CORRECTION: This story was updated on Jan. 18 to correct the spelling of Julianna Fowler's name.
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Julianna Fowler grew up around Puerto Rican cuisine and has spent the past decade working in the restaurant industry in Chattanooga, Orlando, Florida, and her hometown of Atlanta.
She opened Coqui, a restaurant on Ringgold Road in the space formerly occupied by Go Gyro Go in East Ridge, on Jan. 5 and said her goal is to introduce people to as many Puerto Rican flavors as she can.
"I'm Puerto Rican and Black, and I grew up around this food my whole life," Fowler said by phone.
She said she plans to change the menu each week, offering new ways to prepare proteins such as beef and chicken.
"We will have the white and yellow rice, the black beans and the quesadillas every week, and we will have chicken and beef but will cook them differently with different spices and flavors," she said.
Earlier this month, for example, the menu featured a barbecued chicken dish with mango, and another chicken dish was made with papaya. Some weeks, the beef might be ground, and the next, it could be thin strips, she said.
The quesadilla, made with cheese, rice, spinach, mushrooms, bell pepper, onion and a protein, was not originally going to be a regular item, but Fowler said it has proven to be a hit with patrons.
A variety of sauces are also available, including the OG, an olive oil garlic blend, the Green Machine, a cilantro lime crema and the MKG, a mayonnaise-ketchup-garlic mixture.
Fowler said if other items also prove to be popular, she will keep them as well.
"Oh yeah, if people really like something, we will keep it," she said.
"We want the blue collar workers who go somewhere for lunch everyday to have something different to try instead of just ordering the usual," Fowler said.
Fowler said the menu will likely become more consistent each week with the addition of some fried items and more meats by the summer, but for now, she plans to introduce new dishes and flavors each week.
The restaurant seats 25, but Fowler plans to open a party room space in the back after Valentine's Day.
QUICK BITE
— What: Coqui, 2507 Ringgold Road.
— Phone: 423-774-2229.
— Hours: 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday.
— Specialties and prices: Yellow and white rice, black beans and the quesadilla ($15) will be found on each week’s menu. Other items such and chicken and beef dishes will change each week.
Contact Barry Courter at bcourter@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6354.