Casa Bonita opens in former Second Street Brewery space
Mar. 4—Luis Ortiz is bucking the post-pandemic restaurant trend of limited days and hours by keeping his new Casa Bonita open seven days a week, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. — 10 p.m. starting in May — and serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Ortiz opened Casa Bonita on Thursday in the former space of Second Street Brewery, 1814 Second St. The brewery closed in April 2022 after a 20-year lease was not renewed.
Ortiz describes the concept as "New Mexican and modern Latin food with a variety of specials and a happy hour menu."
He doesn't want to be tied down to any label, like "New Mexican" or "Mexican."
Casa Bonita does do green and red chile, but also serves fajitas, steaks, tamales from his native Guatemala and pupusas from El Salvador.
Many restaurants since the coronavirus pandemic have reduced service, either closing some days or not serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, with worker shortages being a major reason. Ortiz has built a team of 15 employees to open.
"Every person in the restaurant is important to me," said Ortiz, remembering his own start as a dishwasher 33 years ago. "The way I talk to them — I don't talk to them like a boss. I talk to them as a friend. I have to be smart to pay you well and treat you well."
Ortiz is noticing many people stopped cooking at home.
"People need to eat," he said. "They are looking for a place to eat. That's why I am open three meals a day."
He said he has applied for a liquor license allowing beer, wine and spirits.
Ortiz is in a four-way partnership to own Casa Bonita, with each partner holding a 25% share. The other partners are Filiberto Ortiz, who is also a partner at The New Baking Co.; Geraldo Rodriquez, owner of Andale Taqueria; and Mayra Gonzalez, who manages the front of house at Casa Bonita and another restaurant.
Ruiz has been around Santa Fe kitchens as a manager and chef for 18 years. He was a partner at La Fogata Grill until he stepped away in 2016 with health issues. Better eating habits and hours of walking every day cured him in two months, and in late 2016, Ortiz launched La Piña Loka food truck on Airport Road.
La Piña Loka moved into the former Baja Tacos space on Cerrillos Road in December 2019 but lasted only a few months until the coronavirus pandemic shut the world down, and he never reopened. La Piña Loka tacos al pastor and sandwiches are on the happy hour menu at Casa Bonita.
"I was doing very well before the pandemic," Ortiz said.
He has since been managing a number of restaurants, most recently as chef and general manager at Flying Tortilla, Ortiz said. He left in October and had already scouted out the Second Street Brewery location in September.
"I was always looking at doing my own thing," Ortiz said.
He has a four-year lease.
Ortiz was born and grew up in Guatemala and first settled in Seattle for five years. His father had immigrated to Santa Fe. Ortiz moved to Santa Fe in 2006.
"I was visiting my father," he said. "I got three jobs right away and I decided to stay. I like the city."
The 10- or 20-minute drives across town don't bother him at all after routine drives of an hour or more in Seattle.
"Everything [in Santa Fe] is close," he said.
