When I was talking to Ruben Carrasco Jr. In early October, he mentioned that he “wanted to maintain Johnny’s image and popularity by displaying memorabilia,” while incorporating his Pachuco style. Authentic interior and exterior with a fresh coat of paint and a portrait of the late grill master. However, the credit also goes to the food.
Because Carrasco now has room for smoked meats, Pachuco’s added a whole grill line to the menu, similar to the ones at Johnny’s. Customers can get brisket, pulled pork, chorizo, jalapeno sausage, and half or full racks of ribs. As for the side dishes, Carrasco kept Johnny’s original coleslaw and mac and cheese recipe. Other options include bean and potato salad.
Pachuco’s specials include food truck fan favorites such as his Korean Loco Moco (kimchi and spam fried rice, burger patty, gravy, fried egg, green onions), Poutine (smoked meat, gravy, cheese curds and fries on top of Chives), Pork Belly Buns (Pork Belly Steamed Buns, Chili Seafood, Pickled Vegetables, Sesame, Coriander), Luchador Burgers (Cream Cheese, Hatch, Bacon, Honey) and Kat’s PB&J Burgers (Peanut Butter, Jalapeno Jelly, Cheese, Bacon, diced jalapeños).
Carrasco said his team recognized the privilege of naming the iconic 316 N. Big Spring St. Build a home and never take a day for granted. So when things didn’t start off hot the first 7 days, Johnny’s determination and perseverance needed to take over.
Solve the problem
With any restaurant grand opening, no matter how much preparation the team puts into it, questions and challenges will inevitably arise. In Pachuco’s first week as a brick-and-mortar store, resistance came from a batch of spaces.
While Carrasco tried to minimize construction-related incidents—updating outdated equipment and installing more efficient procedures—the soda machine and reverse osmosis system (water filtration) ended up shutting down during the lunch rush earlier last week. . Then, one produce order was three hours late and the next was six hours late. Finally, the phone line crashed and the order for pickup via pre-order disappeared.
“We didn’t exactly know what we were getting into — how busy we were going to be. We didn’t expect to have so many people supporting us, and it was very humbling,” Carrasco admitted. “We ate all the food we had prepared for the next day.”
Carrasco sadly closed its 24-hour store after several employee missteps and an overwhelming transition from food trucks to permanent establishments. During that time, the West Texas native said, crews sat down to discuss what went wrong, what needed to be addressed immediately, and what plans needed to be in place to move forward successfully. The master repairman is proud and dedicated to his craft and says hard work will continue to resonate in Pachuco’s.
“I won’t disrespect, we’re all people here,” Carrasco said. “We work really hard, we’re not a big chain that can do this or that. You come to me for things you can’t find anywhere else. I want to push our food scene, we just want to make a really cool place. I know how to be kind to others and give my best in the products I make.”
Variety
First, Carrasco plans to adjust hours and hire more staff. Pachuco is open Monday through Thursday 11am-3pm, Friday and Saturday 11am-7pm and closed on Sunday.
“Sunday will be our time off to work out any issues. We’re up to 10 employees now – up from six – so Sunday also allows us to give more people the day off.”
Next, Carrasco will chop off about 2 feet from the dining table to create more space in the seating area. While the food tastes unique, the hustle and bustle of the lunch rush quickly becomes tense and crowded.
“It will solve the traffic flow problem, but we also want people to be polite to each other.”
In the end, Carrasco and his wife have been adjusting inventory based on demand. Carrasco learned the curve from the order quantities he typically set in the food truck, recognizing which items were faster than others and where adjustments needed to be made.
“People who come here to spend money are very important to me and we respect what they do,” Carrasco said.
author’s note
There’s a fine line between giving constructive criticism and insulting a business, and unfortunately, from my five months as a Midlander, many community members cross that line every time they try a new location. Try to put yourself in the restaurateur’s shoes before making scathing “reviews” on Facebook and other social media sites. Here are three examples.
- Although the doors don’t open until 11 a.m., Carrasco arrives at his restaurant each morning at 3 a.m. to smoke the day’s meat, while most of the other employees arrive around 6 or 8 a.m. to help prepare.
- Money earned by Carrasco and his wife before/while running Pachuco Mobile Food Co. All of this is used to move Pachuco’s from the truck to the building.
- In order to pay his employees higher and livable wages, Carrasco and his wife have not yet been paid.
At the end of the day, Carrasco and Pachuco’s team isn’t an exception, but a reality for most home-grown restaurant and business owners in big cities. As a society, Midland takes pride in sourcing, supporting and advancing the local field. Give your neighbors a chance. It’s time for action, not just talk.