January 26, 2007

Burrito Azteca offers up traditional fare, homestyle setting

Owners bring decades of experience in Mexican cuisine to Evergreen

By Ali Abdollahi
Staff Writer

With 30 years of restaurant experience, the brother-sister tandem of Fernando Gutierrez and Soledad Quiroz have brought their knowledge of Mexican cuisine to Evergreen with the opening of Burrito Azteca in September of 2006.

In addition to the years they have spent managing restaurants, Quiroz spent several years working the kitchens of Mexican eateries. They also have a family history of working in the restaurant business, with their father Arturo Gutierrez spending a quarter century as a professional cook.

In all aspects of their business – the menu, cooking practices and decor – the owners of Burrito Azteca have utilized a homegrown family approach.

“How we cook here is what we eat at home,” said Quiroz. “We prepare the dishes the same way we would if we were cooking for our family.”

In line with that philosophy, Quiroz said that Burrito Azteca’s vegetarian dishes are “authentically vegetarian.”

“Even when they call a dish ‘vegetarian,’ a lot of restaurants prepare the beans, rice and even the vegetables by cooking them in chicken broth,” Quiroz said. “That is not our practice here. When you order a vegetarian dish from us, it is 100 percent vegetarian.”

Gutierrez and Quiroz have also extended their style to the interior design of their restaurant. Burrito Azteca was designed from the ground up, modeled after the traditional Mexican haciendas.

“Just as with our menu items, we wanted the physical design of the restaurant to have an authentic feel to it,” said Quiroz. “It was important to us that our restaurant be nice, and big, and very clean, so that people would feel comfortable. I think it has worked, because we get a lot of people bringing in their whole families.”

Burrito Azteca boasts a homey atmosphere and full-flavored Mexican food, and is located at 4075 Evergreen Village Square. The restaurant was built to resemble traditional Mexican haciendas.

The most popular item on their menu thus far has been the Azteca burrito, with a spicy blend of chicken, vegetables, cheese and salsa.

“The best feedback we’ve received is regarding the flavors in our dishes,” said Quiroz. “A lot of other restaurants have misgivings about their flavors, but people have told us they love the full flavors in our food.”

The menu also features items designed ideally for children, and several traditional Mexican desserts. Dessert options include churros (fried bread covered in cinnamon and sugar), bunuelos (a deep-fried flour tortilla covered in cinnamon) and Mexican hot chocolate.

“Mexican hot chocolate is made with very rich chocolate and milk, so it is much more rich and sweet than hot chocolate that uses powder and water,” Quiroz said.

On some occasions, Quiroz even bakes homemade cakes as a special addition to the dessert menu.

Burrito Azteca is also awaiting word on their application for a liquor license, which will allow them to serve beer, and perhaps even margaritas. Bringing in additional entertainment is also in discussion for Quiroz and Gutierrez, who hope to make their restaurant a place where people can come to unwind after work.

Burrito Azteca is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. The restaurant is located at 4075 Evergreen Village Square.