • (217) 227-4541

better basics

“WE LISTENED TO THE NEWS REALLY CAREFULLY, AND OUR CORE GROUP DECIDED RIGHT AWAY THAT WE WOULD DO WHATEVER WE WERE ALLOWED TO DO TO STAY OPEN.” – CHEF T.J. STEELE As experienced a chef as

quests for “green” packaging,

Steele is, even he struggled

he switched to all sustainable

with the optimal way to pack-

containers. Some fell short.

age Claro’s meals to go. He

“They definitely cost more

turned to foil containers that

money, and some we tried

could be popped right into a

were not very good—for ex-

customer’s oven if they needed

ample, the moles would soak

to heat the dish once it ar-

through,” says Steele.

rived. “The dishes don’t have Tortillas made from criollo corn

el restaurante | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

to be removed from the con-

WHAT LIES AHEAD

tainer to be heated,” he says.

Delivery has been instrumental

Listening to customers’ re-

in keeping Claro afloat in the

past several months filled with

through the bank but not really

disappear: the bags of masa

unprecented challenges. But as

making that much.”

Claro has been offering by the

important as it has been, Steele

Steele will, however, keep

pound for customers who want

doesn’t think he will continue

some aspects of the delivery

to make their own tortillas. “If

with delivery in its current form

program he sped to create.

we sell 10 pounds a day we feel

once things return to normal.

Take his homemade chips.

Masa—now available by the pound

like champions—it’s more a

“I never would allow chips

fun thing, but we maybe make

community, keep our doors

at the restaurant—we had

a little money off of it, too,” he

open and support our employ-

tostadas and that was as far as

says.

ees,” Steele says. “Mexican

I went with that,” he says. But

What the future holds for

food has a stigma of what it is

he’s been making chips (which

the restaurant industry as the

worth price-wise and we went

he mills and grinds the corn to

coronavirus ebbs and flows is

can to optimize their delivery

above and beyond because we

make, just as he does for every

anybody’s guess. But whatever

menus in ways that maintain

were conscious of how people

dish he makes with masa) and

happens, delivery likely will

the quality and flavor of the

were suffering.” But delivery

selling them along with salsa

remain an important piece of

food being delivered during

platforms take such a big chunk

via delivery; those will stay on

the puzzle for many Mexican

COVID and beyond.

of profits that Steele says the

the delivery menu.

and Latin restaurants—which

”We did it to support our

business was “cycling money

Another addition that won’t

makes it imperative for opera-

tors and chefs to do all they

Kathleen Furore is the editor of el Restaurante.

VEGETABLE & CHEESE SHREDDER

MEAT TENDERIZER

neHUB COLLECTION

HIGH VOLUME MEAT CUTTER

MEAT CUTTER

JERKY SLICER

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AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

| el restaurante

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better basics NOTA DEL EDITOR: Justo cuando estaba buscando a alguien a quien entrevistar para tener una historia sobre cómo mantener el sabor y la calidad de la comida de un restaurante para las entregas, me topé con un artículo del 30 de marzo en el New York Times. Una de las fuentes parecía ser la persona ideal a quien contactar: T. J. Steele, el chef ejecutivo y propietario de Claro, que cuenta con una estrella Michelin, en Brooklyn, Nueva York, y quien fue nombrado una de las estrellas en ascenso de Starchefs en 2019. ¡Y, en efecto, era ideal! Steele estaba más que dispuesto a compartir su experiencia de emprender la entrega de alimentos en medio de la pandemia, una experiencia que ofrece lecciones de las que creo que todo restaurantero puede aprender algo.

| POR KATHLEEN FURORE | Hay un hecho que provee el contexto para la historia motivada por la pandemia de T. J. Steele sobre incorporar el servicio de entrega a Claro: el restaurante nunca fue diseñado para entregar su galardonada cocina oaxaqueña a los hogares de los clientes. Como le comentó al New York Times, siempre había considerado que no valía la pena el esfuerzo. Pero los tiempos apremiantes exigían medidas desesperadas, como suelen decir, y cuando llegaron las noticias de que los restaurantes de la Ciudad de Nueva York cesarían el servicio para comer dentro el 17 de marzo, Steele entró en acción. “Prestamos mucha atención a las noticias, y nuestro grupo principal decidió de inmediato que haríamos todo lo que tuviéramos permitido hacer para permanecer abiertos”, recuerda Steele, quien admite que fue un momento ater-

T.J. Steele en Oaxaca

ENTREGAS

bien hechas MANTENER LA CALIDAD Y EL SABOR DURANTE EL COVID Y LO QUE LE SIGA

Enmoladas and entomatadas de Claro

better basics

Nuevo de Claro: chips y salsa

Quesadilla de Barbacoa

comal de leña. Dichos platillos hechos a mano y los ingredientes empleados para hacerlos, tan representativos de la dedicación de Steele a su oficio y de su amor por Oaxaca, siem-

“CREO QUE LOS TACOS SON MEJORES CUANDO LA TORTILLA ESTÁ CALIENTE... Y SOY CONSCIENTE DEL TIEMPO QUE LLEVA ENTREGAR LA COMIDA. SI UN TACO SE ENFRÍA DURANTE CASI UNA HORA, NO REPRESENTARÁ LA COMIDA O MI RESTAURANTE DE LA MANERA QUE YO QUIERO”. – CHEF T.J. STEELE

rador para él y su personal. Como lo señala el sitio web del restaurante: “‘Claro’

himno de Steele a la comida y

pre han estado en el centro de

la gente de Oaxaca”.

su enfoque para Claro. Pero,

Era una descripción adec-

cuando llegó la pandemia,

significa ‘claro’ en muchos

uada. Steele, después de todo,

algunas cosas se volvieron

sentidos diferentes, pero tam-

había vivido a ratos durante

imposibles.

bién significa ‘por supuesto’,

muchos años en Oaxaca,

una frase que se usa para

donde forjó relaciones con

seguir haciendo lo mismo que

tranquilizar a una persona”.

