New Business Venture

[GeoffW]

Some of you may know that I switched from my IT career a number of years back, to run one, then two, Subway stores.

We are about to expand our business empire by a tiny amount.

My wife, who is Mexican, has always dreamed of cooking real Mexican food for Australians. (There has only really been one good Mexican restaurant in Canberra, but that closed down when they tried to grow from their successful small restaurant to an unsuccessful large one).

There is a craft market running in Canberra on Sundays which has "Mexican" food. It was recently put up for sale, and we are buying it.

It's only open on Sundays, 10-4 (Old Bus Depot Markets for anybody who knows Canberra). In opening hours and many other ways it's the complete antithesis of Subway. It's small- and we have complete control- menu, prices, and no overseeing body.

We're trying to come up with a new name for it.

I liked "Taco Way" (Mexican takeaway) and "Mexi Mum" ("Home cooked Mexican food") but these have been rejected by the bosses- wife and daughter.

Suggestions, preferably polite, would be welcome.

[HansV]

Good luck to your wife! It should do well, but don't be tempted to grow into "an unsuccessful large one"...

[Bigaldoc]

Good luck to you and your family, Geoff!

        How 'bout something simple like: La Comida Mexicana?

        Or a more personalized: (Wife's Given Name) Mexicana?

I don't know whether the "average Aussie" is any better about Spanish pronunciation than folks are here in the USA and I think that's why so many of our Mexican restaurants stay away from those kinds of name and things like Taco Bell etc. are generally used.

[Goshute]

I don't know whether the "average Aussie" is any better about Spanish pronunciation than folks are here in the USA ...

Good point Al - Geoff, perhaps just "Fiesta"?

[HansV]

Or 'Campo de Trigo'...

[Doc Watson]

The Mexican Diaspora ?? Mama Rellenos ??

And, so you don't run afoul of any naming conflicts with other Oz Mexican venues.....
http://www.bestrestaurants.com.au/Mexic ... rants.aspx

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&clie ... =&gs_rfai=

[BobH]

"Taqueria Takeaway"

or

"Taqueria (wife's given name)"

[Goshute]

Geoff, the best local Mex is Red Iguana, so the Bride suggests "Goanna Roja". Personally, I think it should be "Holy Molé".

[Timelord]

We have a chain here in Cleveland called "Si Senor". I know it is a corny name, but they have the best Mexican you can get around here and the name makes it clear what kind of food you can expect.

[Leif]

How about you and the staff wear frilly knickers, put on some Offenbach, and call it the MexiCanCan?

[viking33]

Sorry to be the only one who says, "I hate Mexican food."
When I was making my bi-monthly trips out to Beverly Hills, my co-workers would near always say, let's do Mex and I would either say, "I pass" or go along and ask for a Pastrami sandwich.

A name? How about "Gotta Run?"

[GeoffW]

Thanks for the feedback.

We did go through a lot of suggestions. The word "Fiesta" went down well- possibly "Fiesta Azteca" (in keeping with Spanish words which associated with Mexico but which were recognised by Australians).

Eventually we went back to Taco Way.

(For anybody who doesn't know, Hans' suggestion of "Campo de Trigo" means "Wheat Field", a play on my surname).

We took it to the business name registration people, after checking it out on the web- and had it rejected because it was too similar to a company called "Taco Waco". This is after we had forked out for the URL- we know better for next time.

So we have to go back to management- wife and daughter.

Viking- many people won't like Mexican, and that's their choice. But don't judge Mexican by what you get in Beverly Hills- it bears little resemblance to the food fiesta which is the real thing. The cuisine from Mexico City especially varies greatly from the northern cuisine, which has influenced the Tex Mex style.

[viking33]

Thanks for the feedback.

Viking- many people won't like Mexican, and that's their choice. But don't judge Mexican by what you get in Beverly Hills- it bears little resemblance to the food fiesta which is the real thing. The cuisine from Mexico City especially varies greatly from the northern cuisine, which has influenced the Tex Mex style.

I understand what you are saying Geoff.
Unfortunately, the sampling was more than just Beverly Hills chic but went from across the lower US states, through Texas, et all, and a few spots south of the border. ( not as far south as Mexico City ) It was enough to forever taint my taste for that style of food.

That being said, I know there are plenty of people who really enjoy Mex and I wish you all the best of luck and success in your new venture.

[GeoffW]

A long overdue update.

The name "Taco Way" was rejected. But "Taco Way Food" was submitted instead, and was accepted. I'm not sure why, but I'll take it.

It has been going for some weeks now, and is going OK. Nothing fantastic, just OK. A small profit each week- probably not enough to cover hours spent, but we're learning a lot. What sells, what recipes etc.

Of course I have the job of tasting, and of eating leftovers. A tough job, I know, but...

[StuartR]

...Of course I have the job of tasting, and of eating leftovers. A tough job, I know, but...

If you need any assistance then let me know and I will send you an email with my home address.

[ChrisGreaves]

"Taco Way Food"

Good one!
I like it.

[John Gray]

Are takeaway restaurants called takeaways in Australia? Not carryouts or takeouts?

Am I too late to suggest Tacky Tacos?!

[ChrisGreaves]

Am I too late to suggest Tacky Tacos?!

We all hope so.

[Goshute]

A long overdue update.

The name "Taco Way" was rejected. But "Taco Way Food" was submitted instead, and was accepted. I'm not sure why, but I'll take it.

Too late, but ask your wife if (and I don't know the spelling) if there's a Spanish word phonetically pronounced "way," with sarcasm, which in Mexico colloquially means "stupid" as addressed to a person. As in, you want a beer in a bottle, and the bartender starts to pour a draft, and you say "en botella, wey." (And let's see if anyone recognizes the reference.)

[BobH]

Re-reading this thread, I realized that I missed one of the names mentioned - Taco Waco. I realize that the second word is probably intended for pronunciation with the same 'A' sound as in 'taco', but - since I live so close to Waco, Texas, I must point out that the city name is pronounced "way΄ koh". I don't think that the name has been used by any of the countless Tex-Mex restaurants in that city.