By TR Robertson
Vista will soon have a new restaurant in town unlike any other restaurant currently open in the Vista area. Madera Kitchen of Mexico is the dream of four friends and their wives and is set to open Friday, July 16th, taking over the former Sunrise Café location at 1250 S. Santa Fe. The restaurant will offer a new take on Mexican food, covering many regions and flavors from Mexico.
Partners Ivan Sanchez, Daniel Carrasco, Nestor Flores, and Guillermo Lupecio have been working on the concept for the restaurant since March of 2020 when the property became available. Sunrise Café shut down in April of 2020, during the COVID pandemic, when former owner Bobby Jones announced the café would not reopen. Ivan Sanchez, with 24 years of restaurant experience, had been dreaming of having his own restaurant offering food choices he specifically wanted to see offered in a restaurant. It was not until November of 2020 that Ivan and his three friends would acquire the leasing rights to the building. An anticipated opening in March 2021 was postponed as COVID restrictions were still in place, but the day has finally arrived when Vista’s newest restaurant will open its doors to an amazing selection of Mexican food unlike anything else in North County.
Ivan most recently was in the restaurant consulting business for Azuki, a Japanese Sushi restaurant with 2 locations in San Diego. He has also worked for 10 years with the Vigilucci’s restaurant chain and has been involved with several other restaurant openings, but never an opening of his own restaurant. He and his friends are excited to bring to Vista more of a high end, classy restaurant people will want to bring friends to. A restaurant where people can celebrate anniversaries, birthdays, and other special occasions. His dream is that when people enter the restaurant, they will feel they are part of a family and with friends that want to offer them the highest quality of food. Ivan said a man he learned the restaurant business from once told him that the success in the food industry would be to create a business that looks like a restaurant but had the atmosphere of your home where all are welcome, and everyone has a good time.
Madera will start off with 18 on staff, led by Chef Lauren Joyner, a Vista resident, and a cooking staff of 3. He said they are currently looking to add additional staff, and anyone interested in joining Madera should apply. Over the next few weeks, they will add to the décor of the restaurant and will possibly add a full bar in the future. The bar currently offers an amazing wine selection as well as a good selection of Cerveza.
Menu items currently include 3 different salad selections and 5 appetizer selections. The appetizers (Bites) include house made Guacamole, Hamachi Crudo, Calamari Frito, Shrimp Taquitos and Squash blossom Relleno. The wide range of Entrees include Pescado Entero, Birria Braised Short Ribs, Ribeye Asada, Pollo-Serrano, Fajita da la Achicoria, Pescado del Dia, Duck Mole, Chile Verde and Carnitas. All the entrees come with special sauces and a unique cooking style and rice and beans are also available. Three dessert choices are offered – Churros, Tres Leches and Horchata Crème Brulee.
Along with the four partners Ivan wanted to make sure their wives were mentioned as they have assisted in numerous ways and worked long hours in making Madera a reality. Ivan’s wife Juena, Nestor’s wife Alex, Guillermo’s wife Azul and Daniel’s wife Julia are also responsible for making Madera Vista’s newest restaurant.
Ivan and all responsible for bringing Madera to Vista want this restaurant to be a destination spot when you think of eating out and a place to enjoy great food rather than driving to other North County locations. The restaurant will be open from 4 pm until 10 pm Thursday thru Sundays. You can go to www.maderakitchenofmexico.com to check out the full menu descriptions and call 442-204-0291 for reservations.