artesanos, artistas, mezcale-

habíamos hecho antes en el

Es un nombre apropiado

ros, cocineros y ganaderos. El

restaurante”, dice Steele.

para un establecimiento cuyo

menú incluye platillos elabora-

propietario vio la situación

dos con maíz criollo transgé-

LA TRANSFORMACIÓN

tan claramente y decidió que,

nico de la región, y casi todo lo

Aunque nunca se había to-

por supuesto, haría todo lo

que hay en el menú, incluyen-

mado el tiempo para elaborar

posible para mantener el

do la masa, los quesos, el cho-

un menú para entregas, Steele

negocio andando.

rizo y los moles, está hecho a

emprendió esa tarea prácti-

mano. La carne y los produc-

camente de la noche a la ma-

CLARO ANTES DE LA PANDEMIA

tos agrícolas son orgánicos y

ñana, recurriendo a su propia

de origen local siempre que es

experiencia al comer comidas

Cuando Claro hizo su debut

posible, y los comensales que

que son entregadas, algo que

en el barrio Gowanus de

tienen la suerte de sentarse

había hecho innumerables

Brooklyn en agosto del 2017,

en el patio trasero pueden ver

veces siendo residente de la

Grub Street, el popular blog

cómo se prensan las tortillas y

Ciudad de Nueva York.

de comida de la revista New

cómo se preparan las tlayu-

York, lo describió como “el

das, memelas y tostadas en el

el restaurante | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

“Sabíamos que no podíamos

“Tenía mucha experiencia en llevar comida a casa

y enojarme por lo que me habían dado, así que tuve que

que se sequen”, afirma Steele.

de la parte superior de la

llegara. “No es necesario sacar

enchilada que se le había anto-

la comida del recipiente para

tratar de minimizar eso”, co-

vendidos son las versiones

jado a un cliente hambriento,

calentarla”, comenta.

menta Steele sobre su enfoque

para llevar de Claro de sus

todo el trabajo realizado en la

para elaborar un menú para

entomatadas y enmoladas.

preparación no importará: la

entes pedían envases “ecológi-

entregas lleno de comida que

Las enmoladas, dice Steele,

enchilada seca es lo que ese

cos”, cambió por completo a

no solo ofrezca un valor, sino

“dan la impresión de ser una

cliente recordará la próxima

contenedores sustentables.

también “que sea como el

[versión mexicana de] lasaña

vez que elija un restaurante

Algunos no cumplieron las

cliente lo quiere”.

para llevar”.

para su próxima comida para

expectativas. “Definitivamente

llevar.

cuestan más dinero, y algunos

Steele admite que el proce-

Dos de los platillos más

Incluso el ceviche está en el

Haciendo caso a que los cli-

so de rehacer el menú, el cual,

menú. “¡Es uno de mis favori-

según lo recuerda, comenzó el

tos!”, dice Steele. “Al principio

tanta experiencia, incluso

buenos, por ejemplo, los moles

viernes 13 de marzo, ha sido

tenía mis dudas sobre el pes-

Steele batalló con la manera

los atravesaban”, dice Steele.

una labor constante. Steele

cado crudo [para entregar]...

óptima de empacar las

dice que ha habido ajustes

pero lo mantenemos en bolsas

comidas de Claro para llevar.

LO QUE DEPARA EL FUTURO

tanto en los platillos que se

separadas lejos de la comida

Recurrió a recipientes de alu-

Las entregas han sido esen-

ofrecen como en los empaques

caliente. Le ha ido bastante

minio que pueden introducirse

ciales para mantener a Claro

en los que se entregan, todo

bien”. (Para saber más sobre

directamente en el horno

a flote en los últimos meses

con el propósito de preparar

el ceviche, eche un vistazo a

de un cliente si necesitara

repletos de dificultades sin

alimentos que pueda ser trans-

nuestra historia en portada que

calentar la comida una vez que

precedentes. Pero, a pesar de

portado adecuadamente.

comienza en la página 14).

ADAPTAR LA COMIDA

fue un paso clave para lograr

Cada restaurante, por supues-

que algunos platillos fueran

to, tiene que tomar decisiones

más fáciles de entregar.

Adaptar las recetas también

sobre qué ofrecer en su menú

La pechuga dorada de pato

de entregas en función de

en mole negro es un ejemplo.

muchos factores.

Steele cambió la proteína a

Para Steele, los tacos no

una costilla corta cocida. “Una

pasaron la prueba. “Creo que

pechuga de pato llegaría fría y

los tacos son mejores cuando

seca, y se arruinaría al ser re-

la tortilla está caliente... y soy

calentada en un microondas”,

consciente del tiempo que lleva

explica Steele.

A pesar de ser un chef con

que probamos no eran muy

“PRESTAMOS MUCHA ATENCIÓN A LAS NOTICIAS, Y NUESTRO GRUPO PRINCIPAL DECIDIÓ DE INMEDIATO QUE HARÍAMOS TODO LO QUE TUVIÉRAMOS PERMITIDO HACER PARA PERMANECER ABIERTOS”. – CHEF T.J. STEELE

entregar la comida”, comenta. casi una hora, no representará

PERFECCIONANDO EL EMPAQUE

la comida o mi restaurante de

Adaptar las recetas para las

la manera que yo quiero”.

entregas es solo el primer

“Si un taco se enfría durante

El caso de las quesadillas

paso para conseguir que los

es otra historia. “La grasa

platillos se entreguen mejor.

en el queso se absorberá en

El empaque es el segundo (y,

las tortillas y las mantendrá

quizás, igualmente impor-

maleables; hay suficientes

tante) en la ecuación. Si la

jugos [en el contenido de las

salsa se ha secado y el queso

quesadillas] como para evitar

se ha endurecido o escurrido AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

| el restaurante

HOTELES RESTAURANTES CATERING

2-4 Diciembre 2020 CENTRO

CITIBANAMEX

CDMX

RESERVA TU ESPACIO Tel. +52 (55) 4122 2959 Mail. abastur@ubm.com w w w . a b a s t u r . c o m

better basics

lo importantes que han sido

endo fluir dinero en el banco,

las entregas, Steele no cree

pero realmente no se estaba

que continuará con ellas en su

ganando mucho”.

forma actual una vez que las cosas vuelvan a la normalidad. “Lo hicimos para apoyar a nuestra comunidad, para mantener nuestras puertas

el menú de entregas.

