Tortillas First: Las Tortillas Brings Authentic, Affordable Mexican Cuisine to Rosemount

A new Mexican restaurant called Las Tortillas opened its doors in Rosemount May 18, and it prides itself on flavorful authentic Mexican cuisine at affordable prices.

Las Tortillas' name was chosen to keep “tortillas first,” co-owner Ryan McGunnigle said. It’s the restaurant's signature item, and, as he points out, even the logo features the corn from which it is made – a basic part of Mexican culture. Artwork hanging in the dining room celebrates corn as well.

Freshness permeates everything on the menu: “We make our own doughs. Everything is made in-house – the breads, the tortillas – we’ve never bought a pre-made tortilla in our life,” McGunnigle said.

The new restaurant is run by McGunnigle and Ricardo Carmona, who have worked together for six years. “Ricardo and I have a good working relationship. It’s worked out real well,” said McGunnigle, who refers to Carmona as his best friend. “We also do catering.”

For nine years, McGunnigle was executive chef at the Hastings Country Club, where Carmona was his sous chef. A Mexico City native, Carmona grew up in a bakery and now runs the Las Tortillas kitchen as executive chef.

McGunnigle, a graduate of Johnson and Wales University in Providence, R.I., is no stranger to Rosemount: He started his culinary career 15 years ago with his first cooking job at the former Big Daddy’s Diner. He and his wife, Jen – both Rosemount High School graduates –  now own Las Tortillas.

“We’re both finally back in town,” he said, adding that they feel that Rosemount has embraced them.

It’s their first restaurant venture – which he calls a “mom and pop” place – and is quite a different experience for the McGunningle and Carmona team: “We come from a country club environment, so the sheer number of people in a day is very different. Instead of 20 pounds of chicken, we’re going through 150 pounds of chicken,” McGunnigle said.

“I like the chicken. It’s just spicy enough,” said young customer Glen Anderson, enjoying a jumbo burrito, blanketed in a creamy cheese sauce.

It’s not surprising that the restaurant's chicken, along with the rest of its food, is already so popular. The new restaurant’s simple menu offers a variety of authentic Mexican dishes made from family recipes. There are the “classics” – popular favorites for under $10 which include quesadillas, street tacos, jumbo burritos, enchiladas, chimichangas and fajitas.

Sitting atop cilantro-lime rice that is moist, yet fluffy, the crispy chicken chimichangas are cheddar-cheesy and stuffed with moist and flavorful meat.

There’s a selection of unique, flavorful salads – salmon, el Taco and Las Tortillas – as well as sandwiches that include pork, steak or turkey “tortas.”

Presented with an appetizing salmon salad presentation, customer Mitch Edelstein remarked, “That’s a nice piece of salmon – that’s a healthy lunch there.”  Upon tasting it: “The salmon’s good – it’s grilled [and has that flavor]” with Tortillas' seasoning, accompanied by asparagus, roasted corn, red onion, chopped egg and queso fresco, finished with cilantro lime dressing.

Unique “Mexican flair” entrées will catch your eye, for well under $20, including tequila shrimp pasta, steak nueva and Chef Carmona Carnitas, among other selections that are uniquely “Las Tortillas.”

The signature Las Tortillas soup is a work of art piled high with avocado slices, tortilla strips, pico de gallo and a roasted jalapeno.

"We roast our jalapeños in-house [and] use fresh pico de gallo,” McGunningle said. It’s quite flavorful with “rich roasted chicken in a tomato, pepper, onion and garlic broth,” as the menu describes.

Among the many appealing sides from which to choose, be sure to ask for the sweet corn bread. Crispy on the outside, moist like cake on the inside, it’s served warm and wonderfully buttery – dulcified with just the right amount of drizzled honey.

Whatever customers decide to order, a fun flask of fresh salsa accompanies warm, homemade tortilla chips while they await their meal.

“Food-wise, we’re continually playing around with our menu … we’re constantly changing [it] seasonally,” McGunningle said. For example, they are looking at adding shrimp enchiladas and Mexican-style roasted corn.

“We use Rosemount sweet corn from local farmers ... We get our asparagus from Mexico,” McGunningle said, adding, “No premade margaritas – we use an actual blender.”

Taking pride in the fact that Las Tortillas’ approach is “very food-forward,” they prepare their fresh tortillas and other made-from-scratch items in view of the customers – and passersby. “The flat-top and the mixer’s right there … [and] the windows look right into the kitchen,” McGunnigle pointed out.

But it won’t be enough to look – customers will want to be among the first to try this authentic Mexican culinary experience, where the service is as friendly as the prices. For more information, including a menu, visit Las Tortillas online.