New Authentic Mexican Restaurant Coming To Morristown

MORRISTOWN, NJ — Raul Santoyo, a Long Valley resident and native of Mexico City, took a risk and followed his heart, leaving his long-standing career as an investment banker to pursue his passion for sharing authentic Mexican cuisine.

Central Taqueria, located on the former site of Pascarella Bros. Sandwich Shoppe at 61 South Street, aims to capture the casual and familiar vibe of old-school Mexican taco counters.

Opening the business with his brother Alejandro and their business partner, Gabriel Galvan, Santoyo is confident that their knowledge of the flavors of central Mexico will lend to a successful business.

"We really miss our country and things that are really traditional and that taste exactly as they used to when we were kids. The whole idea has been on my mind for years, and maybe five or six years ago, after talking to another friend, we both combined our ideas and said, 'let's just start thinking about this in all seriousness and try to see if there's anything that we can do about this,'" Santoyo said.

Santoyo stated that the last push he needed was to officially leave his 30-year career as an investment banker to pursue this project.

"I said, 'you know what? I think now is a good time, this is my last shot in life to do what I really want to do.' So I convinced my wife, I quit my job, and then I said, 'I'll just focus on doing this project, and that's what I've been doing, a hundred percent of the time.'" Santoyo said.

Short countertops inside the storefront are intended to create an open environment in which customers can see their orders being prepared. To maintain the feel of a sit-down restaurant, servers will still be charged with bringing food to the tables.

"No matter what, we want to give that experience of having a server and having that close relationship with our clients and guests. We also have an out open kitchen concept. So whenever you are inside, you are seeing exactly what is happening inside the kitchen," Santoyo said.

The restaurant's featured dish will be "al pastor," which is pork marinated in spices for 12 hours before being roasted on a vertical spit. According to Santoyo, the pork will be the main attraction in a variety of dishes, including tacos de trompo and quesadillas.

"We are going back to the basics and making sure that we are making the recipes the way that they should be made," Santoyo said.

All salsas and tortillas will be made from scratch, ensuring freshness for each customer.

When asked what drew him to Morristown, Santoyo stated that he has always had a fondness for the community and even lived in Morristown briefly after moving to the United States.

"I think it's a really diverse community and it's a very active town. It keeps growing and it just keeps adding more and more and more things to do and see. Just being part of the whole restaurant industry that happens in Morristown, is very appealing because you have amazing chefs all around," Santoyo said.

Santoyo also emphasized the sense of community that he already feels with other nearby Mexican restaurants. "They're being extremely nice to us, and that just proves that we can have an environment where we are just adding another option, that maybe someone else is looking for."

Although official store hours have yet to be announced, Santoyo said the taqueria will hopefully work well with Morristown's bar crowd by staying open until 2:30 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.

"When we get people coming out of the bars, we'll feed them tacos to help them deal with the alcohol, so they can return home. That's what I used to do when I was like 15 or 20 years old," Santoyo said.

Central Taqueria will open on the afternoon of Feb. 17. For more information on Central Taqueria, visit www.centraltaqueria.com or call 973-722-7884.