By Jacob Mathias

Stevens Point’s newest offering, Mi Pueblo Mexican Restaurant, opened Tuesday, June 20 and aims to serve customers with authentic, homemade Mexican food.

The restaurant, located in the former Tommy’s American Grill alongside the Econolodge on Hwy. 10, is the realization of husband and wife team Iliana Corona and Cristobal Mondragon, and Mondragon’s sister Patty Mondragon. The couple moved to Chicago from Tlaxcala, Mexico about eight years ago to be with family before deciding to move to Stevens Point to be closer to more family and open their restaurant, an idea originally floated by Cristobal Corona.

“He was like, ‘We should open a restaurant, but not (Chicago), something different,’” said Corona. “I was scared because I was going to leave my job and something was going to change dramatically.”

Mondragon heads the kitchen, where he cooks authentic Mexican food using recipes he learned from his mother in his home country and restaurants he worked in Chicago.

Corona recommended her husband’s chile relleno, a poblano pepper stuffed with meat and/or cheese and fried in a light batter, as well as their tacos filled with steak, al pastor, chicken, chorizo, chile relleno or carnitas. The menu also features various burritos, chimichangas, tortas and sopes as well as traditional and Mexican breakfast items. Flan, a Mexican custard, is a available for dessert.

“You see Mexican-American [elsewhere],” said Corona. “We’re using all authentic Mexican food.”

Corona hopes to soon add fried ice cream, tamales, posole and menudo to the menu along with their Tlaxcalan specialty, barbacoa made with agave. A grand opening celebration is also in the works.

“We decided to change our lives,” said Corona. “You don’t want to be working at the warehouse…we had this opportunity and we are here.”

Mi Pueblo is located at 5110 Main St. in Stevens Point and opens Sunday through Thursday from 7 AM to 10 PM and Friday and Saturday from 7 AM to midnight.