By Justin Markofski
Northside News
The Northside TownCenter is excited to have a new restaurant coming into the former Benvenuto’s location at 1849 Northport Drive. This space has been awaiting a new tenant since Benvenuto’s closed October 2021. El Sabor de Puebla is a seasoned local family business that is no stranger to the food industry or to the Northside.
In comments shared by co-owners Reyna Gonzalez Torres and Waldo Olguin, “We live in this community; the Northside of Madison is our home. Our children were born here and raised in the neighborhood. They all attended Northside schools. We have strong ties to the schools and to the community. It is important for us to work close to our home to be available for our kids. We are part of the Northside Farmers Market on Sundays.”
Gonzalez Torres and Olguin already successfully operate the first El Sabor de Puebla restaurant, located at 305 N. Fourth St. behind East High School. That location has been successful for them over five years of operation and is part of their readiness to expand into this larger space. They also have operated a tamale wholesale business since 2013 (which they will be closing with this newest expansion), and they sell organic produce they grow at the Farley Center.
Gonzalez Torres and Olguin have both experience and a deep commitment to healthy ingredients and food. The first objective in their business plan is to provide high quality, healthy “vendor-style hot fast meals, fresh fruit juices and fruit smoothies” by using high quality organic and local products whenever possible.
In the same plan they see a key to success for their business is offering “high quality healthy meals prepared using recipes and cooking methods used by our ancestors and using organic and local ingredients when available.”
For example, Gonzalez Torres has purchased a “molino,” a mill to grind fresh corn to produce fresh-ground masa for her tortillas and tamales for the restaurant and farmers markets. She has contracted with a local farmer to grow organic corn of several varieties and colors to make her tortillas and tamales.
El Sabor will have the same menu items that are available at its Fourth Street location, but potential additions to the menu in the new space are being considered. They also have a juice bar, where they serve natural, freshly made juices, smoothies, fruit waters and fruit cocktails in the warm season; and in the cooler months offer hot Mexican-style beverages such as Mexican teas and cider, atole and champurrado.
I asked them if they had any other words to share with Northsiders on the eve of opening El Sabor de Puebla. They concluded with this, “We believe our wholesome, homemade cuisine served in a family style setting adds to the community and will attract more people to experience our ever diverse and expanding community. We are extremely excited that this space was available to us at this time and appreciate the assistance and the encouragement of the management team at the Northside TownCenter.”
Go have a meal or a drink at El Sabor de Puebla in the Northside TownCenter and welcome them in this new way into the neighborhood.