Masa

Otra incorporación que no se irá: las bolsas de masa que

Steele, sin embargo, con-

Claro ha estado ofreciendo por

servará algunos elementos del

libra a los clientes que desean

programa de entregas que se

hacer sus propias tortillas. “Si

apresuró a diseñar.

vendemos 10 libras al día, nos

Lleva sus papas fritas

sentimos como campeones; es

abiertas y apoyar a nuestros

caseras. “Nunca permitiría

más cuestión de gusto, pero

empleados”, afirma Steele.

papas fritas en el restaurante;

quizás también ganemos un

“La comida mexicana tiene un

teníamos tostadas, y eso

poco de dinero”, dice.

estigma sobre lo que vale la

ya era demasiado para mí”,

pena en cuestión de precios, y

comenta. Pero ha estado pre-

la industria restaurantera a

lo posible para optimizar sus

fuimos un paso más allá porque

parando papas fritas (para las

medida que el coronavirus se

menús de entregas de manera

éramos conscientes de cómo

que muele y machaca el maíz

dispara y disminuye es una in-

que conserven la calidad y el

se vio afectada la gente”. Pero

para prepararlas, al igual que

cógnita. Pero, pase lo que pase, sabor de la comida a ser en-

las plataformas de entrega to-

lo hace para todo platillo que

las entregas probablemente

man una porción tan grande de

elabora con masa) y las vende

seguirán siendo una pieza clave y lo que venga después.

las ganancias que Steele afirma

junto con salsa por medio de

que el negocio estaba “haci-

entregas; esas se quedarán en

del rompecabezas para muchos Kathleen Furore es la editora de el Restaurante. restaurantes mexicanos y

latinos, lo que obliga a los op-

Lo que depara el futuro para

eradores y chefs a hacer todo

tregada durante el COVID

An Association for You! el Restaurante is proud to be a member of LFIA.

La Asociación Latina de la industria de alimentos (LFIA-Latino Food Industry Association) es una nueva organización diseñada específicamente para usted! Los miembros son propietarios de restaurantes, mercados, proveedores de alimentos, y toda clase de organizacion involucrada en la industria alimentaria. La LFIA Ofrece muchos beneficios para sus miembros. Beneficios que inluyen la asistencia de márketing, servicios tecnológicos y abogacía gubernamental.

Learn more and join at latinofoodindustry.org

La revista el Restaurante es orgullosamente un miembro de la LFIA.

The Latino Food Industry Association is a new organization designed specifically for you! The members are owners of Hispanic restaurants, grocery stores, suppliers, and other organizations involved in the food industry. The LFIA offers a wide range of benefits to members, ranging from marketing assistance to technology services to advocacy.

Haste miembro hoy! Para Mas información latinofoodindustry.org

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

| el restaurante

from Mexico

Biónico: Mexican Fruit Salad with Yogurt Jocoque

YOGURT

on Mexican Menus MOST RESTAURANTS WITH A BREAKFAST MENU SERVE YOGURT, TYPICALLY WITH GRANOLA AND HONEY… BUT IT IS IN SAVORY FOOD THAT YOGURT CAN ADD A DISTINCTIVE FLAVOR.

| BY KAREN HURSH GRABER, writing from Mexico | As diners look for ingredi-

aisles and small miscelanías, or mom-

ents to stay healthy during trying times,

and-pop stores, yogurt is found in nearly

yogurt stands out as a nourishing, tasty

every venue in Mexico that sells grocer-

and versatile option—and one that can

ies. Almost all mercados have at least

work surprisingly well in Mexican res-

one dairy stand offering homemade

taurant kitchens.

yogurt, and the super stores fill refriger-

Yogurt, in fact, is a favorite ingredient

ated cases with plain, flavored, Greek,

in Mexico, where the per capita con-

fruit-at-bottom, “light” and drinkable

sumption of the dairy favorite is a whop-

yogurt para beber.

ping 8.7 kilos, or nearly 20 pounds, per

From market stalls to supermarket

Mexicans’ passion for yogurt, how-

year—a big jump from the 13 pounds

ever, was popular long before “probi-

per capita consumed in the U.S.

otic” became a dietary buzz word. In

el restaurante | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

Agave Straw

from Mexico

Fiesta Del Mar’s Enjococado

1892, the first of a wave of Lebanese immigrants arrived in the country, bringing with them jocoque, a cheese-like yogurt still made the traditional way in Mexican homes (especially in Puebla, Oaxaca and Sinaloa) by leaving a clay container of milk near a heat source until curdling occurs. Although commercial jocoque, made using lactobacillus, is sold in supermarkets, many prefer the taste of homemade, clay pot jocoque.

FROM BREAKFAST BOWLS TO ENTICING ENTRÉES Most restaurants with a breakfast menu serve yogurt, typically with granola and honey, which is on the menu at Azul Historico in Mexico City.

el restaurante | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

Sauce & Dip TIP USE REGULAR YOGURT, NOT LOW FAT OR GREEK, FOR A CREAMIER TEXTURE; OR TRY USING HALF YOGURT AND HALF SOUR CREAM.

IN 1892, THE FIRST OF A WAVE OF LEBANESE IMMIGRANTS ARRIVED IN THE COUNTRY, BRINGING WITH THEM JOCOQUE, A CHEESE-LIKE YOGURT STILL MADE THE TRADITIONAL WAY IN MEXICAN HOMES (ESPECIALLY IN PUEBLA, OAXACA AND SINALOA) BY LEAVING A CLAY CONTAINER OF MILK NEAR A HEAT SOURCE UNTIL CURDLING OCCURS. Also in the city, Restaurant Nicos and El Balcón del

chiles, tomatoes and tomatillos to make a mole type

Zócalo serve yogurt with a choice of seasonal fruits.

chicken dish called enjococado.

