There has been quite a bit of movement on the food landscape the last few weeks. It seems all anyone is talking about is restaurant closings. That’s kind of depressing if you ask me, but I’m just here to tell you what’s going on. There was a time in the last 18 months where all I could seem to talk about were new restaurants opening. It’s all cyclical, I suppose. Well, I come to you now bearing some good news. Especially those of you who enjoy Mexican food downtown but get scared away by the 45 minute waits at Tequila’s Town on Whitaker Street. Jalapeno’s Mexican Restaurant tells me they are planning to open the franchise’s 7th location at 7 East Broughton Street between Kayak Kafe and B&D Burgers near Bull Street.
“We had been looking at a few different spaces downtown.” says Gloria Guerrero, an employee at Jalapeno’s corporate office. “There was one near Forsyth Park they liked as well, but this one on Broughton was better because of the foot traffic.” she says. At the same time, Tequila’s Town -2014 Eat It and Like It Foodie Award Winner for Best Mexican-is a few weeks away from opening their second location in Sandfly. That location will be across the street essentially from, you guessed it, Jalapenos’ Sandfly location.
Jalapenos certainly has the following in this city. Their original location is at 8840 Abercorn Street. They have since grown with locations in Richmond Hill as well as Pooler. Tequila’s Town splashed on the scene a couple of years ago downtown with authentic dishes and carefully made cocktails. Add to that a location on Whitaker near Broughton that gets a ton of foot traffic with both tourists and locals and you get a recipe for success. Which they have certainly found. As we all know, getting locals to come downtown on a regular basis to enjoy this Mexican food, no matter how good it is, is a challenge. So now they are bringing their Whitaker Street magic to Sandfly.
Jalapenos Downtown, I’m told will be different. “The downtown spot will have a much more modern feel.” Guerrero tells me. “If you have seen our Pooler location, it is a little more modern than the older ones we have.” “We won’t have any traditional Mexican decorations. It will be a very modern feel.” she says.
That cheer you are hearing right now is coming from me. I can’t tell you how excited I am to hear that a new Mexican restaurant is going in and won’t have drunk guys with mustaches painted on the walls riding burros. I think we are little beyond all of that. It’s not being overly sensitive, either. I’m a very good sport, but I can’t tell you how many times people assume I am Mexican because I speak fluent Spanish, but I digress. Go to any big city and you can find higher end looking establishments serving all kinds of different foods. CO, Flying Monk Noodle Bar and Chive are all doing great food in a great atmosphere. Now, Mexican will join the international extravaganza. Well, something like that anyway. Quick side note while we are talking Mexican. Some of the best fresh-mex I’ve had outside of San Diego is at a spot called Minero. Two locations, the original in Charleston and a new location at Ponce City Market in Atlanta. Thank me later.
So the magic question now is “When?” Guerrero tells me they are hoping to have everything in place to open by St. Patrick’s Day. That’s five or so weeks away and of course, everyone says that. If I had a nickel for every “by St Patrick’s Day” I’ve heard in this city, I’d be filing this story from the deck of my yacht anchored a couple of hundred yards off of Villefranche-sur-Mer. It is quite lovely this time of year. “If we don’t get everything done by St. Patrick’s Day” Guerrero tells me “then we will shoot for a big grand opening celebration around Cinco de Mayo.” Which incidentally is not Mexican Independence Day. I’m just sayin’
For the sake of fairness, I should mention that I made a couple of attempts to chat with the good people at Tequila’s Town for this story. Never was able to get someone on the phone to discuss their expansion. According to their Facebook page, they are hoping to be up and running in Sandfly by the middle of February. If I were you, I would take that with a few grains of salt while you wait on that margarita. They are close, but they have been behind schedule for a little bit now. But yes, very soon. Better yet, follow me on Facebook or Twitter and I will let you know as soon as the chips and salsa are on the table.
See you on TV,
Jesse
