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Mama Gordita's Kitchen owner shares origin story, menu plans and community ties in Dallas podcast
Summary
Charlie Mitchell interviewed Hector, owner of Mama Gordita's Kitchen, about the restaurant's start as a 10-by-10 food truck, its move to a brick-and-mortar on Southeast Mill Street, menu adjustments for local tastes and the importance of regular customers to the business.
Charlie Mitchell, the city's economic and community development director, interviewed Hector, owner of Mama Gordita's Kitchen, about launching the downtown Dallas restaurant and plans for its menu and community engagement.
Hector said the business began as a rented 10-by-10 wooden food truck after his mother decided to pursue her dream of owning a food business. "We started from a little 10 by 10 food truck," he said, and added they kept working toward opening a permanent location for about four years.
The owner described finding the current building through a Facebook ad and seizing the opportunity to move into a brick-and-mortar space in downtown Dallas. He explained the restaurant’s signature item: "A gordita is a very traditional Mexican dish...we deep fry it and then we stuff it with a little bit of lettuce, sour cream, and cheese and the magic happens," Hector said.
Hector told the podcast that operating in Dallas felt familiar after moving from McMinnville and credited the community for supporting the business. He singled out a longtime customer: "We have people that come in every single day...I like to actually shout out one of our customers, Sam. He's been coming in from day one and continues to come here every single day," Hector said.
On menu development, Hector said the restaurant is adjusting recipes in response to local tastes — dialing down the heat compared with offerings they served in McMinnville — and plans to introduce new items as they gather feedback. "We're looking at adding a couple of things to the menu," he said.
For prospective small-business owners, Hector urged persistence: "You just got to follow your dreams and you got to work every day...if you continue to work your your is going to pay off at some point," he told listeners.
Hector said patrons can find Mama Gordita's Kitchen on Facebook and Instagram and at mamagorditaskitchen.com. He gave the restaurant address as 156 Southeast Mill Street, next to Dallas Cinema and across from the courthouse in the heart of downtown Dallas.
The episode closed with Mitchell thanking Hector and inviting listeners to follow the Dallas, Oregon podcast on YouTube, Spotify and Apple Podcasts.
