El Tesoro brings authentic Mexican cuisine and flair to Edgewood in ATL
El Tesoro means “the treasure” in Spanish and located in a gravel lot behind Rudy’s Auto and Collision in Edgewood is where you’ll find what some would call just that. Restaurateurs Alan Raines and Darryl Howard own a small, counter-serve taqueria and coffee shop located at 1374 Arkwright Place SE, Atlanta, Ga.
Inspired by co-owner Alan Raines’ nearly dozen and a half trips to Mexico, the small digs are said to serve some of the finest tacos, burritos and tamales in the city. Raines went into the restaurant industry when he was 15 years old, washing dishes and peeling potatoes, which ingrained in him a sense of doing things the right way. He has worked in and/or opened Italian, French, Mexican and American restaurants throughout his career.
“I learned from some good people about how to be passionate about the restaurant industry, what we’re doing and why we’re doing it…” he adds.
While Raines manages day-to-day operations, his business partner Darryl Howard, a classically trained French chef who has also worked in the industry for many years, takes on the contractor role and executed their current building with plans to expand. He is the other “Mexican food enthusiast” of the team and serves as a “culinary advisor.”
The real treasure is in the home cooking of Cristina Lugo Soto, the restaurant’s Doña de la cocina (lady of the kitchen), who is from the Mexican state of Guerrero and runs the kitchen with her partner Elia and daughter, Mayra. The women make everything from scratch daily. Raines met the ladies around 15 years ago when he was operating another restaurant and would buy tamales from them. He asked the women then if when he opened a new restaurant, would they come make tamales for him. Not only did Soto oblige, she said they would come and make everything.
Over time they have become like family, with the women making Mexican food in the Guerrero tradition. One of their specialties is the Mulita, a two-corn tortilla, grilled, with raja filling (roasted poblano peppers in cream sauce), basically a Mexican grilled cheese, which is a crowd favorite. Other popular items include tamales — a Puerco Verde, shredded pork in green salsa, Tinga de Pollo, chicken in red chipotle salsa and the Frontera, rajas (poblano/onion) with street corn and vegetables .Their menu also includes a tex-mex flare with breakfast taco options.
Everything is made from scratch, including the various salsa options and tortillas, made with masa (corn flour) that comes directly from Oaxaca, Mexico. Raines explains that having a small kitchen and a lot of seats forces them to cook in the true Mexican fashion, to-the-minute. “We go beyond what we have to do to provide a product at a really economical price, so people can appreciate it more often… We are very family friendly (and we) hand out free paletas (popsicles) in all the crazy flavors that they make in Mexico,” he said.
When it comes to beverages, El Tesoro does not disappoint. All agua frescas and syrups used to make various drinks are also made from scratch. They also make a homemade Horchata and Mexican hot chocolate, in addition to their artisan-roasted bean coffee selection. “We really want people to come in and have (an authentic) experience…We have people come in and say, ‘I just got back from Mexico and this is just like the place I was at’,” Raines adds.
He bought a few antique items to add to the decor and used furniture, in addition to a brand-new hood, range, fryer and steam table – essential items for any kitchen to run non-stop. Shelving is also important to Raines, who says that every time racks and shelving are on sale at ACityDiscount, he just buys them, often not knowing where to put them but understanding that as business grows, so does the need for space.
Read more about El Tesoro and their menu offerings on their website, eltesoroatl.com.