Thursday, April 25, 2024
ORDER UP: The chile relleno at Los Nares is one of the more popular dishes at the Mexican restaurant. Owner, Erick Nares, poses with wife Hisalia to show off their delicious creation.
AUTHENTIC MEXICAN CUISINE: Los Nares, located at 2200 E. U.S. Highway 377, is a new Mexican restaurant that is always bustling with customers due to its authentic Mexican dishes.
REGULARS: Slyan, Jana, Kade and Jonathan Lockhart are regular customers at Los Nares. They said the food is “always fresh” and that the restaurant is “very busy” on weekends.
A new restaurant is transporting customers from Hood County to south of the border with its authentic Mexican cuisine and cultural atmosphere.
Los Nares, located at 2200 E. U.S. Highway 377, is a traditional-style Mexican restaurant that has only been open since early April, but already the family-owned business has been flourishing in the community.
The owner, Erick Nares, also owns Nares Tacos, a food truck specializing in breakfast burritos, tacos and quesadillas. The food truck is located at 2601 E. U.S. Highway 377 and has been in operation for the past three years.
“He (Nares) decided to open a restaurant because everything was going really good (at Nares Tacos),” said Fatima Hernandez, an employee of Los Nares. “And since then, it’s been very busy — especially on weekends; it gets packed.”
It took Nares a short while to get accustomed to running a restaurant as opposed to a food truck, but welcomed the differences.
“You can treat people at a restaurant,” Nares said in Spanish, with Hernandez translating for him during the interview. “At the food truck, they’re there, they give their order and then they’re gone. Here we have more service.”
“We've been there and we're trying to figure it out still,” Hernandez said. “I mean, customers have been great. We haven't had any issues. Some days are slow, but lunch and weekends, we get slammed and people notice it. They come in and they wait for tables, which makes us feel like we're doing good.”
Hernandez, who has worked at Los Nares since the beginning, said she can’t pick just one favorite dish on the menu because “everything is really good.” As for customer favorites, however, Hernandez said the street tacos and birria tacos are popular.
“Chicken enchiladas, beef enchiladas, chile relleños, poblano peppers, those are all popular,” she said. “On weekends, we sell a lot of menudo, but it’s only (served on) Saturdays and Sundays.”
When asked what sets Los Nares apart from other Mexican restaurants in Hood County, Nares chuckled and simply said, “Everything.”
“I don’t have a recipe,” Hernandez said, still translating for Nares. “I make everything as is. (My employees) prep (the food) every day, and that’s why everything’s fresh (daily).”
“To me — and I've heard a lot of customers say this — it’s more like Mexican food than other places here, which has, like, more Tex-Mex food,” Hernandez said.
When asked what he’s most excited about moving forward, Nares replied, “open a bigger restaurant,” with Hernandez chiming in that they have already had to supply the restaurant with more tables, after realizing that 12 tables weren’t enough to keep up with the demand.
Los Nares is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Saturday and 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
Nares Tacos is open from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday and is closed on Sunday.
Nares also wanted to add a “thank you” to all the people who have been his customers from day one.
“He’s going to be doing it for (many years to come),” Hernandez added.
For more information, visit Los Nares’ Facebook page or call the main phone number, 682-936-2288.
