photo by: Submitted

The interior of Los Guapos Latin Food on West Sixth Street is shown.

On that December night when flames shot through the roof of her downtown Mexican restaurant, Cielito Lindo, owner Lourdes Esmeralda Perez Rojo had many thoughts going through her mind.

Most were about tomorrow, as thousands and thousands of gallons of water from Lawrence firefighters were not making a dent in the destruction of today.

“It was really hard, indeed, because it wasn’t just a sudden loss of income to me and my children, but also to my employees and their families,” Lourdes told the Journal-World.

But Lourdes said she also knew she couldn’t let that be the final thought.

“My immediate thoughts were ‘I can’t stop here. I’ve got to find another place to create something new,'” she said.

Soon, Lawrence residents will get a chance to see what emerged from that Dec. 14 fire that left Cielito Lindo, 815 New Hampshire St., a complete loss.

photo by: Chad Lawhorn/Journal-World

Flames erupt through the roof of Cielito Lindo, 815 New Hampshire St., on Thursday, Dec. 14, 2023, in downtown Lawrence.

Los Guapos Latin Food is set to open on Saturday at 1500 W. Sixth St. Lourdes said Los Guapos won’t be a rebirth of Cielito Lindo, and it also isn’t meant to be a replica of her other Lawrence restaurant, Lulu’s Latin Food near Bob Billings Parkway and Kasold Drive in west Lawrence.

Instead, Los Guapos is meant to be the completion of an unfinished thought. When Lourdes opened Lulu’s almost two years ago, she had a vision for a restaurant that had plenty of Mexican food dishes, but also had many creations from other Latin American countries.

But the small size of the restaurant space in the Orchards Shopping Center caused her to shrink her plans. The menu never grew to encompass as many South American and other dishes as she originally envisioned.

Now, though, Lourdes has another chance to complete that vision.

“Los Guapos, however, has the potential, the space and my undivided attention to accomplish my initial project,” she said.

To be clear, Lulu’s isn’t going anywhere. While it didn’t end up being what she originally envisioned, it has gained a strong following for its tacos and other Mexican dishes.

photo by: Submitted

Lourdes Esmeralda Perez Rojo, right, is picture with her Los Guapos Latin Food partner, Victor Roman.

Lourdes is betting that diners won’t recognize much of anything from Lulu’s at Los Guapos. Well, almost nothing. A mariachi Jayhawk will live at both locations. Lourdes had an artist in Mexico create a mariachi-themed Jayhawk piece of artwork for Lulu’s when it opened, and she’s commissioned a local artist from Peru to create her version of the south-of-the-border mascot.

As for the food, Lourdes admits that the first version of Los Guapos’ menu is still heavy on dishes that are native to Mexico. But she promises they are authentic. She grew up in the Mexican city of La Piedad in the state of Michoacán with parents who were both in the food business. By the age of nine, she was working the business that specialized in quick lunches, such as Mexican sandwiches known as tortas.

Tortas are definitely on the menu at Los Guapos. The menu includes about 10 different varieties, including a chilaquiles version that features deep-fried tortilla chips that are sautéed in salsa and topped with refried beans, cheese, Mexican cream and a choice of chicken or steak.

Street tacos also are expected to be a big part of the menu. Lourdes said the restaurant will feature house-made tortillas, plus will have more than a dozen different fillings. There’s all the beef, pork, sausage and shrimp varieties that you’ve perhaps become accustomed to. There also are the slightly exotic cuts, such as beef tripe and buche, which is deep-fried pieces of pork stomach.

But if you are looking for an even better story to tell about your night out, there’s nopalitos, which features seasoned grilled cactus strips that are sautéed with onions and cilantro.

Look for more such surprises in the future. Lourdes said she’s intentionally rolling out the menu in phases, and she likely will do so via country. While she has her Mexican menu currently, she’s betting that her next venture will be to add Guatemalan dishes. Her partner, Victor Roman, is from Guatemala and already has dishes in mind.

In terms of when they may make their debut, Lourdes isn’t saying, but she did provide a clue for when we’ll know: Look for a flag. She said she plans to display the flag of each Latin American country that she includes in her menu.

She also thinks diners will be surprised at the diversity of the food types that a true Latin American menu can include. Yes, there will be fried and there will be crispy options, but the region also produces a lot of fruits and vegetables. Lourdes said she plans on doing it all.

“I love building relationships with my customers and knowing that I can make someone’s day with comfort food, a healthy salad or a freshly squeezed juice,” she said.