In Puebla, El Anafre Rojo offers a double dose of

Yogurt also works as a delicious, creamy base for licua-

dairy, serving both yogurt and cottage cheese with

dos and batidos, dips, and savory sauces. Blend a small

the fruit plate.

can of chipotles en adobo with a cup of plain (not Greek)

But it is in savory food that yogurt can add a distinc-

yogurt to make a quick sauce to serve with tacos or tosta-

tive flavor. In Puebla, where there is a strong Lebanese

das, or as a dip for totopos, or combined with cilantro and

culinary influence, El Mural de los Poblanos offers sev-

lime for a sauce that adds flavor to fish tacos or baked fish.

eral dishes with jocoque. The tostadas de jocoque con chapulines are served with garlic chile sauce on pan árabe, a cross between tortillas and pita bread.

See Graber’s recipes for Biónico: Mexican Fruit Salad and Enjococado: Chicken in Yogurt Sauce on page 43.

The restaurant also serves jocoque as a topping for lamb tacos, made with pan árabe and featured on the tasting menu; and on huevos en cazuela, Sinaloanstyle eggs with carne seca, or machaca, and chopped serrano chiles. Jocoque is also served with eggs at Puebla’s Casa Barroca, where it accompanies herbed huevos verdes. In Chiautla de Tapia, part of the region called the Mixteca Poblana, a mountainous terrain between Puebla and Oaxaca, either jocoque or a mixture of sour cream and plain yogurt is combined with dried Tostadas de Jocoque con Chapulines from El Mural de los Poblanos

5 Easy Steps for Responding to Negative Reviews!

Created with

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

| el restaurante

at the bar

Good to Go! RESTAURANTS BOOST SAGGING SALES WITH COCKTAILS TO GO

| BY ELYSE GLICKMAN |

to help us grow in these un-

RELAXED LIQUOR LAWS

jurisdictions, a mandated

The “new normal” is now

certain times,” says Michael

One adjustment that’s made

maximum of 2.25 liters per

an everyday reality—and

Huber, managing partner

that “new normal” easier to

consumer per day applies.

restaurateurs and bar owners

of Lanea, a popular taco-

swallow is the easing of local

are doing everything they can

centric spot in Santa Monica,

liquor laws, which enables bar-

laundry lists of rules, myriad

to survive the current crisis

California. “We’re experi-

tenders to keep their creative

restaurants are rising to the

and the uncertain business

menting constantly with new

juices flowing and offers own-

occasion with cocktails-to-go

climate that lies ahead.

drink offerings and flavors,

ers and managers additional

programs that embrace social

Even with these localized

like our new frozen Cata-

incentive to keep their doors

distancing and social respon-

tapping: Portable potables

lina Wine Mixer, made with

open for limited service.

sibility, too.

in the form of to-go cocktails

gin, Lillet, fresh lemon and

and cocktail kits, which are

orange liqueur. (We’re dealing

can and can’t do varies by

READY, SET, POUR!

helping them connect with

with) a whole new industry,

state and city. And wherever

Whether they’re taking the

customers while keeping

and we’re excited to work

to-go cocktails have the green

pre-mixed route with individ-

profits flowing during these

and make sure we’re giving

light, the “relaxed” liquor

ual and pitcher-sized ready-

socially distanced times.

customers the best version of

laws are still pretty strict.

to-drink cocktails, offering

One new trend they’re

“We’re always paying attention to our guests’ feedback

the restaurant as they knew it pre-pandemic.” Lanea’s Picnic Pack: 2 cocktails plus blanket PHOTO BY @JENKAY (IG)

What restaurants and bars

Some stipulate to-go cock-

cocktail-making kits, or some

tails can only be sold with a

combination of the two, the

food purchase from the same

savviest establishments are

establishment; others require

getting creative with recipes,

that the cocktails come in

packaging and promotions

containers with a secure lid

behind the bar.

or cap. In most places, there are strict “last call” closing

LANEA. Lanea offers a selec-

times and delivery hours that

tion of house best-sellers,

limit service. And in some

from their Margaritas and

Lanea’s cold pack cocktails

Palomas to originals such as the Oaxacan Mule, the Third Street Sling, Catalina Wine Mixer and Jungle Bird Scooter. Although many L.A.-area restaurants are offering DIY kits, Huber say his customers were “too busy making banana bread and learning to knit to be bothered with mak-

el restaurante | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

As long as we're apart, we're in this together. For your passion, your hard work, your support, and your spirit.

Here’s to you.

Summer Heat 1½ oz Tito’s Handmade Vodka 2 oz sparkling water ½ oz lime juice ½ oz agave 3 slices cucumber 2 slices jalapeño

Muddle slices into a shaker tin. Add Tito’s Handmade Vodka, lime juice, agave, and ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a glass over ice. Garnish with jalapeno and your choice of a cucumber or lime slice.

at the bar

“To ensure freshness and efficiency, we have our bartenders make a fresh batch of Margaritas-to-go daily. We also added a ‘perishable’ label on the bottle that reminds customers the cocktail needs to be refrigerated and consumed immediately.” – MICHAEL GAINES, Xperience Restaurant Group High” made with Bacardi rum,

less sweet and more conversa-

customers can expect Lanea’s

Strega, fresh watermelon juice

tional way to appreciate what

same high-quality standards

and lime.

Lanea offers during better

and emphasis on freshness.

Instead of going the popular Lanea’s to-go Paloma

glass container route, Lanea’s

times. Huber felt it was appropri-

“We try to use as many fresh ingredients as pos-

to-go drinks are sold in a can

ate to offer customers a value

sible, and only acid modify

or cold pack format. The pack-

proposition, discounting indi-

when necessary. All our

aging is not only sustainable

vidual cocktails in deference to

ingredients are hand-selected

and eco-friendly but also has

customers affected by current

and tested based on absolute

tain a hand-crafted sensibility,

“curb appeal” and is easier

economic conditions. Drink

freshness, with the drink’s

from the basic Margarita made

to manage if customers bring

prices also go down when

lifespan in mind,” Huber

with Cazadores Tequila, fresh

lunch or dinner to the beach

customers order a 4-, 6- or

explains. “Additionally, our

lime, Demerara and orange

or the park, Huber explains.

12-pack of cocktails. Even with

use of pressure with nitrogen

reduced prices, Huber stresses

and CO2 in our state-of-the-

ing their own cocktails.” Lanea’s best sellers main-

liqueur to the spicy Mar-

To mix things up, manage-

garita made with Jaja Tequila,

ment is also looking into

fresh lime and house-made

packaging premium tequila

habanero honey to the high-

and mezcal tasting flights

concept “Watermelon.Sugar.

for customers who want a

The Margarita Road Show In San Antonio, La Gloria has stretched the “Margaritas-to-go” concept by bringing their award-winning Margaritas to fans via one of two festively decorated ice cream trucks that cover different areas of the city on different days. The trucks make home deliveries, too. The Margarita selection is impressive: House, Blue, Prickly Pear and Mango, all in a choice of frozen or on the rocks. There

days that customized delivery options were sold out due to the overwhelming response. “Our Margarita trucks are another fun, creative way to adapt

are even make-your-own cocktail packs (House Margarita, Los

in an ever-changing restaurant business landscape where

Pepinos Cucumber VodkaRita, Las Fresas Margarita and Jack &

safety is top of mind,” says Chef Johnny Hernandez, founder and

Coke) for those who prefer DIY libations. A limited food menu

president of parent company Grupo La Gloria and True Flavors

that includes taco kits, chips, salsa and queso is also available.

Inc. “While we know many of our customers are not ready to

The truck has generated so much interest that La Gloria’s

dine out, we know that doesn’t mean they don’t crave one of

management recommends that customers watch for updates

our famous Margaritas. Delivering to our customers’ homes not

on La Gloria’s social media accounts because there have been

only makes enjoying our signature Margaritas safer and more convenient, but this new avenue of serving our customers also helps us rebuild our business and ultimately will allow us to hire back more members of our team.” Customers can follow the trucks’ whereabouts at facebook.com/ lagloriamargaritas and pre-order their cocktails at LaGloria.com.

at the bar

Limón’s to-go cocktails

way to go when developing a

“Our plastic jars are working

cocktails-to-go program.

great for us because they seal

“We are choosing to-go

nicely and are less likely to

cocktails instead of kits be-

be broken or damaged during

cause it ensures consistency

transport,” Castillo reports.

in the quality of our cocktails and makes the customer

THE ALIBI, Palm Springs, California.

experience easier—they just

Fussy drinks and made-to-

have to shake and pour over

order cocktails are out, while

ice,” explains Michael Gaines,

“sentimental classics” are

the company’s food and

in, according to co-owner

beverage director, who says

Melanie Tusquellas. “Cus-

Xperience kept the selection

tomers want to have stabil-

art canning system helps

of to-go cocktails to its top-

streamlined the bar menu for

ity and familiarity in drink

extend that freshness, so the

selling Margaritas and bottled

a cocktails-to-go program.

choices during these chal-

customer’s experience once

them. “Just like we observed

“As long as we have Mar-

lenging times. Our pre-made

they crack open their cocktail

with our dine-in situation,

garitas flowing, our custom-

cocktails were selected with

is as if they’ve had one of

guests are mostly demanding

ers are happy,” says Vega,

historical knowledge of what

our expert bartenders right

classic Margaritas like our

who reports the biggest seller

were simple best-sellers pre-

there, making the fresh drinks

House Margarita and Cadillac

has been the ½-gallon size of

pandemic and what would be

with them all night.”

Margarita, and at some of our

Casa Vega’s Classic Mar-

suitable for an ease of service

brands, true breakout hits like

garitas for $30, which makes

at home without a profes-

XPERIENCE RESTAURANT

the Watermelon Margarita,”

eight individual cocktails.

sional bartender,” Tusquel-

GROUP, Los Angeles. With Sol

he adds.

Cocina, Pink Taco, El Torito,

No changes were made to

“There are no changes to

las explains. “We want the

our recipes. We are still using

take-home cocktail to be as

Chevy’s and Las Brisas in its

its existing cocktail recipes

fresh-squeezed juices and the

reliable and delicious as the

family of restaurants, Xperi-

and glass containers—which

highest quality ingredients,”

same drink you order from

ence Restaurant Group de-

he says are “sturdy, re-sealable

she says. “The only modifica-

your favorite bartender at

cided being straight forward

and recyclable”—are the

tion we made was packaging

The Alibi. Customers seem

and uncomplicated was the

vessels of choice. “To ensure

the to-go cocktail in a 16-oz.

to prefer ease and simplicity,

freshness and efficiency, we

mason jar. For single serv-

so ready-to-serve cocktails

have our bartenders make a

ing margaritas, I prefer glass

are preferable and from a

fresh batch of Margaritas-to-go

mason jars as, in my opinion,

manager perspective they

daily,” he says. “We also added

alcohol does not taste right in

can be more consistent with

a ‘perishable’ label on the

plastic.”

less waste.”

bottle that reminds customers the cocktail needs to be

LIMÓN, San Francisco. Cocktail-

refrigerated and consumed

to-go customers at this

immediately.”

Northern California Peruvian restaurant lean toward pisco

CASA VEGA, Los Angeles. Christy

sours, sangria, maracuya

Vega, owner of this 64-year-

sours and Margaritas, ac-

old LA landmark, found that

cording to owner Antonio

the classics needed to stay

Castillo. Unlike Vega, Castillo

front and center when she

is a fan of plastic containers.

el restaurante | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

The Alibi’s Watermelon Daiquiri

To-Go Not Always a Go

ise and to-go versions,” he says, “even if citric acid can be added to preserve flavor.”

