The Review

Issue date: 3/4/08 Section: Mosaic

Media Credit: Steven Gold La Tonalteca opened its doors on Feb. 25.

Although Cinco de Mayo is approximately two months and 50 degrees away, Feb. 25 is just as good a day for a fiesta as any other. Senior Stephen Petfield celebrated the day with chicken enchiladas and a Bud Light, taking in the sights and sounds of the grand opening of La Tonalteca on North College Avenue.

"The restaurant itself looks great," Petfield says. "The bar is superb and they have a nice HDTV for sports and whatnot."

The opening is a huge event for any business, but Newark is no stranger to La Tonalteca.

The restaurant, formerly known as La Tolteca, once sat among the stores in the Newark Shopping Center until Monday, Feb. 25. Unlike many restaurants, the move came not as a result of poor business or sagging sales. Marketing Director Yonathan Galindo says it was just time for change.

"After a certain amount of years, people are going to want to experience something new," Galindo says. "It's the same great food and service, just a different ambiance."

The Delaware chain of Mexican eateries has gone through a complete makeover since opening in 1993. Galindo says improving the overall look of the restaurant was paramount to establishing a successful business.

"I want people to feel like they're in Mexico," Galindo says. "I want them to feel like they're in a little museum."

Part of creating this dining experience was to revamp the design of the interior while still staying true to La Tonalteca's authentic Mexican roots, he says. More than 20 different murals cover the walls, all hand-painted by Mexican artists. Petfield says the new atmosphere is a refreshing change from the old location in the Newark Shopping Center.

"The move seems awesome," he says. "The new place is a lot cleaner than the old La Tolteca and it's got a bit more modern Mexican décor. The atmosphere in the older restaurant seemed like '80s or '90s retro Mexican or something."

Junior Kelly Murray, a resident of the Christiana Towers, says the location is convenient on her walk to and from classes.

"I've eaten at La Tolteca before, but it was really out of my way to go to the Newark Shopping Center," Murray says.

Perhaps the most obvious transformation of the restaurant's image can be found in its namesake. Galindo says in reformulating the restaurant's image, the name change added to the cultural value of the establishment.

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