San Diego-style Mexican food restaurant opens in Boynton Beach
Originally from San Diego, Richard Charleston had a "longing for a taste of home" and was not finding it locally. The need to fill that void was strong motivation to create his new restaurant, A'Lu Mexican Cuisine.
The restaurant which opened in Boynton Beach this month and takes its name from the Mayan wood spirits, Alux, specializes in San Diego-style Mexican food.
Charleston, the restaurant's managing partner, describes San Diego-style Mexican food as "more true to the heart of Mexican cuisine, with more of a street food flare." It's not extremely fancy and can be enjoyed at any time.
Charleston says he got his start in the restaurant business as a manager at Ruth's Chris Steak House.
Though not a chef himself, he partnered with a good friend and former chef at Ruth's Chris Steak House, Wesley Newson.
While Newson was not familiar with the concept of San Diego-style Mexican, Charleston said the chef has an excellent understanding of flavor profiles and styles.
Charleston said he and Newson went to San Diego so Newson could sample the food so dear to Charleston's heart so the chef could get a taste of what they were aiming for.
They visited all the classic spots including Rosarito's, Tacos El Gordo and Hacienda de Vega, Charleston said.
A'Lu features eight varieties of tacos including a house taco made with ground beef or chicken, as well as tacos featuring smoked chicken, carne asada, short rib, fish (fried pollock) and barbacoa (house-braised beef brisket) along with the lengua (slow-cooked beef tongue) and the birria (stewed goat).
Though they just opened on Dec. 1, Charleston said the fish and carne asada are already extremely popular.
Diners can also choose from several salads and nearly a dozen entrees.
Entrees include the snapper vera cruz, smoked short rib mole and the ancho and honey-glazed porkchop.
Other entrees offer unique spins on traditional fare, including the corn lasagna, made with corn tortillas, smoked jalapenos, pickled onions, Oaxaca cheese and roasted poblano "gravy," and the waffle, which is a street corn waffle, chicharron, chorizo, sour orange-pickled vegetables and honey aioli.
Sides include black beans, house rice, smoked tasso ham and red beans, jicama slaw and watermelon salad.
There are three deserts including the dulce de leche lava cake, tres leches and churros with horchata ice cream.
A'Lu has a full bar with nearly two dozen tequilas and seven mezcals from which to choose. It also features several specialty margaritas and cocktails.
A'Lu Mexican Cuisine restaurant in Boynton Beach
Where: 1080 Gateway Blvd., Boynton Beach
Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Sunday
Information: alupalmbeach.com
Eddie Ritz is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at eritz@pbpost.com. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: A'Lu restaurant features Mexican food, tacos in Boynton Beach
