Feeding the soul

(Editor’s note: This conversation was held in Spanish with interpretation by City of Gunnison Community and Policy Liaison Ricardo Esqueda.)

While the country of Mexico lies more than 1,000 miles from Gunnison, valley residents need only travel a few blocks to enjoy some of the finest Mexican cuisine. The City of Gunnison is home to a host of much-loved Mexican eateries, and late last month, a new addition opened its doors.

In mid-April, Tacos en Cantina, located at 800 North Main Street, served its first warm, hearty meals to diners. For owner Guillermo Mier, the new venture is a chance to step into a new line of work and share some of his favorite dishes with friends old and new.

Tacos en Cantina is located between Gunnison Vitamin and Pitas in Paradise, in a unit that formerly housed the Agave Family Mexican Restaurant. Agave is currently in the process of relocating to a new, larger space downtown at 618 West Tomichi Ave., Mier said.

Mier, who has worked in framing and home construction for years, said he was ready to take a chance on a new business that would give him more opportunities to connect with others.

“I enjoy spending time with people, and I think this restaurant is a good location for something like that,” Mier said. “I like this town, so I wanted to create something that would be good for the community.”

Mier and his team have been hard at work on creative new takes on classic dishes and the restaurant’s existing decor.

Tacos en Cantina will offer a variety of authentic Mexican dishes, such as barbacoa and birria goat meat stews, tacos and more. Traditional barbacoa meat is braised or steam-roasted lamb or goat meat cooked in a marinade full of spices and aromatic herbs. These days, beef or pork are also commonly used. Birria meat is browned before it is simmered for hours in a chile-based broth, resulting in a tender, shreddable delicacy.

Kitchen staff will soon make their own tortillas from scratch, and grind up salsa by hand in stone molcajetes, which are similar to the mortar and pestle. Also in the works is an outdoor prep station where cooks can trim slow-cooked meat from a spit, providing diners a glimpse into the process.

Mier is in the process of acquiring the restaurant’s liquor license, and has plenty of ideas for twists on classic cocktails. Throughout the summer, Tacos en Cantina will offer weekend specials out on the patio, including a rotating selection of speciality tacos.

While some of the interior features remain the same — most notably the colorful bench seats painted with different figures and scenes — the brick underlay of the outdoor patio has been repainted from red to a soothing blue hue, which Mier hopes will help create a relaxing atmosphere for guests during the summer months. The color also reflects one of Mier’s favorite features of the Gunnison Valley: its many deep, blue lakes where he likes to spend his afternoons fishing.

Out front, a brand-new sign hangs above the entrance. The hand-painted design features the restaurant logo sandwiched between two chefs smiling down at passersby, with an azure background to match the updated patio space.

Cosmetic changes aside, it’s the expansive menu of fan-favorite Mexican dishes that are the heart and soul of the business, creating an opportunity for Mier and staff to socialize and share their culture with diners, he said.

“We do our best to make sure that everyone leaves here satisfied and happy,” Mier said.

(Mariel Wiley can be contacted at 970.641.1414 or mariel@gunnisontimes.com.)