“My wife had worked as a waitress for three years, and her family in Honduras had always been cooking,” recounted Eric De La O, co-owner with his wife of El Exquisito Restaurant. “They inspired us to open up a restaurant.”
This couple’s vision became reality in 2021, when El Exquisito began serving Honduran and Mexican-based cuisine seven days a week, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. The bright and friendly environment features table and bar seating, and two colorful murals on the floor. A plastic version of a green wall adds more color, as do bright plastic flowers and a topiary out front.
On a menu packed with fresh ingredients and authentic recipes, De La O noted his personal favorites are a traditional Mexican seafood dish called molcajete and a Honduran version of fried chicken called pollo con tajadas.
De La O estimates that 60% to 70% of his clientele are drawn largely from Kenner’s substantial Latino population, though he is quick to add that plenty of non-Hispanic Kennerites also stop in.
The restaurant found such quick success that the owners started thinking about expanding.
“Last year was fantastic, the best year yet,” he noted. “We were even preparing to open a second location.”
Unfortunately, with the current federal immigration enforcement measures, he said he’s noticed Latino residents, even those native-born or in the country legally — have become wary of going out. To his relief, he said the situation does seem to be easing slightly, with recent weekend dinner crowds at his restaurant returning to near normal as of late.
While any expansion plans are temporarily on hold as he monitors customer flow, the sudden customer drop has inspired De La O to diversify his clientele. He has recently begun advertising on local radio to complement his existing social media outreach.
Another way El Exquisito draws in more business is through weekend karaoke nights. While most of the music is Latino, De La O noted participants of all backgrounds enjoy singing the songs. The restaurant also offers catering, as well as food to go.
To keep the diners coming back, along with the food De La O puts a strong emphasis on customer service, the importance of which he constantly stresses to his staff of nine.
“We tell the servers that every day they have to bring their best,” he said, adding with a laugh, “Sometimes I think our service is the best flavor we’ve got here.”
Still, the cuisine is the main attraction at El Exquisito. The menu features plenty of seafood items, and the mix of classic Honduran and Mexican recipes sets the restaurant apart from many other Latino restaurants. Prices are affordable and the portions are generally large.
Despite the recent slowdown, the affable De La O remains optimistic.
“We see that people are starting to go out again,” he observed, “and we are still here.”
El Exquisito Restaurant
3232 Williams Blvd. // Kenner
504-287-4194 // FB: @el-exquisito-restaurant // IG: @el-exquisito-restaurant
