Los Portales opens doors in Springfield

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The doorways are open at Los Portales Authentic Mexican Restaurant. |ret||ret||tab|

After about a month of renovating the building at 1036 W. Sunshine, where David Leong previously operated Leong's Tea House, husband and wife owners Rigoberto and Angelica Reyes opened the Mexican restaurant June 11. Its name means "the doorways," Reyes said, after the large, arched ones in her native land's villages and homes.|ret||ret||tab|

The couple also run a location in El Dorado Springs, at 215 W. Highway 54, that has been open for about two years. |ret||ret||tab|

Angelica Reyes said they rent the Springfield location from Leong, who operated Spring-field's first Chinese restaurant there, and they may eventually buy it.|ret||ret||tab|

"He said after two years we have the option to buy it," she said of Leong and his proposal. "It depends how business goes," whether they'll take him up on the offer, Reyes added.|ret||ret||tab|

The restaurant seats about 270 people total in two rooms smoking and nonsmoking and a bar area. |ret||ret||tab|

It is open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily serving lunch and dinner, including carry-out orders, with lunch being the busiest of the times, she said.|ret||ret||tab|

Reyes said the menu includes a variety of dishes, from nachos and taco salads to enchiladas and chimichangas. But the specialty, she said, is its fajitas. |ret||ret||tab|

A children's menu and vegetarian dishes are also available. |ret||ret||tab|

Both Mexican and American beers are on hand, as well as wine and mixed drinks.|ret||ret||tab|

"We sell a lot of fajitas in El Dorado Springs," Reyes said, so they're bringing the "fajitas for two special" to Springfield. |ret||ret||tab|

She said the dinner for two, including salads, Spanish rice, fried beans and of course, fajitas with flour tortillas, will be available on Saturdays and Wednesdays. |ret||ret||tab|

Another special Los Portales offers is a 10 percent discount to its neighbors at Rhodes College.|ret||ret||tab|

"We're giving 10 percent off to all of the (Rhodes College) students," she said. |ret||ret||tab|

With its proximity, Reyes said she thinks it will make a convenient lunch spot for students in between classes. |ret||ret||tab|

And depending on the success, Reyes added, she may offer the discount to all students who present school identification cards.|ret||ret||tab|

The restaurant has about six employees, mostly made up of family and friends, Reyes said. |ret||ret||tab|

And it is family Reyes' sister Lorena Madrigal and her husband Fernando who are running the El Dorado Springs location in their absence. |ret||ret||tab|

The Reyeses live in Springfield and plan to stay here to operate the new restaurant. Reyes said they've been working in the region's Mexican restaurant business for 15 years.[[In-content Ad]]