The family owners of Patio Andaluz wouldn’t serve up a simmering pan of paella, or plate of tacos, they wouldn’t place in front of their mother or grandmother.
After all, it’s from those family matriarchs the recipes owe their source.
“Our recipes come from our family,” said Alejandra Lopez, who along with her husband Antonio Bueno owns the Port Dalhousie Spanish-Mexican restaurant.
Antonio & Alejandra
Owners
“When we put something on the table, we’re proud of it,” said Lopez, who grew up in a family of nine children in Mexico. For her, the kitchen was always the centre of the house, and the same goes for Bueno and his Spanish upbringing.
The pair had longed dreamed of owning a restaurant, working in construction to save for a place to share the dual heritages they are proud of. After settling on a space on Lock Street—Lopez recalled a feeling of fate when they first pulled up in front of the empty building—about a year ago they got to work, working day jobs during the week while renovating the space on weekends.
The personal effort of the family shows in the interior and decor, drawing heavily on the Andaluz region of Spain where Bueno grew up, with nods to his culture’s traditions of bull fighting and flamenco dance.
“We feel proud of our roots,” said Lopez, translating for her husband.
That pride extends to the meals, be in the paella, a customer favourite served with the fanfare of shouts and a ringing bell, that Bueno grew up on, or the tacos prepared just as Lopez’ family would have made.
The selection of Spanish tapas and Mexican fare certainly delivers on authenticity. Paired with in-house made drinks, from a secret-recipe sangria to red hibiscus margaritas, the meals have been gaining popularity with regulars, many of whom seem to return every few nights.
Lopez and Bueno only expect the popularity of the restaurant to increase, especially with its patio, decorated in the Andaluz style, set to open in the near future.
“We wanted to do something different,” said Lopez, noting sharing their respective cultures will continue to be a focus, both on the plate and off. The couple already has plans for special celebrations at the restaurant surrounding the day flamenco was declared a world heritage treasure by UNESCO, Mexican Independence Day and Día de Muertos, the Mexican Day of the Dead.
(Original story written by Steve Henschel of Niagara This Week)