Not every restaurant el Restaurante reached out

How will customers react to the cocktails

home cocktail (Margaritas,

to was effusive about the cocktail-to-go format.

they’re getting to go? And what are you doing to

watermelon daiquiris and

At Peruvian-inspired Rosatoro Restaurant &

maintain quality, flavor and consistency of what

Tusquellas says each take-

palomas are most popular)

Pisco Bar in Queens, New York, general manager

you’re offering? Those are important things to

comes in a sealed container

Kevin Sales recently put his to-go cocktail menu

consider as you’re planning and implementing

and is created to have a shelf

on hold to take time to weigh the pros and cons

your cocktails-to-go menu—because the goal,

life of seven days. “We do not

of the program.

after all, is to maintain and build your reputation

use fragile garnishes, highly

“We were offering some of our house and

perishable herbs or fussy

classic cocktails, including flavored Margaritas,

juice mixes,” she says, noting

mojitos and piña coladas, leaning toward fresh

fresh-squeezed juices deliver a

summer flavors,” Sales says. “The pricing was

higher quality taste and travel

around $12 to $20, based on size, and offered in

better than complex delicate

12-, 16- and 32-oz plastic bottles.”

herbal mixes. “We aim for a

What made Sales pull back, at least for a while?

pure, simple, classic mix that

“While pre-made cocktails sell well because

is refrigerated and ready to

customers do not need to take any extra steps to

pour after a simple shaking in

complete them, I worry about taste and consis-

the to-go container.”

tency not quite matching up between on-prem-

during the current crisis so guests will flock back when the pandemic subsides.

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

| el restaurante

marketplace/el mercado

Inno-Pak. “Seal the meal” with Handle Cuffs, an innovative new line of bag seals that protect delivery and carry out orders from tampering by covering the entire top of the bag and “locking up” the gussets. There’s a printed area for order information, and a mailer-style pull strip to make opening easy. Available in 3 sizes; works with all paper bag sizes. Microwavable carryout containers and compostable cartons also available. 800-INNOPAK; innopak.com; info@innopak.com TableCraft. These easy-to-assemble acrylic safety shields can help prevent the spread of germs and protect restaurant employees and customers. Made of ¼-inch acrylic, they provide a clear, durable, lightweight, and impact-resistant option to glass and can be easily sanitized using non-abrasive cleaners. Standard countertop, action station and cafeteria and booth options, plus freestanding units in 30-inch and 36-inch widths available. Made to order in Willis, Texas; custom sizes also available. Contact your local TableCraft sales rep or visit tablecraft.com

Inno-Pak. “Selle los alimentos” con Handle Cuffs, una nueva e innovadora línea de sellos de bolsas que protegen los pedidos para entrega y listos para llevar de alteraciones al cubrir toda la parte superior de la bolsa y “encerrar” los fuelles. Tiene una zona impresa para la información del pedido y una tira para jalar similar a la correspondencia para facilitar la apertura. Disponible en 3 tamaños; funciona con todos los tamaños de bolsas de papel. También hay envases para llevar que se pueden usar en microondas y cartones compostables disponibles. 800-INNOPAK; innopak.com; info@innopak.com

TableCraft. Estas placas de seguridad hechas de acrílico fáciles de ensamblar pueden ayudar a prevenir la propagación de gérmenes y a proteger a los empleados y clientes de restaurantes. Fabricadas en acrílico de ¼ de pulgada, ofrecen una alternativa transparente, duradera, liviana y resistente a impactos al vidrio y se pueden desinfectar fácilmente con limpiadores no abrasivos. Opciones para mostrador estándar, estación de comida y cafetería, y stand, además de unidades independientes disponibles en anchos de 30 y 36 pulgadas. Producción por encargo en Willis, Texas; también hay tamaños personalizados disponibles. Póngase en contacto con su representante de ventas local de TableCraft o visite tablecraft.com

Texican Specialty Products. Safety is more important than ever now. That’s why Texican has introduced TexiClean Sani-Spritz Spray, a restaurant-grade disinfectant and sanitizer that works on table tops, furnishings, equipment, menus and more. 713-896-9924; texicanspecialty.com

Texican Specialty Products. La seguridad es más importante que nunca antes. Es por ello que Texican presenta TexiClean Sani-Spritz Spray, un desinfectante y sanitizante para uso en restaurantes que sirve para mesas, muebles, maquinaria, menús y más. 713-896-9924; texicanspecialty.com

el restaurante | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

Mr. Tortilla. The company’s new 1-carb, 15-calorie tortilla lets chefs add healthy menu items without sacrificing quality and flavor—a great option for customers looking for low-carb, Keto-friendly and/or vegan options. The taco complements the filling’s flavor and is so sturdy you only need one tortilla, not two, for each taco. Great for on-premise and carryout/delivery dishes. Twenty of the 1-carb tortillas are equal to one street taco in carbs! Mr. Tortilla donates 10 percent of net profits to charities, 10 percent to employee profit sharing and an additional 5 percent of all online sales to families affected by COVID-19. 818-233-8932; mrtortilla.com

Mr. Tortilla. La nueva tortilla de 1 carbohidrato y 15 calorías de la compañía permite a los chefs agregar elementos saludables al menú sin renunciar a la calidad y el sabor: es una excelente opción para los clientes que buscan opciones bajas en carbohidratos, cetogénicas y/o veganas. El taco complementa el sabor del relleno y es tan resistente que solo se necesita una tortilla, no dos, para cada taco. Ideal para platillos en el local y para llevar/entregar. ¡Veinte de las tortillas de 1 carbohidrato equivalen a un taco callejero en carbohidratos! Mr. Tortilla dona el 10 por ciento de las ganancias netas a organizaciones benéficas, el 10 por ciento al reparto de utilidades de los empleados y un 5 por ciento adicional de todas las ventas en línea a familias afectadas por el COVID-19. 818-233-8932; mrtortilla.com

Plum Grove, Inc. Looking for help to weather pandemic-related challenges? Plum Grove is offering free printable COVID-19 signs and coronavirus posters, available in a pdf format in English and Spanish. Other safety products including hand sanitizer dispensers, floor decals and cough and sneeze guards also available. plumgroveinc.com

Plum Grove, Inc. ¿Busca ayuda para enfrentar las dificultades relacionadas con la pandemia? Plum Grove ofrece de manera gratuita letreros sobre el COVID-19 y pósters del coronavirus que se pueden imprimir, disponibles en formato pdf en inglés y español. También hay otros productos de seguridad disponibles, incluyendo dispensadores de desinfectante para manos, calcomanías para pisos y protectores contra la tos y los estornudos. plumgroveinc.com

