Rene Hernandez Cortes is a living example of how hard work and the desire to achieve can lead to success.
Now 37 years old, Cortes came to the United States when he was a teenager. He began working in Danville as a dishwasher in a Mexican restaurant. Today his restaurant chain, Las Margaritas Mexican Cuisine, has five locations in Danville, Middletown, Lawrenceburg and Louisville.
The concept of Las Margaritas restaurants is simple; customers come back again and again for excellent food and great service. Each location has colorful decor that is a feast for the eyes and includes photo-friendly, Instagram-able backdrops. For many Louisville-area families, the eateries have become a place to celebrate special occasions such as birthdays, graduations or anniversaries.
“When I was 16 years old, the restaurant I was working in gave me the opportunity to step up as a food runner,” says Cortes. “I kept moving positions until I made it to assistant manager. I learned English from an old notebook a co-worker found. Working in that restaurant made me be interested in owning my own restaurant. I later moved to Louisville in 2011 to be closer to my family.”
“I am part of a big family,” he adds. “I have four brothers, four sisters, lots of nephews and nieces, plus four beautiful kids. What inspired me to create Las Margaritas was cooking for my family and friends. I could see how much they loved my food and I was always receiving compliments. Everyone started to tell me to open my own business, so I thought I’d give it a try.”
Cortes says he believes Las Margaritas stands out from similar restaurants because of their Mexican cocinas, or kitchens. The dishes are made from scratch and many are authentic to the Veracruz region. All the recipes were developed by Cortes.
The menu ranges from appetizers to desserts and has a variety for everyone, including vegetarians. There are five different nacho choices and soups that are not typically found in Mexican restaurants, such as Pozole, Tlatonile, Caldo de Camaron, Birria Soup and Caldo de Res. Salads, burritos, enchiladas, tacos and fajitas are on the menu.
The most popular entrée items are carnitas, tender braised and seasoned pork, and mole poblano, boneless chicken thighs cooked with a sauce made from chiles, chocolate and seasoning. Diners also love tlayollos, seasoned cornmeal dough cooked in banana husks and topped with cochinita pibil pork. The salmon dishes are also in demand, such as Salmón Madre Tierra, cooked with homemade garlic butter and salmón Maya topped with shrimp.
“The biggest surprise I’ve had happened when a chef from New York came to my first restaurant,” says Cortes. “I didn’t know who he was. Three days later I found out and he gave me a five-star review on my cochinita pibil.”
The restaurant also offers a full drink menu that includes a variety of cocktails and soft drinks. There are at least 17 variations of margaritas. Besides the classic made with lime juice, the choices include: a Jalapeño Margarita; a Sunset Margarita made with vibrant blue curaçao and strawberries; and a Corona Rita, a margarita with a small beer sunk inside it.
Also available from the bar are fun and tropical cocktails. Besides the expected mojitos, piña coladas and tequila sunrises, there are specialty drinks. Offerings include My Veracruz made with rum and citrus juices, and the national cocktail of Brazil, the Caipirinha. Non-alcoholic choices are Aguas Frescas, Horchata and bottled flavors of Jarritos.
All locations offer catering, reservations, and space for hosting parties for business meetings or family events such as baby showers. Happy hour is Sunday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. Customers are invited to celebrate Easter on April 20 and Cinco de Mayo on May 5 at a nearby Las Margaritas.
“When I first started out, one of my dreams was always going back to Danville to open a Las Margaritas,” says Cortes. “I fell in love with that little town. It’s where I had my first job. It taught me a lot about the restaurant business. People always come back to a Las Margaritas for good atmosphere and good service. Customers are always giving compliments about how good the food is. They especially love dishes such as mole poblano and birria tacos because those specialties are authentic Mexican.”
Go to lasmargaritasresturant.com for more info, and also visit them on Facebook.
