Aztecaville Mexican Restaurant: A Piece of Puebla, Mexico in Brooklyn |

.Click the Pic to Enlarge. Full Menu in Images.

: Aztecaville Interior

: Aztecaville Bar

: Aztecaville Interior

: Aztecaville Steak

: Aztecaville Signature Steak Tacos

: Aztecaville Signature Grilled Chicken Tacos

: Plantanos Flameadoes

: Aztecaville Full Lunch & Dinner Menu

: Aztecaville Brunch Menu

: Manager – Axel Rendon & Co-Owner and Chef – Valente Rosas

: Entryway to the Patio

: Aztecaville Patio

: Aztecaville Patio

: Aztecaville Interior

While wandering down Wyckoff Avenue, I was pleasantly surprised to stumble upon a new addition to the neighborhood: Aztecaville Mexican Restaurant. After enjoying a satisfying plate of grilled sirloin steak with oyster mushrooms in a smoked chipotle sauce, tacos, and plantanos flameados, this glutton was lucky enough to speak with the restaurant’s general manager and co-owner, Clemente Rendon, in addition to his son and manager, Axel Rendon.

On April 13th, Aztecaville Mexican Restaurant opened its doors to Bushwick on 91 Wyckoff between Suydam and Hart Streets. For Clemente, this day was 25 years in the making, and the journey began when he left his hometown of Puebla, Mexico for New York City. When he arrived, he found himself working in the demanding New York restaurant industry. For 20 years, Rendon assumed many roles including cook, waiter, bartender, and manager as well as working in such notable Mexican restaurants as the original Rosa Mexicana in the late 1980s.

“Most of the Mexican immigrants in New York City hail from my hometown of Puebla city, Mexico. When many Mexican’s arrived in New York City, they found themselves working within the restaurant industry like myself either as cooks, waiters, or managers,” Clemente noted.

For the past 5 years, Rendon has assumed a role outside the restaurant industry - architect. With much humor, Rendon recounted how he had no interest in returning to the restaurant industry once becoming an architect. Yet, ironically, the call to return came from Franklyn Estrella, Clemente’s former boss at a local architectural firm, when he proposed that he and Clemente open a restaurant together. Obviously, Clemente agreed to the proposition.

Soon after, Clemente brought Valente Rosas into the partnership as a co-owner and chef. Like Clemente, Valente also hailed from Puebla. He created a menu colored by dishes familiar to the average American diner (tacos, tortas, and quesadillas) as well as traditional and unfamiliar dishes such as Pato en Pipian (pan seared duck breast with pumpkin seed sauce) and Costillas de Carnero a la Parrilla (grilled lamb chops topped with goat cheese). As a person raised in Texas, I’ve had my fair share of great Mexican food in Mexico, Texas, and California from the unassuming taco truck to the high-end restaurant; and, I can say without hesitation that I was very impressed with the dishes that I had the pleasure eating.

In addition to the food, another aspect of Aztecaville that hold the senses hostage is its interior. Franklyn was responsible for the remodeling of the space while Clemente designed the space.

“I know my style. We decided to do something warm – something cozy – by applying little details that you can find in my hometown of Puebla. The mosaics and tiles you see in the restaurant are called talavera, and they are handmade and brought from Puebla City . We decided to bring the most important types of decorations architecturally speaking from my hometown to compliment the food.”

Currently, Aztecaville serves both lunch and dinner throughout the week as well as a Mexican brunch on Saturdays and Sundays starting at 11:00AM. The restaurant should have a liquor license within a month’s time but is BYOB in the meantime.

“This entire experience has been a process to become better. This restaurant is a little piece of Puebla City in Bushwick,” said Clemente with a smile.

[mappress]