Local eatery offers traditional Mexican flavor

WESLACO — Fajitas, gorditas, mole, enchiladas and tacos.

Add to that some tasty flour tortillas with rice and beans and patrons have the staples of a Mexican plate at Las Brisas Restaurant located off 1609 West Business 83 Suite A next to EZ Car Wash.

The popular Mexican bottled beverages including naranja, manzana, piña ponche and tamarindo are also offered to go along with the regular soft drinks.

The small joint owned by Daniel and Maria Perez seats as many as 40 people and opened on May 1.

The couple's daughter, Lilliana Perez, manages the restaurant. Along with the food, Mexican culture is visible in the restaurant's décor, which includes sombreros and two charro ceramics on the floor by the register.

"Purely a Mexican restaurant," the manager said. "No American food."

Las Brisas - translating to "the breeze" in English - employs three cooks and six employees total.

Maria Perez said she helps from time to time and has experience as a cook at Golden Corral and Milano's Restaurant.

Along with the variety of Mexican plates, Lilliana Perez said the restaurant also serves breakfast and is working on offering seafood.

One of the more popular dishes, Lilliana Perez said, is the $4.69 breakfast plate which includes two pancakes, two eggs, bacon, hash brown and beans. She also suggested the conchecitos de carne molida, which comes with tiny Mexican sandwiches made out of ground beef for $5.99.

"Some (customers) like to eat gorditas and another likes enchiladas," Lilliana Perez said.

Everyday, Las Brisas Restaurant offers different specials from milanesa (breaded meat), carne asada and bistet ranchero.

Lilliana Perez said it was her idea to open the restaurant and even came up with the name after driving by a street in Weslaco.
"I told my parents to invest our money in something to bring some profit," she said. "I thought a restaurant was a good idea."