On Dec. 31, 2010, the recession delivered the final blow to Arcelia’s Mexicana Restaurant. Closing the warm, 20-year-old Lafayette Square neighborhood taqueria was no fun, says Marta Ramirez, daughter of the late owner Arcelia Sanchez.
“I never wanted to leave Arcelia’s,” she says. “I did a career change, to the health-care industry, and it was not my passion. Then I decided to go to culinary school, and I loved it. I said to myself, ‘Why didn’t I do this 15 years ago?’ I have the same drive and passion that my mom did.”
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A year and a half after that depressing New Year’s Eve, Ramirez and familia are on the cusp of re-opening Arcelia’s in its original neighborhood, Soulard, to dish out more of Mom’s Enchiladas de Crema, salsas, empanadas, and all the old faves.
Marta’s husband Jorge Ramirez, sister Anna Tripp, brother-in-law Stephen Tripp, brother Manuel Farias, sister-in-law Joanna Farias, brother Rodolfo “Rudy” Farias, sister-in-law Cici Farias, and brother David Farias are all invested in the new venture, and assorted nieces, nephews, and cousins will work in the new Arcelia’s, too. Marta will cook as well as work the front of the house, she says.
Changes to the menu will be minimal, she explains. Look for the return of Arcelia’s number-one seller, the Enchiladas de Crema, which feature a sour-cream sauce made with tomatillos and poblano and jalapeno peppers, plus hits like the tamales and empanadas. Regulars will have fond memories of the posole, salsas, house-made tortillas, and the birthday-worthy puffed sopapilla dessert topped with ice cream, cinnamon, and honey.
“We started in Soulard, moved to Lafayette Square, and now we’re back in Soulard, and I feel my mom has brought all the sisters and brothers back together,” says Ramirez. “It’s sort of emotional, but it’s a good emotional. Arcelia’s meant something to people; We’re being welcomed back with lots of love.”
“Running a restaurant is hard work,” she adds, “but it has so many benefits. My family will never go hungry, and we will always have jobs. And during the time away from the restaurant, some of my family members and I did not know what to do.”
“That’s another one of the great things about Arcelia’s,” says Ramirez. “We were really able to help people. We come from a poor family, and we learned the power of helping people. My mom taught us that, whether it’s just giving water to someone on the street who’s thirsty or hiring people who could use a helping hand. We want to continue that.”
Arcelia’s
Re-opening mid- to late August
1928 S. 12th St.
314-241-1378
11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mon. to Thurs.
11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fri. and Sat.
