By María Eugenia Guerra
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WBCA visitors to Laredo will now have an excellent luncheon choice for sampling some of the freshest, most well prepared dishes in the city. Under the management of La Posada's food and beverage director Antonio Alvarez, the Tack Room at the corner of Zaragoza and Flores features a diverse menu for every taste -- sandwiches and burgers that include ostrich; soups and salads; steaks; seafood; and Mexican fare.
Alvarez, a native of Acapulco, Guerrero, brings two decades of hotel and restaurant management to La Posada and the Tack Room. He has previously managed Holiday Inns and Crown Plaza Hotels in Cancun, Cozumel, New York City, Dallas, Colorado, Florida, and the Dominican Republic.
"We are always working toward excellence, and we do this through classes we hold every Monday for all food servers in the hotel. We want our employees conscious of what our patrons want from us, and we want to be sure we know how to deliver what they expect," said Alvarez of changes he has implemented in the hotel's food and beverage service.
"Everyone has to be updated and they have to be willing to make changes in their habits and attitudes," he continued, adding, "You will notice in all our venues, whether it is the Tack Room or El Café, that service is more personalized than before. Considerable effort has been made to get employees to understand that the customer is first, that service has to be prompt, and that a smile goes a long way."
Once a chef, Alvarez said it is second nature to him to understand all the steps involved in the preparation of an excellent meal. His personal preference is nouvelle cuisine and a good presentation.
"Food comes first to your eyes. It has to look good. If it doesn't, it will never taste good," Alvarez said, adding that fresh ingredients are a primary concern, but so is the presentation. "There's an order that must be followed in preparing a dish so that flavor seals in and it looks perfect at the moment that it is served. It is very important to balance color on a plate and to provide an amount of food that is adequate and appealing," he said.
"Laredo is very particular about taste. I worked in Laredo 15 years ago. Laredoans are fond of Mexican food, but with a mildness to the taste, just a touch of garlic. Their first choice for a meal is a good steak. After that it is seafood. There are not a lot of vegetarians in Laredo, but we make some very tasty Portobello mushroom and spinach quesadillas," Alvarez said, adding, "We use a variety of chiles in our sauces which are always smooth and add color and flavor to a meal."
Of the historic turn of the century Tack Room which once housed the telephone company, Alvarez said, "This is a very beautiful, intimate atmosphere for a meal. The grill allows us to prepare some very delicious steak, chicken, and seafood entrees. Very soon our patrons will enjoy venison and quail as well." The Tack Room, which features a full bar, is open weekdays for lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and for supper from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. For evening and weekend reservations, call 722-1701.
Alvarez came to Laredo from the Dominican Republic, where he managed a Howard Johnson hotel and a Costa Club Hotel. "The sea there is very beautiful, the people very humble. Despite the poverty, it is a very positive place to live," he said.
Alvarez has attended cooking schools in Ithaca, NY, Houston, and Wiesbaden, Germany.
Of his return to Laredo after a 15-year absence, Alvarez said with affection that the charm of the city is that it remains much like the small town he remembers, though now encircled by a big city. He resides here with his wife Dolores and children Karla, Jarumy, and Toño.