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Business Beat
A Taste of Mexico on 198th Street

By HEATHER HADDON

For 10 years, Rocio Bravo sold homemade tamales and tacos outside her North Fordham apartment, just as she had done in her native Mexico. She amassed a dedicated clientele, along with plenty of summonses for running a street business.

Bravo is still bringing her mother’s recipes to hungry patrons, but as of earlier this year, she’s operating legally in her own restaurant right down the block. “I am content,” said Bravo, 31, in Spanish. “I have my own place, finally.”

Bravo is from the state of Puebla, famous for its flavorful cuisine and the fact that the majority of Mexican immigrants in the city come from there. In 1989, Bravo moved to the Bronx, first living on 177th Street before settling on 196th Street. She hasn’t been back to Mexico since. “All my family is here now,” she said.

While her husband worked, Bravo churned out the antojitos (snack food) that she sold on the street and during Hispanic soccer matches in parks. She has watched North Fordham’s Mexican population climb over the years, with two Mexican friends of hers taking over Monte D’Oro’s — a beloved Italian restaurant that was a fixture on East 198th Street for decades — in 2003. When that partnership broke up, she and her older sister, Piedad Martinez, decided it was time to open their own place.

The restaurant was reborn as Las Maravillas de Mexico (Marvels of Mexico) in January. Patrons of Monte D’Oro’s might be sad to see that the old-fashioned plate glass windows are gone and that the wood paneling has been replaced. But Bravo wanted a brighter look. The cozy restaurant was completely renovated, with family members and friends pitching in. An acquaintance was recruited to help cook, and the pair has gotten plenty of assistance on the business end.

“We are still learning about that,” said Bravo, smiling.

But they’ve got the cooking down pat. The food is fresh and flavorful, arriving in generous portions. During a visit last month, enchiladas were served smothered in a pungent green sauce, and the marinated chicken breast was moist and tender.

The menu, decorated with famous Mexican sites, is extensive. In addition to the typical tacos and tostadas, there are dishes native to Puebla like cemitas, a sandwich on a hard, seeded roll, and moles, a rich sauce made from an average of 10 ingredients.

“They take about an hour to make because there are so many ingredients,” Bravo said. Simpler dishes like tacos de barbacoa (barbecued beef) and al pastor (marinated pork) tend to be the most popular.

Both sisters have three children, and they divide their time at the restaurant into shifts. The days are long, but Bravo couldn’t be happier. “It’s worth the effort,” she said, noting that husbands and children are recruited on the weekends.

Bravo says she’s still learning the small business ropes — like when to put the trash out and how to store goods properly — but she is already planning on expanding. “I have many plans,” she said. “Little by little, we’re moving forward.”

Ed. note: Las Maravillas de Mexico is located at 211 E. 198th St., between the Grand Concourse and Valentine Avenue. Phone: (718) 584-3455.

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