I am going to post something that hits very close to home and heart.
My family's owned restaurant, Asi Es Mi Tierra (or better known just as "Mi Tierra"), will be closing its doors forever this Friday, October 22nd, 2004. My parents have ran our restaurant since 1983, and before that, they used to sell fruit, barbacoa, tortillas and potatoes from a stand on the very same property where the building my father built with his now hands now stands. Within half a year, the building will be demolished to make way for a parking lot that will belong to an office building my parents are investing in for their eventual retirement.
It is the most bittersweet feeling to know this and as the days inch closer to Friday, it is impossible to believe that we won't be there come Saturday or next Monday. My memories begin at this restaurant and I can't remember a time in my life when it wasn't in the picture. I remember when my parents used to run a tortilleria in the back where our kitchen is now located. I can remember being fascinated by the machinery of the tortilla making machines. I remember passing the worst of Hurricane Gilbert within its walls while trying to capture "Pee Wee's Big Top", getting really bad reception from our little televison set (but then there was a hurricane outside). I remember going there after school with my sister from our elementary to pick up our soft-drink and a bag of chips, then we would go home and watch cartoons.
I remember a time when there was rail switch yard located in the front before there was the federal courthouse. I remember when we used to get packed on holiday gift giveaways at the police station. I remember once a group of 30 Miss USA pageant contestants and friends came to eat after they were given a tour of the police station and it was just my aunt, my mom and I who held the fort down. I remember trying to explain the dishes to them and passing out dishes of the best rice and beans they would ever have.
I am going to miss the look on people's faces when they see how big our flour tortillas really are. I am going to miss our customer's faces of satisfaction after eating the most delicious plate of Mexican food they've had in a while or how "mama" used to make it. I am going to miss the customers. I am going to miss the sound my dad makes when he carefully does the dishes. I am going to miss my mom's yearly family pozole lunch for new years. I am going to miss the smell of tamales and buñuelos overcome the building duing the holiday season. I am going to miss watching the seasons go by from the glass doors.
Yes there is going to plenty to miss and many memories to keep. We are going to be open until Friday, so if you wish to come and say goodbye we would like your visit.
We are located at:
1104 E. Jackson St., Brownsville, Texas
corner of Jackson and 7th across the police station
open 6:30 am - 2pm
956-541-9236
We will be going into catering though so if you all want good food for your next catered event, consider us. Its almost a guarantee to make any event a big hit.
MI TIERRA CATERING
Authentic Mexican Food For All Occasions
Over 20 Years of Restaurant Experience
De Nuestra Cocina A Tu Mesa
email: mitierra@rgv.rr.com
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Art by Rosendo Sandoval - Title:"La que bailo con el diablo " contact: galloblanco03@yahoo.com
Historic Brownsville Museum
RGV+ BEYOND ARTS & MORE
CLICK ON IMAGE TO VIEW THE LATEST ISSUE
8 comments:
My god! I just read this today, and as I was reading this tears starting rolling down my face, I hadnt thought of it this way. I was just thinking how my mother will finally have some rest from working lots of years in that building. Now when I remember everything that mayra has written in this journal, I recall all those memories as if they were yesterday. All those costumers that became our friends and family, they have seen us grow up and then seen my family through the good and the bad times. I remember when it use to be a fruit stand and my dad started building the building that is now the resturant, smelling the fruit and being in the concrete floor (no floor) and my mom had made hot chocolate, we were waiting for my dad to finish up hammering some wood. It was cold and dark we had one hanging light bulb above us as we drank our hot chocolate. Just some of the things you forget,, you know they are in your memories but you hardly think about them. So many memories there..I wish we just had tooken pictures or something. Now they are only in our minds. Lots of things have happened there, tears of sadness and happiness, I remember the time we had rain floods and dad use to go pick up us at PUTEGNAT ELEM. walking through the flooded streets, THE time when THE MR AMIGO STORE downtown fall down and we heard it from the restuarant! Within seconds we heard the abulances and fire trucks, police cars drive by..Mom screaming at us from the restuarant to the back house to come eat or to go help clean tables, get tortillas ect.
ALL MY CHILDHOOD AND EVEN NOW WILL ALWAYS BE MI TIERRA RESTUARANT! Thanks Mayra for opening up my eyes...I just never thought of it like that.
YOur sister Angie
It is the end of an era. Before or on tomorrow you should all take pictures and video of both the site and restuarant like it is now for posterity of your kids and their kids. It may someday become part of the history of the City of Brownsville. Think about it.
