Gomez, who began working as a dishwasher in an upscale restaurant in 1984, said many people told him he was making a mistake. But with the help of his team, he said he was able to launch Cruzito’s Cocina Mexicana in July 2021.
“Most of my colleagues said I must have been out of my mind,” Gomez said. “But when we were allowed to have 75% capacity seating, I was ready to open the business up.”
Cruzito’s Cocina Mexicana serves traditional cuisine from all over Mexico. Gomez said it is different from typical taquerias because it does not serve Tex-Mex food. Instead, it features a more sit-down-style environment.
“I had always worked in upscale, sit-down restaurants in Houston,” Gomez said. “So I wanted this restaurant to be a little fancier than most grab-and-go places.”
Breakfast features various egg dishes, including huevos rancheros, chilaquiles and machacado. The lunch and dinner menu includes caldo de mariscos with white fish, shrimp and octopus; bistec a la parrilla, which is grilled ribeye with roasted potatoes, broccoli and guajillo chile sauce; and enchiladas, burritos and tacos. The restaurant also features handmade fresh tortillas.
Despite what Gomez was told about opening a business during the pandemic, he said he has gotten a lot of good reviews and repeat customers over the past few months, which has helped him to make a profit.
“At first, everything was challenging because people were just afraid to come out to a sit-down place,” Gomez said. “But we’ve actually been getting to know our customer base, and the reviews have been nothing but positive.”
Gomez said if he had to advise new business owners, he would tell them to understand that there will be many struggles, but to stick to their dream and love their customers.
“It’s about making people happy,” Gomez said. “Creating new experiences for our customers and educating them more about authentic Mexican food is what it’s all about.”
Cruzito’s Cocina Mexicana
2300 14th St., Ste. 135, Plano
469-562-4071
https://cruzitoscocinamexicana.com
Hours: Mon.-Thu. 7 a.m.-9 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 7 a.m.-10p.m., Sun. 8 a.m.-9 p.m.
