Ricardo Gutierrez is prepared to open "El Vallecito" restaurant in La Jara. His wife, Rebecca also is taking part in the new business where the Main St. Fine Dining used to be.

LA JARA-"Having our own restaurant was something me and my husband wanted to do, but we were in Denver and we just didn't have the feel for doing the business there," says Rebecca Gutierrez.

She and her husband Ricardo plan to open a Mexican restaurant Wednesday, Oct. 21 on Main St. in La Jara.

"El Vallecito" is just west of Ann's Café in the center of town. Opening is dependent on passing food authorities' inspection for cleanliness and proper setup scheduled for the day before. The new eatery is on the site of Main St. Fine Dining, which closed before June.

Having come to reside in Manassa about that time, Ms. Gutierrez says that the young couple (he 31, she 29) saw that the previous operator was holding a sale on food-service equipment in the building, "So this seemed like a good opportunity and the natural thing to do," and made a purchase. The building did not change ownership, it is being leased, but she warns, "Anyone planning to get into food service should be prepared to invest . . . at least $10,000. To start."

The appearance of the shiny new setup, with capacity for 90 patrons looked quite spiffy to this reporter's non-expert eye. A look at the menu brought an impression of selections that are truly of Mexican origin, not the fourth, fifth or more change to Hispanic food.

It is fair to say the new operation will be a test. While her husband is an experienced cook, Ms. Gutierrez previous experience is in office work. But to start, the couple's determination and enthusiasm for the restaurant is evident.

Catering is not being done to start, she says, but that and music in the stage area at the front of the restaurant are possible





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