Owning La MexiCanada in Bradford was a dream come true for Edson Nava and now that dream has expanded to Newmarket's Upper Canada Mall.
Opening a second La MexiCanada at its Market & Co. location is a big feat, according to Nava, who said the restaurant was on the verge of shutting down in Bradford when he took over it with his wife seven years ago.
He said it was a big risk but also a dream come true.
Nava grew up in Mexico City but moved to Cancun when he was 19 years old. He was studying graphic design and began working in the service industry and at restaurants to pay his bills. That's where he first got into cooking and learned everything he knows.
He moved to Canada 16 years ago and continued working in the restaurant industry, eventually working at La MexiCanada at 32 Holland St E in Bradford.
He started as a bartender, then a bar manager, then a server, then a floor manager and finally a general manager before taking over as owner.
"Sixteen years ago I moved here and seven years ago that dream that I had, it came true,” Nava said.
Immediately after opening, they changed the menu, changed the look of the restaurant, and after a year or two, they were really busy. They got so busy, in fact, they could no longer take walk-ins on weekends.
That's when Nava realized they needed to expand.
Newmarket was an obvious choice, he said, not just because of proximity but also because of the interest in the community.
"Taking reservations and talking to people, we found out that it was a lot of people coming from Newmarket to the Bradford location,” he said.
Being in the mall is a bit different because they can't have the live music and same party vibe that's common at the Bradford spot, but it still offers sit-down dining and the authentic Mexican cuisine for which they are known.
The menu features all its popular items, a variety of tacos, burritos, quesadillas, enchiladas, equite, parrillapa, and alambres — "the real Mexican fajitas" — as well as pastries and "los drinks."
Since opening last February, it has been a big success, Nava said.
"I can’t say enough. Obviously when you open a business you open with the mentality that it’s going to be a good successful business but this is way better than we expected,” he said.
Nava prefers to be hands on, helping in the kitchen or serving out on the floor, so splitting his time between both locations has taken a toll on him, but he said the response from the community keeps him going.
"One thing that keeps me going more is to see the feedback from people and they’re super happy,” he said.
The Newmarket location is in Market & Co. in Upper Canada Mall and is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays to Saturdays and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays.