Las Chaparritas goes from food truck to sit-down cafe

The opening last week of Las Chaparritas Mexican Restaurant in downtown Tucumcari represents sizable growth from its food-truck origins just a few years ago.

Owner Artemio Vazquez and his wife Maria first started the Las Chapparitas Food Truck three years ago that was parked along East Tucumcari Boulevard and, later, in the parking lot at the closed Kmart building.

Last Monday, Las Chaparritas Mexican Restaurant held its grand opening, complete with a ribbon-cutting ceremony organized by the Tucumcari/Quay County Chamber of Commerce.

Las Chaparritas occupies the former spot of El Herradero restaurant at 110 E. Main St. that closed in September after Vazquez bought the building.

At lunchtime last Monday, customers filled the space to its 90-person capacity, with 30 more waiting outside the door.

"We were very, very, very busy," Vazquez said Wednesday during a break from cooking.

Though Vazquez speaks some English, Jose "DJ Lalo" Almeida helped translate for him during parts of the interview.

Diners were greeted by the restaurant's new flooring and a doubling of the number of bathrooms. Vazquez said he spent about six months remodeling the space on weekends and at nights after closing his food truck for the day.

Vazquez said he already likes what he sees from his new, more permanent digs.

"There's more room for the customers," Vazquez said. "There's more space for me in the kitchen. It's more relaxed for the customers. We like it downtown, too."

Vazquez said most popular item on his menu, which includes entries for breakfast as well as lunch and dinner, is the carne asada plate.

Las Chaparritas doesn't serve beer or wine. Vazquez said he might apply for such a license within a year or so.

"He's grateful for the support of the community," Almeida said, translating from Vazquez's remarks in Spanish. "Since we've had the food truck, the community has been treating us like a part of the family."

Las Chaparritas is open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.