Cinco de Mayo food and fun
Friday - May 02, 2008
|
Del.icio.us | 
Podcast | WineAndDineHawaii.com Share
|
The busiest day of the year might be just around the corner, but you won’t find anyone stressing out at Jose’s.“We look forward to Cinco de Mayo,” says co-owner Mark Martinez. “We have a great staff, fun customers and good food - it’s really a good day.”
Jose’s is one of the oldest Mexican restaurants in Honolulu, and has become the unofficial home of Cinco de Mayo celebrations. Part of the reason revelers return year after year for a day of lively celebration may be, in part, because of excellent margaritas and the home cooking and family recipes that keep Jose’s a firm favorite.“The recipes,from our salsa to our enchiladas, have been in our family for generations,“says Mark. “Nothing’s changed.” And that includes the restaurant’s margarita recipe, created by his father.
The Martinez family moved to Hawaii in the 1960s - brothers and sisters were soon followed by mom and dad - and have been a part of the local dining scene ever since. “Our brother opened the La Paloma on Kapiolani Boulevard in the 1960s,” says Mark. “Then our mom saw this space and she told us we should take a look at it. I was just a kid,of course,“he adds,laughing. Fred Martinez opened the restaurant in the 1970s, and Mark, who’d been working as an art director, joined him soon after.
Indeed, Jose’s has been in its Kaimuki location so long it would be hard to imagine any other business being there.With its shuttered white windows, small bar and TV screens tuned to sports channels, it’s more than just a restaurant - it’s a fixture in the Kaimuki community. “We have a huge regular crowd,” says Mark, “and we also have a regular following of UH fans who come here to watch games rather than going to noisier sports bars.”
And UH fans aren’t the only people to take advantage of the sports coverage at the Jose’s bar.
“We get a lot of golfers who come every year when they play the Sony Open,” says Mark. “And some of our fairly regular customers include Tom Lehman, Bette Midler, Jim Nabors - even The Edge came for dinner after the U2 concert here last year.”
Jose’s menu features a typical range of Southwestern cuisine.
“It’s a combination of California and New Mexican cuisine,“explains brother and co-owner Fred.“And over the years we’ve added new dishes.”
|
And they’ve created some along the way. “We were the first to do crabmeat enchiladas and crabmeat burritos,” says Fred,“and we were the first to create the whole enchilada.” Dishes make it to the menu based on customer approval - Mark and Fred listen to ideas and suggestions - but mostly the mainstays are there because they’re home-cooked family recipes, like the homemade crispy tacos, enchiladas and huge stuffed burritos. “I think our food appeals to people who really love home-cooked food,” says Mark.
Celebrations at Jose’s begin Monday, May 5 at 11 a.m., when the restaurant opens for lunch. There’ll be a reduced menu (anything that takes too long to cook isn’t a great idea on the Mexican equivalent of St. Patrick’s Day) with specials for the day. And if you’re looking for something to soak up a tequila or two, try the bread pudding. It’s a gorgeous creation of moist, sugary pudding topped with ice cream and whipped cream and served in a sundae glass.
“It’s another one of the things our mom used to make,“says Mark of the fabulous dessert.
Jose’s Mexican Restaurant
1134 Koko Head Ave.
732-1833
Cuervo Classics.
Confused by the dizzying array of tequila on the market? Here’s what to look for if you’re ordering the most popular tequila in the world - Jose Cuervo.
* Cuervo Especial. Gold in color, a blend of Reposada and younger tequilas. Sweet with subtle agave notes. Perfect in frozen or on the rocks margaritas.
* Cuervo Classico. Silver in color, this is a blend of young tequilas mixed with some oak-aged tequila. There’s a hint of citrus on the nose. Great for cocktails.
* Cuervo Flavored Tequila. These are blended tequilas flavor with natural orange,citrus and tropical fruit. Sharp and citrusy on the nose, these are best enjoyed on the rocks.
* Cuervo Tradicional. Straw-colored, aged for six months in American oak and then hand-crafted, each bottle of this 100 percent blue agave is marked with the Jose Cuervo signature and numbered by year of production. Makes a magical margarita.
*Cuervo Black. 100 percent Anejo tequila with discernable toasted oak and vanilla notes. Try this one on the rocks with a dash of lime.
* Cuervo Reserva de la Familia.
Toasty oak and almonds on the nose, lots of lovely cinnamon, vanilla and fruit on the palate. This is the top shelf of tequila and should be drunk like a cognac. Don’t let anybody make a margarita out of this one!
E-mail this story | Print this page | Comments (0) | Archive | RSS Comments (0) |
Most Recent Comment(s):
