Du Jour: Sal Rubio, La Carreta

Restaurateur Saul Rubio has had a lot of success with his restaurant La Carreta, expanding from downtown Hammond to a total of seven locations, including two in Baton Rouge. Seven years ago, La Carreta Mid City opened on Government Street; and last year, the restaurant opened on Bluebonnet Boulevard. In the next few weeks, Rubio is introducing a new menu across the eateries that adds both healthier and trendier options. Renamed La Carreta Contemporary Cuisine on the menu, Rubio says he likes the idea of eliminating the word “Mexican” and having the freedom to branch out to fresher, modern options, while also hanging on to Mexican mainstays. “I want to eliminate the freezers in my restaurants. I want to have high-quality foods, the freshest possible,” he says. Look for roast pork tacos with fresh pineapple pico de gallo, cilantro salad dressing with olive oil and crushed garlic, more salads, Angus beef and grilled shrimp with chipotle sauce and fresh avocado. Decadence is by no means moving out. The new grilled, bacon-wrapped shrimp stuffed with cream cheese and garlic is selling like wildfire in Hammond and will soon be featured in Baton Rouge. Rubio is also adding classic churros for dessert: deep-fried, striated logs of dough dusted in cinnamon sugar. Click here() to read more.

Elsewhere on the menu, a new drink has done exceptionally well, perhaps for its appeal in August’s blanket of heat. The Mexican Disaster is a 40-oz. frozen margarita with two Coronas poured on top. “There’s something about the way the beer seeps down into icy, tart drink,” he says. A less explosive option is the Agave margarita. “It’s low in calories and has everything fresh, including pure tequila, lemon juice, and agave nectar,” says Rubio.