3 Years And Going Strong
It’s a long way to the top if you wanna rock n’ roll. You know it. Bars and restaurants are a tricky business to say the least, big budgets be damned. It seems anyone can be swiped off the map in a split second. Take the East End Cafe for example. It has changed hands more often than a Playboy at a boys bible camp. Yet a few blocks down Tostados still stands strong. Why? The dedication to quality, simple as that.
Tostados is celebrating their 3 year anniversary in December. That might not sound like a long time, but in this business it’s the first landmark. When you factor in Tostados is not just a busy restaurant but also a busy bar it’s even more impressive. Achieving one is hard enough, achieving both is a real mountain to climb.
Hugo Tostado is proud owner and namesake of the popular East End eatery and Hugo does things a lot different than his neighbors down the way. For one his kitchen turns out the kind of food you would actually find in the cantinas in Mexico. For two he caters to his customers wishes, unlike many places that stick to only what the owner likes. And for three he keeps the quality high and the prices low. That’s a lot harder than it seems too folks.
Personally we like Tostados for having the courage to put out truly authentic Mexican dishes. Almost every single so-called Mexican joint in town serves us the same old Americanized crap they call Mexican. It’s just not so.
If you ever look at a Mexican menu and there are no Sopes or Floutas or Churros then you should just leave. Same goes for “fried ice cream” desserts. Every self respecting Mexican restaurant knows full well churros are the national dessert!
Tostados has it all.
Real tacos, sopes, floutas, enchiladas, churros and Mezcal margaritas. Hopefully some day all the fake Mexican joints will disappear into the dust (just like Don Pablos in Montgomery), until then if anyone has the nerve to present you with some crap canned re-fried beans, a hard “Taco Hell” style taco and they’ve never heard of a sope, sling it across the floor, pay the bill, tip well and tell them to go to hell. If you’re looking for real Mexican Hugo has it. If your looking for a lively party bar Hugo has it. If your looking for one of the best smoking patios in the city, Hugo has it too. If your looking for a struggling bar/restaurant to buy and try your hand at the biz don’t bother asking at Tostados, they’re firmly planted in reality and going nowhere soon. Hugos quality keeps them on top. But hey don’t fret, East End Cafe is about 6 months old now, you can probably pick it up for a song! The same old song.
