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Get ‘Sauced’ at La Victoria (continued from page 7)
While they’re at the taqueria, “we’re workers,” he
said. “At home, we’re family.”
Heart in San Jose
La Victoria started in San Jose in 1998 and
today has three locations in that city at 140 E.
San Carlos St., 131 W. Santa Clara St. and 5015
Almaden Expressway.
The first San Jose location, on E. San Carlos
Street, which is near San Jose State University,
attracted students and became so popular that the
decision was made to open two more locations
in San Jose, Teresa Barrita explained. The three
San Jose locations are run by Marcelino Barrita,
who is Teresa Barrita’s husband’s brother (and her
brother-in-law).
From jewelry to Mexican food
Prior to opening La Victoria, the Barritas used
to run a jewelry store, Three BBB, which opened
in Redwood City in 1983. With their last name
beginning with B, they played with that in
choosing the name of the store. After the jewelry
store closed, they decided to open La Victoria,
which has now been in Redwood City for about
two and a half years.
Teresa Barrita was born in Mexico and came
to the U.S. when she was just 4 years old with her
parents. Her husband, Fidel Barrita, is originally
from Mexico as well.
The Barritas love running their taqueria in
Redwood City and always welcome new and repeat
customers. So why not head on down to Main
“It’s tasty. They [customers] like that
it goes with everything they eat.”
The Barritas’ son Fidel helps out every day in this
family-owned business.
a burrito, nachos or a quesadilla when she comes,
she said. She likes that the food is authentic. “It’s
not Americanized,” she said. “I just like their food.”
Catering for companies,
individuals
La Victoria does catering. Businesses rely on La
Victoria to provide Mexican food for meetings
and parties, or simply to bring in lunch for
employees as a token of appreciation for their
work. Individuals contact La Victoria to cater for
parties as well. The catering service is “open to
the public,” Fidel Barrita said. “It doesn’t really
matter.” Teresa Barrita estimates that catering is
about 20 percent of La Victoria’s business.
A family affair
It’s truly a family affair at La Victoria. Teresa
Barrita and her husband, Fidel, run the taqueria,
along with sons Fidel Barrita, 27, and Ezequiel
“Kiki” Barrita, 25. Fidel and Ezequiel “Kiki”
Barrita help at the front with customers and take
their orders. Fidel Barrita also helps train new
employees. The Barritas’ other son, Humberto
Barrita, 14, comes to the taqueria as well but
doesn’t work because he is not old enough.
Fidel Barrita said it isn’t difficult to separate the
family relationship from the business relationship.
La Victoria’s Redwood City location serves the
same food and has the same décor as the three
San Jose locations. “We want people to know that
we’re from San Jose and it’s the same one,” Teresa
Barrita said.
A lot of people know La Victoria is in San Jose,
but they don’t know it’s in Redwood City, Teresa
Barrita said. The Redwood City business is “not
stable like San Jose, but we think it’s going to get better.”
The Redwood City location is using Groupon
to generate more business. Teresa Barrita said
she’d like to see more events in Redwood City
because when there are more events, it draws
more customers.
Street and enjoy some great authentic Mexican
food? You’ll be doing your part to help a local,
family-owned and operated business that has become a
South Bay icon and is the only Mexican restaurant
that serves its world-famous orange sauce. “We
want people in the community to come in and
give us a try,” Teresa Barrita said. “They will see
that we are different from other taquerias.”
La Victoria
847 Main St.
Redwood City, CA 94063
650-366-1070
www.lavicsredwoodcity.com
Monday through Saturday 9 a.m.–10 p.m.,
Sunday 9 a.m.–8 p.m.
www.SpectrumMagazine.net