Ready Foods. Made with a tomato base, Ready Foods’ Marco’s Adovada Sauce features New Mexico chiles, ancho chiles, and chile pequin, plus cilantro, garlic, lime juice, onion, coriander and a perfect blend of spices—a combination that delivers the heat and flavor variety consumers are asking for. When you order a case of sauce—instead of an array of peppers and spices that will take up pantry space and not be used before their expiration dates—you get 100% yield and solve labor issues and product inconsistencies, too! BPA-free packaging. 303-892-5861; readyfoods.biz

Ready Foods. Elaborada a base de tomate, la Marco’s Salsa Adobada de Ready Foods contiene chiles de Nuevo México, chile ancho y chile piquín, además de cilantro, ajo, jugo de limón, cebolla y una mezcla perfecta de especias: una combinación que ofrece el picor y el sabor que los consumidores de comidas diversas buscan. Al pedir un envase de salsa, en lugar de una variedad de pimientos y especias que ocuparán espacio en el almacén y no se usarán antes de las fechas de caducidad, ¡obtendrá un rendimiento del 100% y también resolverá problemas de operaciones e inconsistencias del producto! Envase sin BPA. 303-892-5861; readyfoods.biz

BE&SCO. During these unprecedented times, the BE&SCO MINI WEDGE is essential to keeping your business on track and keeping up with demand. This compact press is portable and can deliver 4-inch to 7-inch product at a production rate of up to 500/hour while maintaining quality and consistency. Designed to auto-eject product to limit contact and keep your workers safe. Reach out now! 210-734-5124; bescomfg.com BE&SCO. Durante estos tiempos sin precedentes, la BE&SCO MINI WEDGE es esencial para mantener su negocio en marcha y seguirle el ritmo a la demanda. Esta prensa compacta es portátil y puede generar productos de 4 a 7 pulgadas a una velocidad de producción de hasta 500 por hora, manteniendo la calidad y la consistencia. Está diseñada para expulsar automáticamente el producto para limitar el contacto y mantener seguros a sus trabajadores. ¡Comuníquese ahora mismo! 210-734-5124; bescomfg.com Clarkson Grain. Clarkson Grain works with farmers to create consistently high-quality corn that is ideal for tortilla making. All Clarkson Grain tortilla corn—white, blue and yellow—is non-GMO or organic, and the company’s sorting process ensures that all the corn kernels are a consistent size and unbroken. Clarkson offers annual contracts to ensure predictable supply and pricing. 800-252-1638; www.clarksongrain.com Clarkson Grain. Clarkson Grain colabora con agricultores para producir de manera constante maíz de alta calidad que es ideal para la elaboración de tortillas. Todo el maíz para tortilla de Clarkson Grain (blanco, azul y amarillo) es orgánico o no genéticamente modificado, y el proceso de selección de la empresa garantiza que todos los granos de maíz sean de un tamaño consistente y estén intactos. Clarkson ofrece contratos anuales para garantizar un suministro y precios predecibles. 800-252-1638; www.clarksongrain.com AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

| el restaurante

resource guide

is perfect for Mexican cocktails!

el restaurante | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

recipes

Green Mango Spirals with Mango Aguachile, Cured Shrimp and Salsa Macha* Recipe by Chef Mikel Anthony, Chef’s Roll, for National Mango Board (mango.org)

*Salsa Macha is a salsa from Veracruz made with a variety of dried peppers, nuts and oil. **“Green” refers to mangos at the early stages of ripening, when the whole fruit is firm to the touch, the flesh is crisp and the taste tart/sour.

Makes 4 appetizer servings

The Cured Shrimp: 1 c. freshly squeezed lime juice ½ lb. small shrimp, 16 pieces Submerge shrimp in lime juice. Add more juice, if needed to cover. Refrigerate until no longer opaque, 45 minutes to 1 hour. The Cured Baby Red Onions: ½ to 1 c. freshly squeezed lime juice 8 baby red onions, peeled and halved Submerge onions in lime juice. Add more juice, if needed. Refrigerate until no longer opaque, 45 minutes to 1 hour. The Mango Aguachile: 1 lemon 1 orange 1 lime 2 fully ripe mangos, peeled and cut into chunks 1 small jalapeño (removing seeds is optional) Juice the citrus and blend with mangos and jalapeño until smooth. The Green Mango Spirals/Noodles: 2 small green mangos** (stage 2 to 3 ripeness) Use an apple slicer or attachment for KitchenAid. Because mangos have seeds, set up to peel up and down the length of the mango. When using a table top apple slicer, remove the slicing insert and it will continually “peel” the outside if you continue to start and stop. Alternatively, use a mandolin to cut peeled green mango cheeks into a thin julienne cut. Spiralize mangos up to 3 hours in advance of service to maintain quality of the noodle. Per serving 4 thin slices cucumber Cilantro leaves Salsa Macha* or salsa of your choice Corn chip rounds Combine about 1⁄3 cup of mango noodles with 1 tablespoon of Mango Aguachile and create a ring on the bottom of a shallow bowl. Top with thinly sliced cucumber, cilantro, 4 pieces of cured onion and 4 pieces of cured shrimp. Fill the circle with about 2 tablespoons of Mango Aguachile. Drizzle the plate with about 1 teaspoon Salsa Macha and garnish with a few corn chips.

