Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Soriano. Them and their team share their story with us below:
Alebrije Mexican Cuisine is a family-owned restaurant owned and managed by Mark Soriano, with the help of his wife and daughters. Mark has been in the restaurant and hospitality industry for over 38 years working in various hotels and restaurants in Mexico City as well as Metro Atlanta. He has worked in every restaurant position you can imagine and work his way up the ladder to becoming manager, consultant and now owner of Alebrije Mexican Cuisine. In 2018 he received the opportunity to follow his dream of owning his own authentic Mexican restaurant that represents real Mexican food and culture.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Just like any other small business, we have struggled in various moments in our journey. Some of the most difficult times was when COVID hit and we had to shut down. We were closed down for a couple of days but then re-opened and only had to-go services. It was hard because we had to let go of some of our employees and we were barely breaking even. Fortunately, we had a very large group of supportive customers that would continue to order with us on a weekly basis to keep surviving the pandemic; they would even over-tip so our few employees could get some extra money. We are extremely grateful for them because without our loyal customers, we would have had to shut down completely.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Alebrije Mexican Cuisine?
Alebrije Mexican Cuisine specializes in serving authentic Mexican dishes from different regions of Mexico using traditional and artisanal ingredients such as axiote, hibiscus flowers, jicama, mole, tamarind, etc. Every couple of weeks, we offer different weekend specials that are not available on our everyday menu. For example, September is one of our busiest months because we make Chile en Nogadas, a very traditional recipe that cannot be found in other restaurants in Metro Atlanta. We also specialize in fresh-made and organic margaritas- we believe a good margarita should not be made with pre-bought mix.
But I believe our customer service is what makes us different from everybody else. We love to conversate with our customers and educate them on Mexican culture and history; teaching about the meaning behind the name Alebrije, the history of Mexican dishes and the background of tequilas and mezcales.
Contact Info:
- Email: alebrijecuisine@gmail.com
- Website: alebrijemexicancuisine.com
- Instagram: @alebrijecuisine
