Prego’s Trattoria: Serving friends, not customers

After working in the restaurant business in New York for 21 years, Vincento Hernandez had finally had enough.

Hernandez, who now owns The Original Prego’s Trattoria on S. Church St., was tired of working for others. He had worked as a waiter for several years and as a manager for 10, but Hernandez said he always knew he wanted to own his own business and work for himself.

“I really enjoy not having a boss on top of me,” he said. “I do something when I want to do it and I don’t have to tell nobody.”

In his quest for independence, Hernandez moved to North Carolina and opened Prego’s Dec. 22, 2005. He originally planned to have his brothers help him open the restaurant, but when they decided to move back to New York, Hernandez enlisted the help of his 24-year-old son, Albert, instead.

“He works here and does pretty much everything,” Hernandez said. “He waits tables and helps me cook sometimes. He helps me a lot. He’s my king.”

The combined efforts of the father-son duo soon turned Prego’s into a success – the restaurant’s corvina piccata dish was even voted the No. 1 “must eat” dish in Alamance County by “Our State” magazine in July 2010.

Despite Prego’s’ newfound fame, Hernandez said he doesn’t want to expand the restaurant. He insists on maintaining its small, local ambience.

“We started this size and didn’t get any bigger,” he said. “We’re always going to keep it the same.”

Hernandez also said he values the number of locals who regularly eat at the restaurant. For him,  service to his customers is personal.

“I don’t treat customers as customers – I treat them as friends,” he said. “I want people to know me, and that’s why I’m here all the time. I want people to feel comfortable and have a dining experience that’s not just ‘going out to eat.’”

Grandma’s homemade recipes

Although Hernandez was born in Ecuador to Ecuadorian parents, his grandmother was an Italian immigrant, so the entrees on the menu at Prego’s are all dishes he grew up eating at home with his family, he said.

“These are Grandma’s recipes,” he said. “I try to make it as homemade as possible.”

The Gnocchi alla Sorentina ($12.95) is about as homemade as it gets, made from fresh potatoes and pasta topped with fresh pomodoro sauce and melted mozzarella cheese. The Ravioli con Salsa di Noce ($12.95) is also an excellent choice, comprised of homemade spinach and cheese-stuffed ravioli in a walnut cream sauce.

In addition to these homemade favorites, Hernandez takes pride in his weekly specials, which tend to attract the locals the most, he said. These specials, including a new weekly appetizer, pasta, fish and meat dish, are chosen to reflect a variety of cuisine from all over Italy.

“I’ve worked for different people from different parts of Italy, so I have a lot of experience with Northern and Southern Italian cuisine,” he said. “When I picked the menu and when I pick my specials, I choose dishes I’ve been collecting through the years; the most popular dishes from the North and the South. I don’t have just one dish.”

Locals come for the party, stay for the food at La Fiesta

It’s hard to ignore that La Fiesta Restaurante Mexicano has been voted best Mexican food in Alamance County 14 years in a row by the Burlington Times News.

That’s why La Fiesta owner Homero Romo insists on maintaining good food, good service and good ambience to keep the reviews excellent and the customers coming.

“We have a history of clients who come repeatedly,” Romo said. “We want them to have a nice, clean place to come back to that is consistent every time.”

Romo opened the original La Fiesta on South Church Street in 1993 with his brother and brother-in-law. The three

had moved around from Atlanta to Charlotte trying to find a good place for business, until they finally settled in Burlington. There, they found success.

Since then, La Fiesta has opened four other locations in the Piedmont area, in Mebane, Greensboro, High Point and a second restaurant in Burlington on North Church Street.

“It’s been great seeing the fruits of our labor and the fact that we’ve been able to do something and have success,” Romo said.

Savory food at a cheap price

Just because the food at La Fiesta is cheap doesn’t mean it’s low quality, according to Jason Thomas, the restaurant’s business manager.

Actually, great service and delicious food at a fair price is the restaurant’s philosophy, and Thomas said  the management at La Fiesta works hard to keep it that way.

“We make all our stuff fresh every day with quality products,” Thomas said. “We wouldn’t try to skimp on anything – some other guys (in the Mexican restaurant business) may give more food, but it’s lower quality, so we try to make that distinction. And it’s worked out pretty well.”

