SAN ANTONIO – The Cortez family's roots run deep in San Antonio.
"It was just a counter and three little tables. My grandfather was from Guadalajara and he met my grandmother here in San Antonio, so together they started this small restaurant that was a piece of their home," said Carino Cortez, project manager for Mi Tierra Restaurant. ”Some of the items that have been on our menu since the beginning are the tamales, the carne guisadas, the tacos, the enchiladas.”
Mi Tierra is filled with colorful decorations and is known for its good food, including fresh tamales during the holidays. Cortez said everything is made from scratch.
"Every broth, every gravy, every sauce, every chili that's ground," Cortez said.
Cortez said her family’s recipes are what makes the food special.
"The recipes come down from my grandmother and her grandmother," Cortez said.
Cortez said her father shared her family’s history at a young age, and she learned one of the most important members of the restaurant is in the kitchen.
Corporate executive chef Raul Salazar handles the secret recipes he learned 40 years ago on a daily basis.
Salazar started at Mi Tierra Restaurant as a dishwasher, and years later, he worked his way up to one of the most crucial roles in the restaurant.
"We have a big responsibility, and we have to give it all our heart," Salazar said.
The restaurant has chicken and pork tamales year-round, but during the holidays, bean and cheese tamales are a fan favorite.
While Salazar hopes to exceed the expectations of everyone who tries their famous food, the Cortez Family wants to make its ancestors proud.