MariCarmen Dale hosts restaurant patrons.[/caption]
In her 32 years with Las Palomas Restaurant-Bar, owner and General Manager MariCarmen Dale said she has witnessed the transformation of Westlake.
“When we opened in 1983, there was nothing here,” she said. “There was Safeway and us—nothing else. Now, I love being stuck in traffic because I think, ‘All of these people might go to Las Palomas!’ Traffic represents growth to me.”
Dale’s parents, Javier and Amelia Corona, opened the Mexican restaurant after moving to Austin from Mexico City where Javier had spent 28 years working at the U.S. Embassy. Although their original plan was to relax and enjoy life, the nationalization of the Mexican bank and sudden devaluation of the peso sent the Coronas scrambling to come up with a way to earn a living, she said.
Dale started out as a cashier and hostess in her parents’ restaurant. She said the day her family opened Las Palomas—Valentine’s Day 1983—was a “Twilight Zone” sort of experience for her with an unexpected crowd, a two-hour wait list and staff crying in the kitchen.
“It has been a very difficult journey,” Dale said. “In the beginning, we didn’t know anything [about restaurants]. But I feel we were adopted by the community in a most beautiful way.”
Many of Las Palomas’ early customers still continue to order items from the eatery’s original 1983 menu, she said. The restaurant’s menu has grown from two to four pages because the staff insists upon keeping customer favorites even as they introduce new items, she said.
Las Palomas serves interior Mexican food, a cuisine shaped by French, Spanish and Argentinian cooking.
“I love Tex-Mex myself—but that’s not what we do,” Dale said. “We have plates with cheese, but not everything has cheese. Not everything is spicy. We have steaks, seafood and vegetables. I want people to know that Mexican food is fresh and healthy.”
Las Palomas’ menu includes ceviche ($10), chile relleno ($18) and enchiladas mole ($11). Dale said her favorite entree is steak chimichurri ($18)—beef tenderloin brushed and grilled with olive oil, parsley, garlic and jalapenos.
Most of the restaurant’s recipes come from Dale’s parents, who shared a passion for food and hosting, she said.
“My parents were famous for the way they entertained,” Dale said. “They had incredible recipes, and they traveled all over the world.”
A focus on hosting—not just dining—is what Dale said she tries to communicate to her customers.
“We are not selling enchiladas or shrimp or steak,” she said. “We’re selling an experience. Most restaurants close within five to seven years, and we are still here after 32 years. Why? Because we care.”
A patio enclosure was added this summer.[/caption]
Plated at Las Palomas Restaurant-Bar
House margarita: includes mango, prickly pear, sangria and strawberry flavors, either frozen or on the rocks ($7)
Caldo tlalpeno: tomato-based soup seasoned with shredded chicken, rice, chopped tomatoes, cilantro, onions and avocados (cup $5, bowl $6)
Ceviche tostadas: two crispy corn tortillas spread with beans and topped with ceviche, lettuce and avocados ($11)
Seafood al limon: broiled fish or butterflied shrimp served in a tangy, creamy lemon-caper butter sauce and served with rice and salad ($16)
Sopapillas: pastry dough, lightly fried and topped with honey and cinnamon. (Order of two $4, order of one $2, ice cream add $1)
