When David Fillmore and Elizabeth Acosta started selling traditional Mexican food at the Historic Farmers’ Market two years ago, it was a bit of a test. The pair knew they wanted to open a restaurant, but were the bellies of the HRM grumbling for authentic Mexican eats? The answer was a resounding yes. The next move brought Que Tal Mexican Food over to the Alderney Farmers’ Market in Dartmouth, and then to catering for private parties and now, they’re set to open that restaurant they’ve been plotting since 2011, at 635 Portland Hills Drive in Dartmouth this Saturday.
Finishing and decorating the space mostly themselves, incorporating handcrafts and artisan tiles straight from Acosta’s native Mexico, these two have been working non-stop to get ready for the weekend—Que Tal Restaurante Mexicano is already booked solid for Saturday’s dinner. And with a loyal following built over the last two years, it’s no wonder.
“I'm so excited to bring some Mexican culture here. We want to go outside of the stereotype that we all eat tacos and super spicy salsas,” says Acosta, who uses many traditional, passed-down recipes. “There’s lots of tradition and we want to bring all of that heritage and help people know a little bit more about the culture.” Looking to their friends at the market for many ingredients, Que Tal will definitely focus on the local, making everything fresh—from salsas to corn tortillas—Acosta says its very important to her to know where the food is coming from. “The kitchen is open concept with a big glass window,” she says. “Everything is about being transparent and delivering a very high quality product.”
Offering lunch and dinner Monday through Friday, and adding breakfast to the mix on Saturdays, Acosta hopes that Que Tal will fill a family restaurant void she sees in the area. But family-friendly certainly doesn’t mean it’ll be free of party, there’ll be a tequila margarita bar, too.
For regular market-goers worried about the now renowned stand disappearing from your Saturday routine, worry not, Que Tal will remain at the Historic Farmers’ Market, but not until it gets this big opening weekend out of the way.
