Written By Adam Cantor First Look / Places / Victoria Dec 1, 2015 Fuego – A New Mexican Breakfast & Lunch Spot SHARE VIA: Facebook Twitter PinterestFuego, Spanish for “fire” is Café Mexico, risen up from the ashes of a devastating fire that gutted the old restaurant on the 21st of January. Brad and Hilda Olberg, the same people who have run Café Mexico for the last thirty years, sat down to tell me how things have changed. A fire after all, provides a unique opportunity, despite the destruction.First, and most important, nobody was injured. Next, certain questions arise. When a person has a restaurant for some time, they naturally wonder how they could change the layout if they had the luxury to close down for a while. This desire to streamline, or jazz things up, is always counterbalanced by the desire to maintain the ambiance and dining experience that brings loyal customers back. A sensitivity to both needed change and unnecessary tinkering provides a winning formula to restaurants that survive a number of decades.Brad and Hilda tell me that customer loyalty is important to them. They want to bring back the menu and atmosphere of the old back when the main dining room opens, with the noteworthy (and quite welcome) addition of a tequila bar. They tell me that an expert mixologist is onboard for the new project. This will make Café Mexico a night spot, and an important part of the urban revitalization around market Square. Eggs Benedict on homemade cornbread, pancakes with carne asada and fruit compoteIn the meantime, Fuego, formally Cafe Mexi-Go, is back as a breakfast/lunch spot. While many of the old favourites are still available, there are also exciting new items on the menu. I had an Eggs Benedict on homemade cornbread, pancakes with carne asada and fruit compote, and a side of fried potatoes and bacon, replete with some of Hilda’s own hot sauce. The meal was decadent and wonderful. The carne asada with the fruit and pancake was a surprising, yet satisfying combination.Back, too, are many of the old staff and cooks. More hope to return, if they can, as the place continues to expand. Such continuity helps maintain the consistent quality of the food, and also the relationship with the people who eat at, and like the place.Owners Brad and Hilda OlbergFuego’s breakfast has been a hit with people in the neighbourhood, and Saturdays and Sundays have seen steady business from people looking for a proper brunch. Presently, this is the only place in the area that offers a breakfast like this, so it is well worth it to go down and grab a table. I also understand that Hilda is looking at ways to sell their signature hot sauce out of the store, which would also add to the good reasons for visiting. Fuego Old Town Eatery134 – 560 Johnson Street (MARKET SQUARE)Victoria, British Columbia(250) 590-2177Website SHARE VIA: Facebook Twitter Pinterest Written By: Adam Cantor Born and raised in the mysterious East (by which I mean Ontario and Quebec, not Asia), Adam migrated out to British Columbia in search of adventure and fortune. He had been at different times a scholar, a musician, a poet and a ... Read More You may also like First Look / Food News / Places / Restaurants November 30, 2020 Café Jumbo – First Look It’s a cold and rainy evening in early November. Covid cases are on the rise everywhere, and the world is anxiously awaiting the final US election ... Read More First Look / Restaurants / Victoria July 31, 2020 The Palms Launching a restaurant in the middle of a pandemic may seem counterintuitive, but don’t tell that to Rob Ekstrom and Darren Cole – the two ... Read More Beer / Beer & Cider / Drink / First Look / Places / Press Release / Wineries & Breweries July 25, 2019 There’s a New Buoy in Town Whistle Buoy Brewing Company, a locally owned craft brewery and taproom, is now open in Historic Market Square, Victoria. Whistle Buoy Brewing ... Read More First Look / Restaurants / Victoria January 3, 2018 Pierogi Power at Sült Pierogi Bar “Sült” has etymological roots across Europe. In Gaelic, it refers to pork fat or a dish made of it. In Hungarian, it translates to “fried” ... Read More First Look December 8, 2017 Stoked Wood Fired Pizzeria Stoked Wood Fired Pizzeria, 2908 Tieulie Place, Shirley, BC, 778-528-3473, stokedwoodfiredpizzeria.com For surfers, still chilled to the ... Read More First Look / Food People October 31, 2017 Adapt to Survive – The team behind Foo finds opportunity at Victoria’s hospitality crossroads. It’s not breaking news: Victoria’s restaurant scene is in the midst of varying states of crisis, depending on which Industry Insider you speak ... Read More Comments are closed.
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