When Queso’s Mexican Bar & Grill opened in March of 2019, it was a dream come true.
“We had a desire to open a restaurant, and everything aligned perfectly to do so,” says Yair Carvajal, operations manager for Queso’s.
Owner Karina Serrato chose the name because Mexican cheeses are so diverse.
“There are seven or eight different types of Mexican cheeses, and certain parts of Mexico use different ones,” Carvajal says.
“The past year has been a trying time for restaurants due to government-mandated shutdowns stemming from the COVID-19 outbreak, but McFarling Foods helped ease the sting,” Carvajal adds.
He goes on to praise McFarling’s business practices and the sound advice he has gotten from the McFarling team amidst the pandemic. For example, for a stretch of time last year, it was difficult to find proteins when many plants were shut down.
“All we could do was listen to the news, but our McFarling rep saw certain trends and told me, ‘I know you normally order X amount of things, but I think it might be harder to get this in the next few weeks, so I suggest you order an extra case or two,’” Carvajal says.
Throughout the pandemic, the Hamilton County community has been supportive by ordering lots of takeout from the eatery. In recent weeks, their dine-in sales have also increased.
A favorite menu item at Queso’s is the Cochinita Pibil. Popular in the southern part of Mexico, it’s pulled pork shoulder marinated and braised in achiote paste and citrus juice. Flautas are also a big hit. They are deep-fried corn tortillas rolled around a mix of grilled chicken, cooked with roasted green tomatillo salsa and cream cheese, lettuce, pico de gallo, and crema.
“We make lots of items in-house,” Carvajal says. “Our partnership with McFarling Foods makes that possible, as they deliver fresh foods so that we can create quality products.”
This goes for both food and drinks. For instance, their margaritas are extra refreshing because they use top-notch tequila and fresh limes.
“It’s great to actually be able to retrieve juice from a lime instead of it being all dried up,” Carvajal says. “It’s the little things we love about McFarling Foods.”
Queso’s Mexican Bar & Grill is located at 14741 Hazel Dell Crossing, Suite 100 in Noblesville. For more information, call 317-520-4974 or visit quesos.us.
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