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