More than mere tacos

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Maria and Ignacio Curiel are shown at their new restaurant, Maria's Buena Cocina in Highland, Ind., on Wednesday, Jan. 26, 2012. The Curiels opened the restaurant featuring Mexican food in November. | Stephanie Dowell~Sun-Times Media

IF YOU GO

What: Maria’s Buena Cocina

Where: 8620 Kennedy Ave., Suite 3, Highland (around the corner from Town Theater)

Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday; closed Sunday

Telephone: 923-6000

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Maps

Updated: March 1, 2012 8:09AM

A phone call to the wrong number proved to be divine intervention for Maria Curiel. The new restaurant owner didn’t know it then, but the man she reached — Ignacio Curiel — would become not only her husband, but her business partner as well.

“I was living in East Chicago and was calling a Chicago company to ask about their business hours,” the Highland resident said. “The man that answered heard my (Mexican) music playing in the background and we struck up a conversation. I found out he also was Mexican and we just began talking like we knew each other.”

After two months of getting to know each other over the phone, the pair met face to face.

They’ve been married 17 years, have a daughter, and opened their first business, Maria’s Buena Cocina in November in downtown Highland.

“I love Highland. We bought our home here 17 years ago and know the area very well,” Maria said. “We’ve been offering our tacos at the downtown farmers market for many years and people kept on saying we should open our own place.”

That they did, with a menu that includes more than just tacos.

Some of what they offer is unique — such as the option to have red cabbage instead of lettuce on tacos and other items.

Among the selections are appetizers such as cincronizadas with cheese, ham, beans and homemade chipotle mayo; breakfast selections such as chilaquiles (tortilla chips with scrambled eggs and homemade sauce); and three kinds of water — regular bottled, Aqua de Horchata rice water, and Aqua de Jamaica hibiscus water. One recent daily special was champinones en vino tinto (mushrooms in red wine over a bed of white Basmati rice).

“The biggest challenge was choosing which entrees we would offer,” Ignacio said. “Maria has so many wonderful ones, and we also wanted to have a daily special.”

All food is seasoned with Maria’s own combination of spices and sauces, which are prepared daily.

And that’s not the only thing the owners do each morning before the doors open.

They shop locally for all their produce, staples and meat (with the exception of steak taco meat, which is bought in bulk).

“We want to offer quality ingredients, that’s why we buy daily,” Maria said.

Although Ignacio’s background is in social work, he has adapted to the role of entrepreneur. He fills many roles, although Maria does most of the paperwork.

Maria comes to her new venture with restaurant experience, as she managed a chain Mexican eatery in the Miller section of Gary for many years.

“This was invaluable, I learned many aspects of running a business,” she said. “I always wanted to have my own restaurant. This is a dream come true.”

Stacks of large, colorful, ceramic dishes — bright orange, gold and red — store the food served to customers, but also make for a colorful display near the counter area.

“I bought those dishes 15 years ago, I loved the colors,” Maria said. “I knew I wanted these if I ever opened my own restaurant. So I kept them stored away.”

Carryout orders and dine-in tables are both offered in the comfortable, freshly painted eatery tucked around the corner of the closed Town Theater in downtown Highland.

Lisa Lewandowski of Highland was first in line when the restaurant opened two months ago.

“We loved their tacos at the farmers market, and were just thrilled Maria opened up here,” the Highland resident said while recently picking up a lunch order. “It was natural that they would open up in Highland’s downtown area.”

Customer Orlando Rodriguez of Miller was acquainted with Maria when she worked in Miller. He’s followed her to Highland.

“Maria was limited as to what she could serve at the other place, since it was a chain restaurant,” he said. “ Now, with her own restaurant, she’s free to be more creative — and her entrees reflect that.”