Naverrete's loves 'Promised Land'
By Tim Gallagher Journal staff writer | Posted: Thursday, October 20, 2005
Adela Gwin, co-owner of Navarrete's Restaurant in Sioux City, is shown at the business on Highway 75 North. (Photos by Jerry Mennenga)
For Adela Gwin, the Midwest was not a land of milk and honey.
But one of nachos and burritos.
"Still, it's my Promised Land," said Gwin, owner of Navarrete's Restaurant, probably Sioux City's oldest Mexican eatery.
"My family came to Siouxland from Texas in the summer of 1962," Gwin said from her restaurant on Highway 75 North. "My mother and father had eight children and we came here to work in the fields around Burbank, S.D."
The children served as migrant workers, pulling weeds in fields north of Sioux City. Adela was 12 at the time. Her father drove to Sioux City each day to work as a cook at Edith & Joe's Cafe on Gordon Drive.
"That summer ended and I remember my father talking with my mother and grandmother about staying here," Adela remembered. "They had $500 to their name and eight children to feed. My father thought the opportunity was better for us in Sioux City than returning to Texas. So, we stayed."
Been here ever since.
Faith in food
Four years after moving to Sioux City, Adela's father died, leaving her mother and grandmother with eight children and a home to pay for on Sioux City's west side. The family survived thanks to government aid, Adela says.
But that was no way to raise a family, she noted.
"My mother (Eulalia Navarrete) is a woman of great faith," Adela said. "I remember her going into our bathroom one day, kneeling down and praying to God, asking him what she should do. She wanted to teach us that the government would not take care of us forever. She wanted to teach us to work."
An answer led her directly to the old Half Moon, a bar on Highway 75.
"My mother gave up Title 19 aid and rented a kitchen at the Half Moon (now Crosstown Cafe)," said Adela. "She began cooking food and selling it there."
In 1972, Navarrete's Avon representative suggested she look into a restaurant location at Economy Market on Highway 75. Navarrete made the switch, renting the spot for $250 per month. Navarrete's Restaurant was born.
"She stayed there eight years," her daughter recalled. "It was probably Sioux City's first Mexican restaurant."
Adela's grandmother and siblings worked to get the restaurant off the ground. They rolled fresh tortillas and tracked down a truck from Chicago for the spices used in making their Mexican dishes, a novelty then for Sioux City.
"I remember back then going into the grocery store and asking the produce manager if they had avocados," Adela said. "One manager looked at me and said, 'What's an avocado?'"
Navarrete's early menu contained a mix of Mexican and Midwest fare, including hamburgers, pork chops and chicken. In time, the family dropped the Midwest entrees and focused on nachos, burritos, flour or corn entomadas, tortillas and beans and rice.
Eulalia Navarrete retired in 1980, allowing Adela and husband Sonny Gwin to assume the controls.
"I was eight months pregnant and already had two little children when Sonny and I started," Adela said. "I was a learning experience and very difficult, but I would do it again."
After several years at the Economy Market location, Navarrete's made another move on Highway 75 before settling nine years ago at its current site, 3124 Highway 75 North. Ironically, Adela worked at this site years ago when it was the 75 Truck Stop.
Sons Jason and Diego now help run the business, as does daughter Laura and daughters-in-law Renae and Maiva. And while the work days aren't as hectic now for Sonny and Adela, there's always plenty to do. If ever there's an idle moment, Adela can mix a batch of the Navarrete Hot Sauce.
"We are probably known most for our Avocado Salad and Navarrete's Hot Sauce," she said. "People come and buy our hot sauce all the time because they can put it on everything."
One woman recently ordered five gallons of the sauce, made from a recipe perfected decades ago by Eulalia Navarrete.
And while the Hispanic population locally has climbed since Navarrete's came about more than three decades ago, that demographic isn't the story behind the restaurant's staying power.
"I would guess that one percent of our business comes from Hispanic people," said Adela. "That's the way it's always been."
While that growth hasn't added to Navarrete's bottom line, it has made finding ingredients -- like avocados -- much easier. Ultimately, that contributes to better service for their devoted customers.
Customers like Marty Hahn, who seems to believe Navarrete's will be around as long as they keep offering great food and service at good prices. He enjoyed a bean flour entomatada Thursday afternoon.
"The prices are reasonable and the service and food are good," he said.
"This is my favorite place to eat," added Cindy Hahn, noting her family dines at Navarrete's more than once per week.
"Nachos are my favorite here," said Amy Ahrens of Sioux City. "They have the perfect blend of ingredients. I also like to add their secret sauce."
"This isn't necessarily Mexican food for Tex-Mex food," Adela Gwin said, reflecting on 33 years in the business. "This is just food my mother was making to feed her family."
