At golden hour across Mexico, mothers lean out of doorways, windows or porch frames, and call to their kids.
"Doesn't matter where you are at 6 pm, you gotta be home for dinner," says Alberto Bahena, who grew up in Mexico and is now a chef at Patrón, the newest Mexican restaurant on Spokane's South Hill.
"You're out there playing with friends. You're, you know, working on fixing the house. Mom calls you to eat — you have to eat. You have to be there. It brings family together."
Food and family are as integral to Patrón Mexican Restaurant as they are to Mexican culture. Patrón opened on East 29th Avenue last December, replacing what used to be Jalisco's Mexican Restaurant and Tequileria after it moved to the North Side.
Patrón was originally the dream of chef and owner Isadoro "Izzy" Perez, who wanted to open his own restaurant after working for years in the back of other Mexican restaurants. He created a small team to help him achieve his goal: co-owner Arturo Orozco, real estate-agent-turned-business-manager Martin J. Perez, and kitchen manager and chef Bahena.
The team of four men quickly became family, constantly cooking, eating and working together. Izzy Perez and Bahena both credit their mothers for their love of good Mexican food, though neither learned how to cook until they moved to the U.S. and missed their mothers' homemade meals. The chefs are constantly searching for that magic touch that makes Mexican food authentic — the freshest ingredients, the right spices, the perfect recipe to make "something that is worth the name Mexican," Martin Perez says.
At least part of that magic touch is the experience of eating a meal with family and friends. Patrón wants to make customers feel like family, no matter how close or far you are from your mom. Izzy has to spend most of his time in the kitchen but runs out to the dining room whenever he can. He chats in rapid-fire Spanish to customers or flashes a big smile to tables that only speak English.
"Even though we can't sit with people to just have dinner with them, at least what we can do is bring some of that warmth and make people feel welcome, like this is our home," Martin says.
Patrón's tagline is "auténtico sabor de México," that is, the authentic taste of Mexico. But what exactly makes Mexican food authentic?
It's in the way you prepare the meat, the rice, the beans, Martin says, which are the basic elements of any Mexican dish.
"But then you bring out the salsa, and the salsa is like the cherry on the top," he says. "It's what really makes a lot of the food shine. If you have good enchiladas, but there's red and green salsa and it's mediocre, it's like, well, you just spoiled the whole dish because your salsa is not good."
Salsas take minutes to make — just blitz a bunch of veggies together — but a lifetime to master. It takes a discerning, experienced palate to get the authentic flavors right. That's where experts like Izzy and Bahena come in. They've created some of the best salsas in Spokane, from classics like salsa roja and salsa verde to salsa ranchera, salsa de mole, salsa diabla and mojo de ajo, a garlic salsa with chipotle and lime juice. They make a special salsa just for the chips and salsa that come free to the table.
One of their most popular items, the Patrón special wet burrito ($16.95), comes drenched in not one but two kinds of salsas for guests who can't choose between red and green. A lot of the menu is customizable, since tacos, quesadillas, tortas, burritos and enchiladas (a staff favorite) can be served with whatever kind of meat you like. Or if you don't like meat, ask about spinach or fajita veggies instead. Ask about anything, really — Bahena has been known to whip up special requests in the kitchen if he has time.
No matter what, you'll leave full, and your wallet will still feel heavy, too. Four-and-a-half-inch street tacos are $3.25 apiece, or just $2.49 for mini ones, which are only a half-inch smaller. Grab a pound of rice or beans to enjoy at home for just $4.95. Most entrees are around $15 or $16 dollars, and chances are good you'll have some leftovers for lunch the next day.
To keep things fun and creative, Patrón runs themed daily specials throughout the week. On Mondays, fried dishes get discounted. On Tuesdays, any taco combo is a deal. Wednesdays are usually some kind of enchilada special, with burrito specials on Thursdays, and something special on the weekends. And starting March 15, Patrón is serving breakfast starting at 7 am, with both Mexican and American offerings, from eggs and potatoes to sweet, syrupy waffles.
"The name Patrón in Spanish means 'the boss,'" Martin says. "So for us, we have to live up to that name. We have to go above and beyond what the local expectations are for Mexican food."
Patrón on the South Hill wants to be the first of many Patróns around Spokane, without compromising the food that they're proud of. Bahena, for one, loves the one-to-one connection with customers.
"If something's not on the menu, come talk to me — if we can make it, we'll make it," he says. "That's the important thing, you have to try to let all the customers feel at home."
The comfort and care that customers feel pours out from the staff, who make food for each other with the same love that makes a mother's meal magical.
"Even though we're not family, we are all Mexican, right?" Martin says. "So we're still family no matter what." ♦
Patrón Mexican Restaurant • 3029 E. 29th Ave. • Open daily 11 am-9 am • patronspokane.com • 509-798-8031
