WACO, Texas (KXXV) — Local Mexican restaurant, Cultura Mia, may have closed its storefront, but the traditional flavors that made it special are still available to the Waco community in a new format, a food truck.
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Jesus Rodriguez, former owner of Cultura Mia restaurant, has launched a food truck called Chulada de Maíz, continuing his mission to bring authentic Mexican cuisine to Central Texas. The restaurant closed its storefront five months ago, but Rodriguez said the food truck was already in development.
"It's the same flavor, same flavor, same traditional food," Rodriguez said.
The food truck specializes in chilaquiles, a traditional Mexican breakfast dish that Rodriguez said holds deep cultural significance.
"So in essence, it's the same vision that we have. It continues to bring traditional food to Mexican food in Waco. We specifically focus on chilaquiles. That's a typical breakfast menu item in every Mexican household, you know, you grow them up, you eat them growing up when you're little all the way up to like, you know, you're older," Rodriguez said.
Chulada de Maíz is currently stationed outside The Common Grounds on Franklin Avenue, operating from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. and serving breakfast all day. The food truck also offers coffee alongside its breakfast menu.
"They have coffee, we have breakfast, and our main focus, like I said, is chilaquiles, so we wanna make sure that we kind of, if you haven't had them, kind of educate on what they are, teach you on the flavors and stuff like that," Rodriguez said.
Rodriguez credits his mother as the foundation for his recipes, describing the food as generational rather than just his own creation.
"I wish I could call my mom every time, and be like, hey, you know what you taught me has paid off. You know, everybody's enjoying because it's not only my food, it's generational food," Rodriguez said.
While Rodriguez remains committed to bringing traditional Mexican flavors to Waco, the future of the Cultura Mia restaurant remains uncertain.
"We don't know exactly when it will come back. It might not come back, it might come back. It depends on, you know, God's plans and what he has for us," Rodriguez said.
Chulada de Maíz has expanded its reach by selling breakfast burritos on all Common Grounds menus across Central Texas.
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