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| Ground Zero Dining Out. Fiesta Cafe owner Gilbert Zuniga holds a combination plate featuring a taco, tamale, gordita, with beans and rice. |
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Mexican eatery opens in Air Park
By Jeff Korbelik
Thursday, Jun 03, 2004 - 11:59:49 pm CDT
The last time I ventured to Air Park for a dining story was in 2000, when Four Suns re-opened there.
After visiting the Thai/Chinese restaurant, I promised myself not to be deceived again by appearances.
The restaurant, on Northwest 48th Street, is what I like to call a hole in the wall, a place in dire need of some sprucing up.
The food, however, was top-notch, and it - not the building - was the reason people came.
Four years later, Four Suns has moved to a larger location in Indian Village. Its former home is now occupied by a new Mexican restaurant.
Gilbert Zuniga, a Burlington Northern & Santa Fe Railway employee, is realizing his dream of owning his own business.
Zuniga, 48, opened the Fiesta Cafe on May 8 with a small menu featuring the foods he grew up eating in south Texas.
Diners will find house favorites tamales and gorditas as well as typical Mexican fare of tostadas, tacos and enchiladas. Some of the entrees feature mole, a sauce made from spices and unsweetened chocolate.
On Saturdays and Sundays, Fiesta serves menudo, a stew made with tripe.
Lincoln has several quality Mexican restaurants, but Zuniga is hoping his food will keep Air Park residents from wanting to go elsewhere.
I believe he has a shot at it.
I had the homemade pork tamales ($5.75), which compared favorably to those I've had at other places. Served with beans and rice, the three tamales featured a thick masa with tasty, seasoned meat. It came with both mild and hot sauces.
All entrees are made on-site and range in price from $3.95 (tostadas) to $10.95 (carne asada). Fiesta also has a small breakfast menu, which is posted near the counter, where patrons place their orders.
I ordered my meal to go, but Fiesta does have a small dining room with six tables.
The dining room, along with the menu and building, is a work in progress.
Zuniga's plan is to start small, where he can keep up with the demand, and eventually grow bigger.
The Fiesta Cafe reminds me a lot of ColoMex and D'Leon's. The latter is a drive-through Mexican restaurant in west Lincoln.
Neither place is flashy, but both have pretty decent fare. For them, it's about the food and not the atmosphere.
Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@;journalstar.com.
Fiesta Cafe
2910 N.W. 48th St.
Specialty: Mexican
Atmosphere: Casual
Payment: Cash, checks, major credit cards
Hours: 8 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday
Phone: (402) 470-2008
Notes: Parking, takeout, no smoking, no alcohol
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