Thomas said the Arroz con Pollo “ACP” special ($9.50) is always a popular hit with the locals – the dish features slices of grilled chicken topped with melted nacho cheese and a hearty serving of rice. The Fajita Taco Salad ($8.95) is also a classic favorite, featuring chicken or beef topped over salad served in a large fajita bowl. Plus, each dish comes with an appetizer of La Fiesta’s signature salsa and chips to get the party going.

Thomas said he believes La Fiesta does a good job of keeping customers happy with these frequently ordered dishes, and he thinks customers know they can depend on the restaurant to have a good time.

“I’m glad that we have a good name and seem to be spoken pretty highly of around town,” Thomas said. “It gives us a lot of pride.”

Sports watching, family bonding constitute atmosphere of Red Bull

Just about two miles off campus, Red Bull Tavern & Grille has the ideal mix of family-style eating and a bar for nighttime sports lovers.

With large wooden tables and TVs in every corner, it’s a perfect choice for large groups wanting to watch a game together.

The restaurant has been in Burlington for five years, and owner Sal Mazzurco said a wide range of customers stop by for a taste of their traditional American menu.

“Our customers range from a lot of students and families to the bar crowds that come on Mondays and weekends,” he said.

Mazzurco said their Monday Night Football-centered special has remained one of their most popular events. Red Bull hosts a “Monday Night Burger Night” where all burgers are $5, excluding their Big Bull Burger.

“We even tried to take away the Monday special at one point,” he said. “But people really wanted it back. It’s a big night for people to come out to the restaurant.”

Other weekly specials include “Tuesday Family Night,” when kids eat for free, and “Wednesday Prime Rib Night,” when a rack of prime ribs and a side is just $9.99.

Classic American favorites 

Burgers and steaks are a popular meal of choice at Red Bull, but Mazzurco said the Penne a la Vodka ($11.95) and Southwest Pasta ($11.95) have become more popular recently.

If you’re worried about getting value for your money, fear not – the restaurant serves complimentary bread with all meals and gives the option of sides and salads with most menu options. Sides include fries, coleslaw, the vegetable of the day and less traditional options such as a delicious, cinnamon-topped baked sweet potato.

Red Bull is a quick drive away from campus, and its group-friendly atmosphere is perfect for a game viewing or an outing with friends. What’s not to love?

Hursey’s serves up a helping of Southern hospitality

Looking for some Southern hospitality and award-winning barbecue?

Look no farther than Hursey’s Bar-B-Q, which has been around for more than 50 years. Its original location is in Gibsonville, and there are five restaurants in Alamance County. The closest is on Church Street, about four miles from campus.

Once you’re seated, it’s easy to settle into the warm atmosphere decorated with a touch of Southern charm – pig decor, brick walls, wooden tables and plaid curtains give it a country cottage feel.

Hursey’s main attraction is its barbecue, which ranges from chopped or sliced barbecue sandwiches – less than $4 each – to combo plates and trays. The sides, also called “Quick Pig-Ups,” include hushpuppies,

homemade Brunswick stew, baked beans, Pig Tail Fries and potato salad, among other hearty Southern favorites. There are also a few seafood and chicken dishes thrown into the mix.

Kings of Catering

Hursey’s not only has a sit down restaurant, it also has a take-out counter, an outside pull-up window and full-service catering.

Ellen Hursey, the wife of owner Chris Hursey, said the Church Street location does nearly two-thirds of the catering.

“We’ve always got people in the back preparing for those events,” she said. “Just this week we’re catering a dinner for 425 people at the UNC-Chapel Hill Law School.”

Hursey said it’s hard to peg a favorite dish at the restaurant.

“It’s almost impossible,” she said. “But the customers seem to love the homemade cobblers ($1.55) and the Flounder Filet Platter ($6.49).”

She said students often come by to grab a meal with roommates, and business men and women stop by on their lunch breaks. And one glance at the wall gives a glimpse at the high-profile customers who previously sat at Hursey’s wooden tables, including Ronald Reagan.

For a touch of family and Southern cuisine just 10 minutes away from Elon’s campus, a visit to Hursey’s Bar-B-Q should definitely be on your to-do list.