New Venezuelan restaurant, with an emphasis on street food, opens on Mahan Drive

One man in Tallahassee is paving the way for his two nieces and mother in Venezuela to join him in the U.S. by turning to his family’s culinary skills and opening a restaurant in Tallahassee.

Jesus Lamas, 48, said he has one goal in mind for opening Chatarras in eastern Leon County: to create “a stable financial life for my family.”

The establishment brings a taste of Venezuelan-cuisine street food, or as Lamas translates the name, Chatarras, as “fast food or junk food,” to the Shops in Mahan, 3348 Mahan Drive, between Unique Boutique and Mahan Animal Clinic.

Joining Lamas in the venture is his 19-year-old daughter, Avril Lamas, a chemistry student at Tallahassee Community College who oversees administrative duties, and his cousin turned head chef, Hector Martinez.

Jesus Lamas says he hopes he can sponsor his nieces and mother and provide them with opportunities to work in the restaurant when they emigrate to Tallahassee.

“I want to do this for my family,”Lamas said while looking around the restaurant decorated by the Venezuela and U.S. flags illuminated by the neon lights along the walls.

The street-food hub offers a Venezuelan-style breakfast menu which is available until 10 a.m. and lunch or dinner options for the rest of its operating hours.

These breakfast items include a range of its prized empanadas made with cheese, black beans, chicken, or shredded beef, arepas and sandwiches, with prices starting at $3.85.

Lunch and dinner items include a variety of hot dogs, burgers, and sandwiches. With prices starting at $3.50 for the hot dogs and up to $16.85 for burgers.

“Venezuelans are big into street food. We love our hotdogs and burgers,” Lamas said.

The cozy restaurant had a soft opening on June 2 and people have been raving on the Tallahassee Foodies Facebook group about the restaurant's “La Gran Venezuela” burger. The signature burger combines a beef patty, porkchop, chicken, corn, tomato, lettuce, onion and cheddar cheese. It is topped with a kebab served with a side of fries and a fountain drink.

One user in the Tallahassee Foodies wrote: “My son and I loved Chatarras Restaurant. Authentic street food. Really good burgers!!! You must try them!”

The specialty footlong hot dogs can be topped with cilantro sauce, cabbage, avocado, bacon, potato sticks, or egg.

Another user in the group left a review about their experience stating: “Had the opportunity to try Chatarras Restaurant. Authentic streetfood this evening and it was delicious! I've never had a hot dog like the one I had tonight. My boyfriend enjoyed his burger too!”

Lamas, born and raised in Valencia, Venezuela, moved to the U.S. in 2002, and pursued a career as a veterinarian in Sarasota. He relocated to Tallahassee 12 years ago with his daughter and two cousins.

Between working as an emergency room veterinarian at Allied Vet Emergency and spending his free time operating his restaurant, Lamas hopes that he can spread the stability and happiness he’s found to family members, and providing the tools they need to be “well paid and live well.”

Chatarras joins a handful of other Venezuelan restaurants in Tallahassee including Dejavutally, VeneBites Restaurant and Tally Arepas.

Chatarras operates from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday, and from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Pickup and delivery options are available at chatarras850.com.

Democrat writer Kyla Sanford can be reached at ksanford@gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Chatarras Venezuelan restaurant opens on Mahan Drive in Tallahassee