Fresh, quality and authentic are a few of the words Enrique Rodriguez uses to describe the dishes at Maria Cuca’s Mexican Cuisine, located on Main Street in Keller. Rodriguez, who is the owner and general manager of the eatery, opened Maria Cuca’s in September 2014. After spending more than 40 years in the restaurant industry, he said he decided to open his own business. He chose the cuisine after working in Mexican concepts for most of his career. Opening a Mexican eatery also allowed him to use recipes cooked by his brother, Francisco Rodriguez. Francisco works at Mama Cuca’s, a sister restaurant to Maria Cuca’s located in Mansfield. Maria Cuca’s name is also part of a family tradition. Rodriguez named the restaurant after his mother, Maria del Refugio. In Mexico, Cuca is a nickname for Refugio. The concept of family also extends to Maria Cuca’s customers. Rodriguez said his favorite part of running the restaurant is getting to know his diners, especially as they pack Maria Cuca’s on weeknights and weekends. “We get to know a lot of families, and we have a lot of regulars,” Rodriguez added. As for the food, Rodriguez said he is proud of to offer authentic Mexican dishes that are made to order. The restaurant’s specialties include grilled poblano peppers stuffed with chicken or beef fajita meat and Tacos de Mexico, made with beef fajita meat, onions, cilantro and avocado slices and served on corn tortillas. Rodriguez said he also prides himself on offering specialties that customers will not find at other restaurants. One of Maria Cuca’s top-selling drinks is the Mangomoy. The cocktail is made with mango margarita mix; a savory sauce called chamoy; and tajin, a chili and lime seasoning. Maria Cuca’s plans to continue rolling out new specialty drinks throughout the year.