JEFF KORBELIK / GZO | Posted: Saturday, December 2, 2006 6:00 pm
Tico’s had about 400,000 reasons to discontinue smoking in its restaurant.
And none of them had to do with the recent ban that was put in front of the Lincoln City Council.
The popular Mexican eatery, which celebrates its 27th anniversary this month, spent $400,000 in renovations after a fire caused extensive smoke damage in August.
The fire started at the bus station in the lounge area.
Employees routinely emptied ashtrays into the garbage cans, and a still-hot cigarette was dumped into one at the end of the night.
Fortunately, a closing manager, who had left an hour earlier, returned and discovered the smoke and called the fire department. Had the manager not returned, the damage could have been worse.
Tico’s, 17th and M streets, had hoped to re-open in two weeks, but the cleanup took two months.
The restaurant, now nonsmoking, was back in business on Oct. 9.
“People were at their wit’s end,“said general manager John Sather, who co-owns Tico’s with Geanine Bordogna. “They were having to wait for their chile relleno fix.“
The wait was worth it. Tico’s looks like a brand new restaurant.
Many of the changes are obvious: new bar, stairs, chairs, carpet and paint. Others roof and ventilation system are not so obvious.
If anything, the restaurant seems brighter, more colorful. The “leafy” trim on the walls is a good example.
“We wanted more vibrant colors,” Sather said. “We want it to be more lively.“
It’s also nice to see that some things survived the smoke, such as the giant metal chandeliers that had to be scrubbed and repainted.
Tico’s is still working on its upstairs party room. The restaurant will put in buffet tables to make it easier to serve large groups.
The one thing that didn’t change was the menu. It’s the main reason Tico’s has survived more than 25 years in Lincoln’s volatile dining market.
Tico’s is known for tried-and-true Mexican fare such as enchiladas, tacos, burritos, rellenos and chimichangas.
The restaurant does a good job with combination specials and plates, which run between $6 and $8.
Over the years, it has made a concerted effort to add vegetarian items as well as entrees with less fat.
I visited Tico’s last Friday my first time since it had re-opened. It had no trouble luring back its customer base. At 8 p.m., there was a 20-minute wait.
My companion and I remarked at how good the restaurant looked. We then enjoyed drinks Tico’s makes great margaritas and a nice meal.
I had a chili verde burrito ($9.19), while my companion had the enchilada Mazatlan dinner ($13.99). Both were up to Tico’s high standards.
While the food was good, it was the little things that made the visit enjoyable.
Like no charge for chips and salsa.
And drinks and food arriving in a timely manner.
And the courteous, well-mannered staff going the extra mile. Our waitress brought us a new basket of chips after she noticed ours had a bunch of crumbs in it.
Tico’s has been a staple of the Lincoln dining scene since it opened. With the renovations, it should remain one for many more years.
A nonsmoking staple.
Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@;journalstar.com.
Dining out
Tico’s
317 S. 17th St.
Atmosphere: Casual
Specialty: Mexican
Payment: Cash, checks, major credit cards
Hours: 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11:30 p.m. Friday-Saturday
Phone: (402) 475-1048
Notes: Parking, no smoking, alcohol, children’s menu, take-out, catering, party room