The thought had been pressing Iowa City restaurateur Derek Perez’s mind for a long time — the opportunity to do something different, offering locals an option that would usually require a drive.
The key was location, and Derek Perez, the owner of the new Mexican restaurant Banditos, 327 E. Market St., knows all about that.
By no means new to the restaurant business, Perez opened One Twenty Six, 126 E. Washington St., in 1999 and co-owned the establishment until 2006. He later went on to open Mama’s Deli and Catering, 125 E. Washington, with brother and sister-in-law Kevin and Lisa Perez in 2007, but left after six months to buy the local Paul Revere’s Pizza, 325 E. Market St., in March.
Banditos brings a different taste to the North Side, adding its own Mexican flavors different from established burrito joints, including Pancheros, 32 S. Clinton St., and Chipotle, Old Capitol Town Center.
“[Banditos is] just a nice, cute place in an up-and-coming neighborhood,” Lisa Perez said. The new addition fits a needed option, apart from traditional hot spots, she said.
Banditos’ co-owner Amy Coatar said the idea to open a Mexican restaurant had been a long time coming.
“It had been stirring in [Derek Perez’s] head for a while,” said Coatar, and he felt that was about time he did something he wanted and knows best. “He’s always wanted to share his family’s traditions.”
The eatery will serve traditional Mexican food from the colonial region of Guanajuato, the roots of Perez’s family (the restaurateur’s grandfather immigrated to the United States in the 1920s).
Most of the restaurant’s cuisine, which is based on family recipes Perez has inherited, features traditional fare with a personal touch. Alongside tamales and tacos on the menu, with prices ranging from $5 to $20, are such dishes as huevos con chorizo [scrambled eggs with Spanish sausage], served with black beans instead of pinto beans and tortillas de harina [flour tortillas] instead of corn tortillas.
“The food has evolved from supply changes,” Perez said, and the food at Banditos somewhat reflects the specific style and ingredients used when he was a child. Other family recipes featured are mole, a dish originated in Puebla, as well as the family’s cherished chicken soup.
The quaint and rustic décor vastly differentiates the establishment from any other Mexican restaurants. Absent are exaggerated color patterns of pinks or violets, nor are there cliché murals of ancient civilizations — and there isn’t a sombrero in sight.
Instead, the ambiance is cozy, simple, and unpretentious with its checkered floors, wooden tables, hand-carved bar, and, of course, pictures of the Perez family through the generations.