Round Rock mainstay bucks traditional restaurant menus

For Ismael and Amelia Diaz, co-owners of La Cocina Bar & Grill, being the owners of a small business is a true family affair.

Aside from putting in the daily hours together preparing the menu and serving customers, the couple also relies on the help of their two adult daughters and teenage son to keep the family-owned restaurant operating.

"We are a team," Amelia said about her family's participation in the restaurant. "It is really working to have our family running this small business. We have worked hard, and we take care of it."

The Diazes founded the restaurant in January 2008 after relocating from California, where Ismael worked as a chef for more than 20 years. When the couple decided to take the leap into the competitive restaurant business, they decided to break the mold of traditional eateries and offer two types of regional cuisine: Mexican and Italian.

The menu also reflects Ismael's heritage, which includes Italian and Mexican ancestory. Growing up, he said he learned to cook and appreciate the different types of meals that are traditional on both sides of his family.

"When we started [the restaurant], people said we were crazy. I got a lot of criticism," Ismael said regarding the decision to serve a multicultural menu. "But I guess we are doing something right. When you go out and eat, you want to be happy and enjoy [your meal]. If you don't do [a restaurant] right, folks stop coming."

The dishes served at La Cocina, however, are not a fusion of Italian and Mexican cuisine. Ismael has developed distinct menu items he says have been refined from family recipes as well as his two decades of learning to professionally prepare food.

"I don't mix the flavors of the dishes," he said. "A lot of what I create comes from my experience. You create the sauces, and then you create the dishes. My belief is keep the food fresh and make it beautiful."

Although their restaurant has been in business for more than five years, Ismael and Amelia said their clientele is still expanding as new people discover La Cocina. The restaurant, however, has developed a loyal following of patrons, including several prominent Round Rock business and community leaders, Ismael said.

"I still have people who have lived in Round Rock for 15 years come in and say they are shocked when they find out we are here," said Amelia, who credits a large part of La Cocina's success to the menu her husband developed. "Our food is not complex, but it is fresh and it tastes great. I think that is what brings people back."

602 McNeil Road, Round Rock, 512-716-1703, www.lacocinadediaz.com, Hours: Mon.–Thu. 11 a.m.–3 p.m. and 5–9 p.m., Fri.–Sat. 11 a.m.–3 p.m. and 5 p.m.–close