Ceviche de Palmitas:

Heart of Palm Ceviche

Reprinted with permission from La Vida Verde by Jocelyn Ramirez, Page Street Publishing Co. 2020 Makes 4 servings

1 (14-oz.) can heart of palm ½ c. lemon juice ¼ c. olive oil Salt and pepper, to taste 1 globe tomato, diced 1 Hass avocado, diced 1 Persian cucumber, diced ½ jalapeño, minced 1 bunch cilantro, minced 1 T. black sesame seeds, to garnish Tortilla chips or tostadas, to serve Drain the heart of palm spears in a medium strainer. Slice the palm spears into ¼-inch bitesize slices (some of the pieces will separate into rings). Add to a medium bowl with the lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper to marinate. When adding the salt to taste, start with 1 teaspoon. Let heart of palm marinate in the fridge for about 30 minutes to absorb the flavors. While the heart of palm marinates, prepare the vegetables and cilantro. Combine veggies with the marinated heart of palm, reserving some of the cilantro for garnishing. Fold together with a spatula or your hands to incorporate well. (Be careful as the heart of palm is delicate and can break easily.) Add additional salt if needed. Top with black sesame seeds and reserved cilantro and serve with chips or on a tostada (and pair it with a shot of smoky mezcal).

Biónico:

Mexican Fruit Salad with Yogurt Recipe courtesy of el Restaurante contributing writer Karen Hursh Graber Makes 2 servings

1 c. strawberries, or any berries in season, sliced if large 1 c. diced cantaloupe, or may use papaya 3 T. chopped pecans

1⁄3 c. plain, full fat yogurt (not Greek) 1⁄3 c. sour cream or Mexican crema ¼ c. condensed milk ½ t. vanilla Granola and/or shredded coconut for garnish Honey for drizzling (optional) Place berries, cantaloupe or papaya, and nuts in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine yogurt, cream, condensed milk and vanilla. Add yogurt mixture to the bowl with fruit and toss gently. Garnish with granola and shredded coconut. Serve honey on the side, to be added to taste.

Enjococado: Chicken in Yogurt Sauce, Mixteca Poblana Style Makes 4 generous main course servings

3 lbs. bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs 2 T. vegetable oil 6 guajillo chiles, seeded and deveined 6 ancho chiles, seeded and deveined 1 ½ c. hot chicken broth ½ lb. plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped ½ lb. tomatillos (tomate verde) coarsely chopped 4 cloves garlic, roasted on a comal or dry griddle, then peeled ½ medium onion, roasted on a comal or dry griddle, then peeled ¼ t. cumin seeds, lightly toasted 1 ½ c. jocoque, or use equal parts sour cream and plain yogurt In a large skillet, brown chicken in vegetable oil. Set chicken aside. Soak both kinds of chiles in the hot broth until soft. Allow to cool, then place chiles and broth in blender with tomatoes, tomatillos, garlic, onion and cumin seeds. Puree until smooth. In the same skillet where the chicken was browned, add the blended chile-tomato sauce. Cook on medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes. Return the chicken to the skillet. Cook over medium heat until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken to plates. Add jocoque to sauce in skillet, whisking to blend well. Serve chicken bathed in the sauce, accompanied by warm corn tortillas.

AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

| el restaurante

my favorite recipe

JIM URDIALES

Mestizo Restaurant WHEN JIM URDIALES DEBUTED MESTIZO RESTAURANT in

Baton Rouge, Louisiana in 1999, he wanted to introduce Louisianans to food that reflected his Mestizo heritage by offering menu items that melded the best parts of Mexican and Cajun-French cuisine. Today, more than 20 years after that debut (and after a 2018 expansion that added 55 seats plus a private banquet space to the original footprint), Mestizo is a thriving culinary hot spot in this bayou town. Local media have described the innovative menu—which includes many Keto, vegetarian, and gluten-free options—as Mexican-Cajun, Mexican Louisiana cuisine, and Mexican cuisine with Louisiana flair. With so many items on the menu, choosing a favorite might seem a tough task. But when el Restaurante asked Urdiales to share a favorite, this Baton Rouge restaurateur was quick to offer his pick: the Fried Avocado with Shrimp and Crab from the Antojito section of Mestizo’s menu. “The fried avocado has been on my menu for the

Fried Avocado with Shrimp and Crab

past four years, and I am always looking for ways to

Makes 4 servings

the boiled shrimp and crab.

create new dishes with current items,” Urdiales says.

2 ripe avocados

Season to taste.

“Mestizo always has a specialty guacamole each day,

8 oz. 91/110 boiled shrimp

and most guests really enjoy avocados. The panko coating is what makes it so special.” Urdiales says the breaded avocado pieces used to make this popular appetizer are prepared fresh

4 oz. fresh lump crab meat 8 oz. butter 4 oz. trinity (chopped onion, celery and bell pepper) 2 eggs

daily, frozen, and then taken from the freezer and

3 T. water

fried to order.

1 c. panko

“It only takes about two to three minutes to fry,”

½ c. flour

he says. “We keep the shrimp and crab mixture warm

½ c. heavy cream

on the line so it can be put together quite quickly. It

4 c. soybean oil

travels well and with the current state of business

In a pot, sauté the trinity in 8 oz. butter until tender, then pour in heavy cream; let mixture simmer and thicken, then add

being mainly take out, it is quite a popular item.” An added bonus: “We also use the fried avocado in our veggie taco combo plate,” Urdiales adds.

el restaurante | AUGUST/SEPTEMBER 2020

Cut each avocado in quarters and lightly season with salt and pepper to taste. Crack eggs in a bowl and mix with water. In two separate bowls, place panko and flour. Dredge avocado quarter in flour first, followed by egg mixture and lastly in panko. Place soybean oil in a pot for frying and make sure the oil reaches 350°F. Fry avocados until golden brown. Place shrimp and crab mixture over avocados and serve.

Now Serve Delicious Authentic Tacos EVERY DAY!

Call today for samples of our authentic Al Pastor, Pollo Adobo and Carne Asada. Available in Trompos (hand-stacked cones) and cooked-to-order IQF Strips that provide maximum flavor, yield and portion control.

Ask your favorite distributor for Mega Sabor products.

el Restaurante magazine, AugSep 2020 edition

Articles inside

MY FAVORITE RECIPE—Mestizo Restaurant’s

AT THE BAR—Good to Go

BETTER BASICS: Delivery Done Right

MARKETPLACE

COVER STORY—A Fresh Spin on Ceviche

FROM MEXICO—Yogurt on Mexican Menus

RECIPES

REVISITING REOPENING—See saw of reopening