The Lexington cultural and cuisine scene is always enriched by the opening of a new and well-run independent restaurant. This continued recently with the opening of Los Alazanes Mexican Restaurant located in Tattersalls Square,†at 861 South Broadway near the Red Mile. The owners,†Gabriel Alvarec and his sister, Rosa Zambearo,†are relatively new to the Lexington area, but not new to food service.†Their authentic approach to Mexican food stems from their roots.†
Alvarec and Zambearo immigrated to the United States decades ago from the town of Degollado in the state of Jalisco, Mexico. Jalisco is located in the western-Pacific region of Mexico and is the center of the Mexican tequila industry.†When Alvarec first arrived in the United States, he took a job as a dishwasher at†Bob's Big Boy in California†and over time learned the restaurant business the old-fashioned but tried and true way - by working all aspects of the business and learning from each experience.†He has also been involved in pizza and other facets of the industry.†Zambearo learned about business in a similarly effective fashion and was living in Iowa when they decided to branch out and start a new family-owned and operated restaurant in a new town.†They sent Gabriel's son, Gabriel Jr., east to find a high-quality town to launch their venture.†On his journey, Gabriel Jr. discovered Lexington and reported back that this was a growing, clean city with a low crime rate, great business prospects and a good place to settle a family.†
The location they selected is in Tattersalls Square and their patio area, which will open as soon as weather permits, is visible from South Broadway.†The name of the restaurant,†Los Alazanes,†refers to a certain type of horse that is sorrel or chestnut in color.†These beautiful horses have been part of history on several continents for centuries, including our own civil war. A picture of such a horse is found on their menu, and other horse iconography can be found in the restaurant.†The dÈcor makes you feel relaxed with mix of festive earth tone colors.†There is a nice bar area with a flat screen television, with seating facing toward the patio and South Broadway.†
The menu has something for everyone and all occasions, whether it be a quick lunch on a budget or a nice relaxing dinner.†It's also a great spot to just stop by the bar for a drink and snack.†There are numerous lunch specials and combination meals along with salads and vegetarian menu items. Other items include an array of quesadillas, dinners, chimichangas and a huge selection of fajitas.†Then there are the Alazanes' Classics, which include one of their signature dishes called Los Alazanes Alambra Beef, which is a dish with grilled beef, bell peppers, onions, tomatoes, and pineapple served with melted cheese on top along with sour cream, guacamole, tomato and your choice of rice or beans with tortilla. There is a kids menu offering staples such as cheeseburgers, chicken tenders, and macaroni and cheese.†Dessert offerings are great, including their delicious Flan which is a homemade Mexican custard.†I had this on my last visit and it's fantastic.†The bar menu is extensive with specialty drinks, an array of beer selections and several margarita versions to choose from, including a 46-ounce Monster Lime Margarita.†
This restaurant offers a lot for locals and visitors who want authentic Mexican food in a casual environment.†They are open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.†Additionally, the presence of this restaurateur family in the local community adds to the collective entrepreneurial spirit and expertise of our region.
Mexican is the fastest growing ethnic cuisine in the United States, and more Mexican items are appearing on the menus of non-Mexican restaurants. However, there is an additional trend of shifting away from "Tex-Mex" and toward authentic Mexican fare, with Mexican independent restaurants leading the way with authentic recipes and ingredients (which are becoming more available).†Los Alazanes is a fine example of this national trend, and I encourage Central Kentucky residents to give them a try! †
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Mark Sievers, a former restaurant executive with Yorkshire Global Restaurants and YUM! Brands, owns the business brokerage and consulting company The Sievers Company LLC. He can be reached at thesieversco@aol.com.