Pepe's Veggie Mix Bistro
People ask me — including new restaurant owners — how I find out about places.
This time it was a phone call.
The gentleman on the line could not stop raving about the enchiladas at Pepe’s, a small eatery that opened July 24 above the art gallery Against the Wall in Havelock.
He also mentioned the black beans and side salad that came with the enchiladas, noting it was worth checking out.
He was right.
Pepe’s Veggie Mix Bistro is a small treasure, where diners can enjoy veggie-themed, nonfried Mexican entrees made from local produce.
The restaurant is run by Pepe Fierro, who has waited tables for more than 30 years (and still does). His dream, he said, is to one day own a wind-powered, straw-built eatery.
Pepe’s is primarily open for lunch, with evening hours on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Fierro hopes to expand those soon.
His space — accessed by stairs off Havelock Avenue — is small, with seating for around a dozen people. Many customers order takeout.
His menu, too, is small, with four choices that change daily, depending on what fresh produce he decides to use.
Tuesday, for instance, featured two kinds of enchiladas — three cheese (mozzarella, provolone and Swiss for $5.99) and spinach and cream cheese ($6.99) — black bean tacos and cactus tomato quesadillas.
Wednesday he planned to make chile rellenos from either Hungarian sweet, anaheim or sweet red peppers. Fierro also changes his salsas regularly as well, featuring fruits (plums, peaches, tomatoes, etc.) or veggies (cucumbers) in them.
On my Tuesday visit, my co-worker and I enjoyed Pepe’s enchiladas. She accompanied hers with homemade guacamole and a spring mix with cilantro sauce. I had black beans and the spring mix with my enchiladas.
This is not fast food, so diners should be prepared to wait. Fierro often is a one-man operation, taking the orders, filling drinks and preparing the food.
We took our seats, listened to music coming from the CD player and enjoyed his homemade cucumber lemonade ($1.50) while he prepared our food.
Fierro’s food is excellent. His enchilada sauce was sweet, which was a nice contrast to the cilantro sauce on the spring mix, which, by the way, featured fresh heirloom tomatoes.
The aforementioned caller was right. Pepe’s is worth checking out. It’s a little gem of a place.
Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com.
This time it was a phone call.
The gentleman on the line could not stop raving about the enchiladas at Pepe’s, a small eatery that opened July 24 above the art gallery Against the Wall in Havelock.
He also mentioned the black beans and side salad that came with the enchiladas, noting it was worth checking out.
He was right.
Pepe’s Veggie Mix Bistro is a small treasure, where diners can enjoy veggie-themed, nonfried Mexican entrees made from local produce.
The restaurant is run by Pepe Fierro, who has waited tables for more than 30 years (and still does). His dream, he said, is to one day own a wind-powered, straw-built eatery.
Pepe’s is primarily open for lunch, with evening hours on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Fierro hopes to expand those soon.
His space — accessed by stairs off Havelock Avenue — is small, with seating for around a dozen people. Many customers order takeout.
His menu, too, is small, with four choices that change daily, depending on what fresh produce he decides to use.
Tuesday, for instance, featured two kinds of enchiladas — three cheese (mozzarella, provolone and Swiss for $5.99) and spinach and cream cheese ($6.99) — black bean tacos and cactus tomato quesadillas.
Wednesday he planned to make chile rellenos from either Hungarian sweet, anaheim or sweet red peppers. Fierro also changes his salsas regularly as well, featuring fruits (plums, peaches, tomatoes, etc.) or veggies (cucumbers) in them.
On my Tuesday visit, my co-worker and I enjoyed Pepe’s enchiladas. She accompanied hers with homemade guacamole and a spring mix with cilantro sauce. I had black beans and the spring mix with my enchiladas.
This is not fast food, so diners should be prepared to wait. Fierro often is a one-man operation, taking the orders, filling drinks and preparing the food.
We took our seats, listened to music coming from the CD player and enjoyed his homemade cucumber lemonade ($1.50) while he prepared our food.
Fierro’s food is excellent. His enchilada sauce was sweet, which was a nice contrast to the cilantro sauce on the spring mix, which, by the way, featured fresh heirloom tomatoes.
The aforementioned caller was right. Pepe’s is worth checking out. It’s a little gem of a place.
Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com.
Copyright © 2002-2009 Lincoln Journal Star. All rights reserved.