NATIVES OF MEXICO OFFER AUTHENTIC MENU AT NEW TOWN PLAZA RESTAURANT

A new Mexican restaurant, El Torero, has opened in the Town Plaza Shopping Center at 2120 William.

The restaurant is operated by the Alvarez family, Juan and Daniel, and a brother-in-law, Pablo Santillan, all from the Mexican village of San Jose de la Paz.

The restaurant offers a variety of authentic Mexican food, said Daniel Alvarez, president of El Torero Inc.

Included on the menu are beef and chicken fajitas served with Spanish rice, fried beans, and guacamole. Also on the menu are the taco loco, a big tortilla shell filled with pieces of chicken, cheese, and sour cream; enchiladas supreme; Especial El Torero, which consists of beef steak cooked with onions, tomatoes and bell peppers, served with rice, beans and tortillas.

"One of our specialties is the Special Dinner, which consists of a little bit of everything," said D. Alvarez. "It includes chalupa with gaucamole salad, chile relleno, beef taco, enchlada, tamale, rice and fried beans."

The restaurant features a lunch menu from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m; the dinner menu is also available for lunch.

The Alvarez brothers and Santillan have worked in a Mexican restaurant in Atlanta, Ga., since the early 1980s.

"We have held every position in a Mexican restaurant, from dishwasher to chef, to manager and partner," said D. Alvarez. "Recently we decided to open our own restaurant in Cape Girardeau."