Dining Out: Fiesta Azteca boasts extensive menu

2009-10-25T11:46:00.002-06:00

Taken from: http://www.redding.com/news/2009/may/07/dining-out-fiesta-azteca-boasts-extensive-menu/

Marc Beauchamp, contributing writer

Posted May 7, 2009 at 9:07 a.m.

REDDING.- Opening a restaurant is nothing less than a leap of faith. But opening a restaurant in Redding in the worst recession in more than a generation? “People called me crazy,” said Fiesta Azteca co-owner Daniel Gonzalez, who left behind a good-paying position at Red Robin. “It’s all about determination,” said partner Carlos Borges of the four-month-old “Mexican-American grill” on Park Marina Drive. “No matter what, we’re going to make it possible,” declared Borges, a 28-year-old native of Caracas, Venezuela, who had dreamed of opening his own restaurant since coming to the United States a decade ago.

Fiesta Azteca’s early word of mouth is certainly encouraging. “We’ll definitely be back,” said Tammy Krumvieda of Redding, dining recently with husband Jeff, daughter Kitera and French foreign exchange student Delphine Delcros. “We eat at all the Mexican restaurants,” said Krumvieda, working on a chimichanga ($9.99) that she pronounced “very good.” The deep-fried ice cream dessert (with strawberries and chocolate) “was awesome,” said her daughter, a junior at University Preparatory School.

Borges and business partner Gonzalez, 35, completely remodeled the restaurant, formerly the Sundial Grill and Sue’s Country Kitchen. Stucco partitions and arches painted yellow-orange, white and cobalt blue give the comfortable booths a feeling of privacy.

The partners know the restaurant business, having met while working at Red Robin in 2006. Gonzales, a Los Angeles native, was with Red Robin for 16 years, most recently as assistant general manager/service manager. Borges has worked at Olive Garden and Casa Ramos (where he met his wife, Tanya Yvette Borges).

The Plato Azteca ($15.49) offers a good sampling of the extensive menu. It includes two tacos (beef and chicken), carne asada, sautéed shrimp, rice and beans and a chile relleno prepared the traditional way, stuffed with potatoes and white Mexican cheese. It’s enough food for two. Also popular are the chile verde ($10.99) and the fish and shrimp tacos ($2.50 apiece).

Got a big appetite? Come for breakfast and try the $8.99 Azteca Slam (sausage, bacon and ham, eggs, pancakes and hash browns).

Fiesta Azteca boasts a full bar, and Borges is particularly proud of his $3.99 margaritas. If asked, he’ll serve up a cantarito ($4.99), a traditional Mexican concoction of tequila, Squirt, and lime, orange and grapefruit juices. Don’t want alcohol? Try a Jarritos, a natural Mexican soda that comes in tamarind, mandarin or lime flavors, or a Mexican Coca-Cola, made with sugar, not high-fructose corn syrup.

Borges may ask to take your picture for the restaurant’s Facebook page — “a good way to connect with customers” and create a family atmosphere, he believes.

Como va? “Things are going excellent and will get better,” Borges said. The up side of opening a restaurant in a down economy, he said, is that costs — for equipment, rent and so forth — can be less than during good times. “It’s even better to invest right now…that’s how personally I saw it.”

Our Menu! Delicious food for you!

2009-10-25T11:31:00.006-06:00

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