Photographer / Jubilee Edgell
Carmen Gallegos, owner of La Parilla Caliente Mexican Restaurant, 119 W. Plymouth Street, Bremen, says the Bremen community has been overwhelmingly positive in their support of the family restaurant.
“People from the Bremen schools have really been great, Gallegos says. “They have done a lot of fundraising events with us and have been very supportive. We are always getting customers from all of the different schools. The families, the teachers and the kids from the schools really give us a lot of business and have helped us succeed.”
Local businesses have also been highly supportive.
“We do a lot of catering, and it has really been successful with a lot of the people in Bremen,” Gallegos says. “We have been a huge hit at weddings, office parties, family parties and birthdays. We get a lot of calls to take our food to people who have catered with us before. It’s nice when people in the Bremen community say good things about us and recommend us to their friends. The people of Bremen have been great to us, and we are extremely grateful.”
The catering menu has a wide variety of different authentic Mexican platters. The restaurant’s taco bar has also been highly popular.
Delicious Favorites
The great food at La Parilla Caliente has been a major reason for the restaurant’s success. Positive word-of-mouth has made the restaurant prosper. Regulars already have their favorite choices.
“Some of the customer favorites have been our cheese dip,” Gallegos says. “We have a lot of people order that. We also have a lot of customers who love our fajitas and margaritas. They have been highly popular.”
Gallegos noted that La Parilla Caliente’s margaritas are huge: 26 ounces for only $7.99.
She loves their hand-made gorditas, which are similar to pita pockets, but much thicker.
“We are really a family-related restaurant and have been told by a lot of parents that they really enjoy coming here with their kids to enjoy a fresh meal,” Gallegos says. “It’s a great place to relax and have fun. We have great service, and everyone here is very friendly.”
Gallegos noted that everything prepared at La Parilla Caliente is made from scratch.
“Every meal is authentic,” Gallegos says. “We don’t use canned beans. People love our authentic tortas, tacos, salsa and chori pollo.”
La Parilla Caliente also serves a delicious three taco meal, as well as great tostadas, fried chimichangas and Mexican soups, among many other meal choices.
The seafood dinners, which include shrimp Chimichangas and grilled tilapia, among others, are also delicious. Salad options include a grilled chicken salad, grilled steak salad, taco salad and fajita salad.
The tortas (Mexican sandwiches) are all made with sour cream, avocado, lettuce, tomato and beans). They come with a choice of steak, pork and more.
Family Business
Gallegos says La Parilla Caliente is truly a family business.
“We opened in September
2015,” Gallegos says. “My dad owned this building for 18 years. Different businesses rented the place over the years.”
Gallegos took over La Parilla Caliente a while back after her father, Gerardo, suffered a brain aneurism.
“He’s doing much better now,” Gallegos says.
Many of Gallegos’s family members work at the restaurant, which has only grown in popularity with the Bremen community over the years. The Gallegos family and restaurant staff have done a lot to give back to the people of Bremen.
For instance, the Bremen Police Department had a Police Basketball and Fajita Meal for their 23rd Annual Basketball Benefit. La Parilla Caliente provided the food.
The meal was held in the Bremen High School Cafeteria. The meal included chicken, fajitas, rice, chips and salsa. La Parilla Caliente donated 20% of their profits to the police fund.
La Parilla Caliente also participated in St. Matthew Cathedral’s Holiday Craft Bazaar. The restaurant staff made chicken fajitas, rice, chips, salsa and tamales. Mexican flavored pop was also served. La Parilla Caliente donated a percentage of its sales back to St.Matthew’s.
“It feels great to help our community and do what we can to help other people,” Gallegos says. “I can’t say enough about how wonderful people in Bremen are. This is a great place to live.”
La Parilla Caliente is located at 119 W. Plymouth Street in Bremen. For more information, give them a call at 574-248-6049.
