Mexican joint spices up Main Street

WINSTED — After many months of planning and work, downtown Winsted’s new Mexican restaurant, Padre’s, is open for lunch, dinner and drinks, right next-door to the Gilson Café and Cinema.

If you haven’t noticed the new eatery, don’t call the eye doctor just yet. The unassuming storefront sits “stage right� to the Gilson on Main Street, in the middle of town, where cars tend to zoom by obliviously. Those who stroll past on foot, on the other hand, will notice a tiny bar bathed in golden-orange light, in the spot where town elders will recall Pete’s Jewelers did business, back when the Gilson was the Strand Theatre.

These days, Gilson owner Alan Nero and manager-chef Lacey Lizzi have put their heads together to come up with Padre’s, which is technically connected to the legendary movie theater and café, but is a separate restaurant with its own menu and kitchen.

“What we have here won’t be offered next-door and what we offer next-door won’t be offered here,� Nero said during a lunchtime visit Tuesday afternoon. “There’s no place that offers Mexican food in this town.�

Lizzi, who has been working for Nero for the past seven years, is a self-taught chef whose quesadillas at the Gilson have become locally famous. When the menu item started selling like — well, quesadillas — a light bulb went on. Lizzi suggested to Nero that they open a Mexican restaurant and Nero loved the idea.

After two years of work constructing, painting and decorating the new bar, the business opened on Friday and Saturday nights about two months ago. More recently, Lizzi has opened the bar on a full-time schedule for lunch and dinner, with the restaurant opening at 11:30 a.m. and closing whenever the last customer walks out the door.

During two recent visits, Lizzi offered samples of her chili con queso, a creamy, spicy and savory blend of chili and cheese with chunks of roasted jalepeño peppers and sliced black olives. As an introduction to the restaurant, this appetizer sets the stage for a meal that balances spicy, tangy and salty accents with bold, smokey flavors and rich textures.

A side of guacamole and another of salsa suggest that Padre’s is aptly named, as Lizzi delivers flavors that are aggressive and masculine, with plenty of bite. The traditional accompaniments are thick, fresh and chunky. Nothing is watered down. At the same time, the presentation and attention to detail on each plate suggest a feminine touch.

A trio of tacos featured beef that had been stewed for 14 hours after being massaged with a chipotle rub. Lizzi poured some of her homemade chipotle sauce onto each taco before dressing them with sour cream, salsa, fresh jalepeños, diced tomatoes and lettuce. Propped up on the plate with a special metal stand, the tacos did not last long. Each bite added another layer of heat-tinged flavor.

Lizzi acknowledged she’s not from Mexico and that she didn’t go to cooking school, but her interest in international cooking at home, along with experimenting as a chef at the Gilson, has laid the groundwork for a unique interpretation of this colorful cuisine.

“I just love to cook,� Lizzi said. “I like big, bold flavors — a lot of Italian dishes, vegetables, cheeses and seafood — basically, I like everything.�

Each week, Lizzi comes up with a new idea, and if she likes it, it stays. Last week, she assembled a vegetable empanada, loaded with sauteed zucchini, yellow squash, onion, mushrooms, red peppers and black beans and topped with blanco cheese. The item has since returned to the blackboard.

This week, Lizzi made a sausage and black bean soup that was brothy instead of overwhelmingly beany, with chunks of fresh mushrooms, lots of cilantro and a dollop of sour cream. Hand-made, deep-fried potato balls, filled with beef and onions, are a menu staple, as are specialty quesadillas, burritos and tamales. Even better, Lizzi asks you in advance how spicy you like your food.

If you have room for dessert, you might be tempted to try freshly made cinnamon churros (Mexican pastries) with vanilla ice cream and a chocolate Kahlua sauce that Lizzi just concocted off the top of her head. The more popular the items are, the longer they’ll stay on the blackboard.

Padre’s won’t put a big dent in your wallet, either. Appetizers are $5.95 and under, with three tacos going for five bucks and a lunch-size burrito priced at $7.95. Dinner portions are bigger and slightly more expensive. For drinks, you can try tequilas ranging from Jose Cuervo Gold ($5 a shot) to Don Julio Real ($50 a shot). Margaritas are offered in a range of flavors, as are Mexican sodas.

A Riverton resident who lives with her husband, John, and children, Dylan, 13, and Jessica, 10, Lizzi said she’s spending a lot of time at Padre’s these days and that she is thankful for a supportive family. Anyone who visits the restaurant will see that pride has been incorporated into all aspects of the restaurant-bar, which is accented by orange and yellow painted walls, ornate sombreros and a giant, golden-orange light fixture on the ceiling. Big, cushioned bar stools belly up to a section of bar that used to be in the old Tommy Rea’s Cafe (originally owned by Nero), while a couple of dinner tables provide space for two parties of four. If there are more than 10 people in the bar, the place is pretty much packed. Customers must be 21 or older to enter.

Nero said he hopes to get a good takeout business going at Padre’s, but customers are also certainly welcome to come in and eat. “We just don’t want people to think it’s a 10-minute situation because Lacey makes everything from scratch,� he said. “Eventually, we want people to be able to order takeout on the Internet. You’ll punch in what you want and the order will go straight to the kitchen.�

In the meantime, it’s OK to visit or call. Padre’s is located at 362 Main St., right next to the Gilson. For information and takeout ordering, call 860-738-3061.

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