Z
I remember the first time I set foot at Mi Tierra Restaurant. Mayra's mom was kneading a ball of what looked like dough..it was for corn tortillas-not the mazeca kind either. We're talking the real stuff..pure corn baby! By the way, I never got a tortilla...I'll be there on Friday...with fresh tortillas on the brain.(lol) seriously,I always treated your restaurant like an extension of my kitchen at home. That place brings back so many memories--all of them wonderful! Anyone can go to a restaurant, but few people can go to a second home...that's what Mi tierra was ... our second home. Thank you Hma Cruz and all of you guys for opening your hearts and pantry doors for all of the vecindad-
-Jeannie Floyd
I am an Ex-boyfriend of the owners dauther. I should know the food! I can't belive what im reading "Mi tierra" is closing. I just wanted to say that mi tierra really does have the best mexican food in brownsville. And Mr and especially Ms. Cruz are the nicest people I ever came across. I know that the catering service will be a hit. I wish you guys the best of luck!!! Mr & Ms Cruz God bless you and good luck, Myra keep up the good work, and my sweet,ANGIE you will always have a special place in my heart. ML3126 p.s The Mexican Plate ROCKS!!!
Brownsville Herald Article about Mi Tierra Rest. Closing
I have just found both your site and the article in the Herald in respect of your restaurant.
I am vey sad for you but hope all goes well for the future. I have never had the pleasure of eating with you, which perhaps is not surprising as I live in England !! But I am coming to Brownsville on holiday on the 4th November and would have loved to have found you, can you stay on until then ? !! best wishes
Tony Hobson - rural@tiscali.co.uk
Well the last day came and went by.. I am so grateful for all our costumers to come in one last time. My mom and my aunt were so busy in the kitchen, that they hardly had time to come and greet and say good bye to the costumers. It was WONDERFUL to see everyone,and to hear them order thier favorite everyday dishes. Like Lorenzo, he comes/came to eat every morning the same breakfast special with toast and his BIGGGG cup of coffee we had for him specially; and his glass of water. Mrs O'conner also comes in every morning to have breakfast only this time she had something different, Bebe, a nieghbor of ours that have seen us grown up since babies came in for Breakfast and Lunch asking for her Dr. Pepper has usual. So many others to name that we use to see mostly daily, some weekly, all wanting to say goodbye and order thier last tortilla, flautas, tacos..It was a sad day but it was also nice... As we were closing up Mayra started crying I told her not to cry...she kinda got mad and said she wanted to cry and grief,, But what for... we got to look forward I said.. Lets thing of it as a good thing and the memories... Now we can have MOMS HOMECOOKING everyday jejejeje ... YOu got to realize that mom sometimes came home and didnt want to cook.. I mean she would be cooking every day all day.. She didnt want to come home to cook dinner. We ended up eating and fast food rest. or sandwiches.. OFcourse she made dinner once in awhile.. But like when MOM had ganas to cook dinner it was and is always 200% better!!! Thanks to Denise ( moms best friend's Daughter) to come help Mayra wait on tables. Thanks Tia for helping out so many years! And Thanks Mayra for helping mom so much these past months. FOr being her shoulder, right arm, and friend and adviser.
I will never forget this day..
Angie
Hello Everyone,
I wanted to thank everyone for their support and for giving us one very awesome last day...I mean very awesome. I don't think it could have ended any better. I can't believe the level of response we have received! From Austin to San Antonio, from Brooklyn to even England (that was a suprise!) and especially from our beloved hometown Brownsville. Our hearts are bit broken but there are no regrets. As Z plainly put it, another phase begins...
I bet many of you must wonder why my sister and I did not continue with the business. Well, my parents always told us that anything we wanted to achieve was possible and to reach for what our hearts desired. They never even instilled an expectation in us to continue with the business, the only expectation they had for us was to make the best of the opportunities they worked so hard to give us. And above anything, my parents wanted Angie and I to obtain a higher education. Until recently we have both achieved those education goals but unfortunately for now, they do not include ventures in the restaurant business. My sister pursued interests in child development and I pursued interests in art and education, and my parents have been completely supportive.
Perhaps later, we may reinvest in reopening, but this would be years and years down the line. I do have a personal interest in reopening the restaurant, perhaps later in life when I can make a financial investment...and I told this to my mother. The only thig she asked of me was, "Please only serve Mexican food, and not Tex-Mex....that is the only thing I feel very strongly about!" How can you tell the difference, you say? Well, if you are at a Mexican Restaurant and you see an over abundance of sour cream, cheese, tortilla chips and salsa, fried food, more than one version of a margarita and oily plates, yes, you may indeed be eating Tex-Mex and not Mexican...lol. Mom, consider your promise kept....Yes one of my dreams is to reopen Mi Tierra when I am older and perhaps open one in Italy..where good Mexican food is also sorely needed....
For now, thanks everyone once and again and again. Los tendramos en nuestros corazones y memorias por toda la vida. Muchas Gracias y por la ultima vez, BUEN PROVECHO!
Post a Comment