The original location of El Meson Restaurante Mexicano near Hamilton Place Mall is celebrating 20 years in business tomorrow, welcoming customers to enjoy live music and special prices all day long.
"We are throwing this party to thank Chattanooga and all our customers for these last 20 years and say 'Welcome' to our family," says Raul Ruiz Jr. "When my dad came here he put all his chips into one basket. He moved all the way from California and he gave up everything he had. This was going to be our new home, and it is."
EL MESON RESTAURANTE MEXICANOLOCATIONS:2204 Hamilton Place Blvd. and 248 Northgate Mall Drive, Suite 114.HOURS:Both locations are open Sunday through Thursday, from 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.PHONES:Hamilton Place, call 894-8726Northgate, call 710-1201NICE TO KNOW:El Meson's brand new salsa, the Salsa Fresca, recently won first place in a local salsa competition.
The theme of the anniversary celebration is "20 Years Old and 20-Year-Old Prices" - menu items will be available for what they cost when El Meson first opened.
Guests will be able to enjoy $1 drafts and $2.50 house margaritas all day. The everyday menu's lunch combinations, including tacos, enchiladas, burritos and tamales (excluding poblano peppers), will be available for $3.99. As the day progresses, guests will be able to enjoy those same combinations in a dinner portion for $5.99.
"We were one of the first ones [Mexican restaurants] here, so we had big shoes to fill because not many people knew about Mexican food," Ruiz says. "We had to set the standard for Mexican, had to start out on a good foot. My dad didn't want to commercialize Mexican food because he wanted every dish, everything we made, to be special. Our vegetables and meats are freshly cut every morning and we make our own flour tortillas, marinades and seasonings."
In a few weeks, El Meson will also be celebrating Cinco de Mayo, May 5, with its usual enthusiastic party from noon until late night with drink specials, a nacho and taco kit for customers and live bands performing all day. The cover charge is $5 and includes the nacho and taco kit. Those age 21 and older will also gain access to the patio party. Indoors, there will be a party appropriate for the whole family.
After the celebrations have died down, the popular restaurant's kitchen staff will begin training to get ready for the release of the new Donna Rosa Secret Menu, an insert that will be full of traditional, authentic recipes.
The new porch at the Hixson location"We've introduced traditional plates over the years and guests have enjoyed it," says Tony Ruiz, owner of El Meson's Hixson location. "They [customers] push us to give them real authentic Mexican food. We have customers who don't even ask for a menu because they want what we prepare for our own family."
The new menu insert includes a variety of recipes that were created by Raul Ruiz Sr.'s mother and grandmother in a small in-home restaurant in Union de Tula, Jalisco. The recipes will now impact the fifth generation of the Ruiz family and all of Chattanooga.
El Meson's best recipes are not only available at the restaurant, but also for catered events. As graduation parties, weddings and other special events come up this spring, guests are encouraged to come in to create a custom menu or design a specialty buffet for their celebration.