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About Coast river business journal. (Astoria, OR) 2006-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 15, 2020)
10 • January 2020 COAST RIVER BuSInESS JOurnaL BUSINESS NEWS Taqueria El Jalapeno: Authentic Mexican proves popular By LUKE WHITTAKER Coast river Business Journal LONG BEACH — On a winter after- noon Martha Herrejon flipped tortillas, ladled beans and rolled burritos. It was a day many coastal restaurants are closed during the slower off-season, but business was brisk at Taqueria El Jalapeno in Long Beach, where Herrejon greeted customer after customer, many she knew by name. It was a typical busy lunch rush, one which Herrejon can anticipate serving more than 25 customers between 12 p.m. and 2 p.m., and more than double on bus- ier days. “It’s very busy at lunch,” she said after serving two employees from nearby Ford Electric. “Customers are coming and the commu- nity has supported me.” Authentic Mexican family recipes, speed and quality have made Taqueria El Jalapeno a popular lunch stop since open- ing a little more than a year ago, she said. Taqueria El Jalapeno Martha Herrejon, owner 107a 3rd St., Long Beach 360-642-2820 LuKE WHITTaKEr Martha Herrejon officially opened Taqueria El Jalapeno a little more than a year ago in down- town Long Beach where the authentic Mexican restaurant has become a popular lunch stop. World’s End Public House: Getting through the slow months By LUKE WHITTAKER Coast river Business Journal World’s End Public House Bryan Carr, owner 101 Pacific Ave. S. Ste C1, Long Beach 360-777-1033 LONG BEACH — The tables were full and the beer was flowing. On Sunday, Jan. 5 World’s End Public House was bustling while the Seahawks battled the Eagles during the first round of the NFL Playoffs. It was a welcomed sight for owner Bryan Carr, who endured stretches of slow business over the fall and winter. “This week has been good, it would be nice if we could keep this consistency,” said Carr, 44, sitting at a stool at the bar, roughly six months after converting the former art gallery into a pirate and ship- wrecked-themed restaurant. “When I can look around and see every- one having fun, to hear the laughs and see the smiles…. It makes me feel good because that was my whole goal, to give the community something that’s fun to come to,” he said. Late start Carr officially opened the restaurant in early August, missing out on a majority of the brisk summer business that can sustain many through the year. “November into December was the hardest part of the year,” Carr said. “There were a lot of days where we were at a loss, but you just have to push through it.” Beer and food specials Lately Carr has been hosting events and specials to generate interest and get more people in the door. A few weeks ago a craft draught beer special was added on Mon- days and Thursdays. “All day long all 20 taps are $3.50 — LuKE WHITTaKEr World’s End Public House owner Bryan Carr has expanded the menu and started offering weekly craft beer specials to get more people in the door. Mondays and Thursdays he now offers craft beers for $3.50 all day. “Monday and Thursday had typically been lost days for us, so we’re trying to turn that around,” he said. and they’re all craft brews,” Carr said. “Mondays and Thursdays had typically been lost days for us, so we’re trying to turn that around and get people interested in coming in those days. It’s helping more and more. You might not make any money on your draughts that day, but people aren’t just coming in and ordering a beer, they’re ordering food and having appetizers too.” On Fridays the restaurant added a fish special. “It’s all-you-can-eat cod fish and chips ($14) and people are pretty excited about it.” Carr expanded on the original menu to include former popular specials including a captain’s platter ($25) and crab quesadilla ($15). The draught taps change weekly, but among the latest offering is Pineapple With Attitude IPA from Boneyard Brewing in Bend, Magnetic Fields from Fort George Brewery in Astoria and a limited-edi- tion Tucana Tangerine Sour from Ecliptic Brewing in Portland. Two ciders — Black Currant Cider from Finnriver Farm & Cidery and a Peach Oak Cider from Swift — are also on tap. “We’ve a lot of beers on tap — stuff that others often have a hard time getting,” Carr said. “Right now, we have one from Ale- Smiths brewing from San Diego called Speedway Stout. World End Public House is stocked with liquors from local craft distillers including the latest releases from Adrift Distillers in Long Beach. More than 25 varieties of rum line the wall, including the iconic Pusser’s Rum. “It was the rum of the British Navy,” Carr said. “They used to give the sailors a ration of it each day.” The practice endured until 1970, ending after concerns the rum ration (roughly 2.5 ounces of 95-proof alcohol per day) would give sailors unsteady hands around machin- ery. In the U.S. Navy, the daily ration was one-half pint of distilled spirits until 1842, when it was reduced in half. It was abol- ished in 1862, according U.S. Naval His- tory and Heritage Command archives. About 60% of the business revenue comes from food, and rest from beer and liquor sales, Carr said. The restaurant currently serves lunch and dinner but maybe being offering break- fast, beginning on the weekends. “Depending on how well that goes we may do it every day,” Carr said. “Once the summer starts up again, I know we’re going to have a good season.”
