Remember over the summer when Ruben’s Mexican Grill left its longtime home in Delano and reopened across from Intrust Bank Arena? Now, a game of Mexican restaurant musical chairs is underway. This week, the owner of Molino’s shared that she is planning to move her business to the old Ruben’s space on West Douglas. She said she was looking for a higher-profile address than 10th and Waco, where Molino’s has operated for 13 years. The move should happen in about 90 days. But Molino’s will remain open at 10th and Waco until then.
On Wichita’s west side, yet another Mexican restaurant is relocating. Puerto Vallarta has operated for nearly eight years at 602 N. Tyler. It’s been closed since Monday while its owner moves it to a new spot less than a half a mile away. Puerto Vallarta is taking over the space at 756 N. Tyler that over the years has been home to restaurants including Red Mesa Grill, Augustino Brewing Company and The Angry Elephant. The owner hopes to have Puerto Vallarta reopened there early next week.
Finally, I reported late last week that La Galette owner Rob Attar had been detained by ICE during one of his routine checkins. At the time, his wife said she feared the longtime Delano restaurant would have to close because Rob was the only one who knew how to prepare the food. But she’s found a way to keep the restaurant going. Rob’s two uncles both know the recipes and have agreed to step in and help. They’re also training one of La Galette’s longtime employees on how to run the kitchen. Rob moved from Lebanon to the United States as a teen but got into some trouble in his early 20s, ultimately spending several years in prison. That was 26 years ago, his lawyer said, and he hasn’t been in any trouble since. His lawyer has filed an emergency motion to keep him in the country for 60 days so he can try to sort things out.