Two generations later, it's still putting bread on the table.
Navarrete's Restaurant at 3124 Highway 75 North in Sioux City is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For carry-out orders, call (712) 277-9778.
But one of nachos and burritos.
"Still, it's my Promised Land," said Gwin, owner of Navarrete's Restaurant, probably Sioux City's oldest Mexican eatery.
"My family came to Siouxland from Texas in the summer of 1962," Gwin said from her restaurant on Highway 75 North. "My mother and father had eight children and we came here to work in the fields around Burbank, S.D."
The children served as migrant workers, pulling weeds in fields north of Sioux City. Adela was 12 at the time. Her father drove to Sioux City each day to work as a cook at Edith & Joe's Cafe on Gordon Drive.
"That summer ended and I remember my father talking with my mother and grandmother about staying here," Adela remembered. "They had $500 to their name and eight children to feed. My father thought the opportunity was better for us in Sioux City than returning to Texas. So, we stayed."
Been here ever since.
Faith in food
Four years after moving to Sioux City, Adela's father died, leaving her mother and grandmother with eight children and a home to pay for on Sioux City's west side. The family survived thanks to government aid, Adela says.
But that was no way to raise a family, she noted.
"My mother (Eulalia Navarrete) is a woman of great faith," Adela said. "I remember her going into our bathroom one day, kneeling down and praying to God, asking him what she should do. She wanted to teach us that the government would not take care of us forever. She wanted to teach us to work."
An answer led her directly to the old Half Moon, a bar on Highway 75.
"My mother gave up Title 19 aid and rented a kitchen at the Half Moon (now Crosstown Cafe)," said Adela. "She began cooking food and selling it there."
In 1972, Navarrete's Avon representative suggested she look into a restaurant location at Economy Market on Highway 75. Navarrete made the switch, renting the spot for $250 per month. Navarrete's Restaurant was born.
"She stayed there eight years," her daughter recalled. "It was probably Sioux City's first Mexican restaurant."
Adela's grandmother and siblings worked to get the restaurant off the ground. They rolled fresh tortillas and tracked down a truck from Chicago for the spices used in making their Mexican dishes, a novelty then for Sioux City.
"I remember back then going into the grocery store and asking the produce manager if they had avocados," Adela said. "One manager looked at me and said, 'What's an avocado?'"
Navarrete's early menu contained a mix of Mexican and Midwest fare, including hamburgers, pork chops and chicken. In time, the family dropped the Midwest entrees and focused on nachos, burritos, flour or corn entomadas, tortillas and beans and rice.
Eulalia Navarrete retired in 1980, allowing Adela and husband Sonny Gwin to assume the controls.
"I was eight months pregnant and already had two little children when Sonny and I started," Adela said. "I was a learning experience and very difficult, but I would do it again."
After several years at the Economy Market location, Navarrete's made another move on Highway 75 before settling nine years ago at its current site, 3124 Highway 75 North. Ironically, Adela worked at this site years ago when it was the 75 Truck Stop.
Sons Jason and Diego now help run the business, as does daughter Laura and daughters-in-law Renae and Maiva. And while the work days aren't as hectic now for Sonny and Adela, there's always plenty to do. If ever there's an idle moment, Adela can mix a batch of the Navarrete Hot Sauce.
"We are probably known most for our Avocado Salad and Navarrete's Hot Sauce," she said. "People come and buy our hot sauce all the time because they can put it on everything."
One woman recently ordered five gallons of the sauce, made from a recipe perfected decades ago by Eulalia Navarrete.
And while the Hispanic population locally has climbed since Navarrete's came about more than three decades ago, that demographic isn't the story behind the restaurant's staying power.
"I would guess that one percent of our business comes from Hispanic people," said Adela. "That's the way it's always been."
While that growth hasn't added to Navarrete's bottom line, it has made finding ingredients -- like avocados -- much easier. Ultimately, that contributes to better service for their devoted customers.
Customers like Marty Hahn, who seems to believe Navarrete's will be around as long as they keep offering great food and service at good prices. He enjoyed a bean flour entomatada Thursday afternoon.
"The prices are reasonable and the service and food are good," he said.
"This is my favorite place to eat," added Cindy Hahn, noting her family dines at Navarrete's more than once per week.
"Nachos are my favorite here," said Amy Ahrens of Sioux City. "They have the perfect blend of ingredients. I also like to add their secret sauce."
"This isn't necessarily Mexican food for Tex-Mex food," Adela Gwin said, reflecting on 33 years in the business. "This is just food my mother was making to feed her family."
Two generations later, it's still putting bread on the table.
Navarrete's Restaurant at 3124 Highway 75 North in Sioux City is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday. For carry-out orders, call (712) 277-9778.
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