Village Taqueria serves up Latin, American comfort food

When Andrew Sutton and his wife Mirna Duenas de Sutton dreamed of opening their own restaurant, they knew it would be a risky venture. They anticipated that business might be slow to begin with and that they would face challenges along the way.

What they could not have foreseen when setting Village Taqueria and Grill’s launch date for March of 2020 was a global pandemic, making it perhaps the worst timing in history to open a restaurant. Still, the Suttons remain positive and see things looking up despite their rocky start.

The family moved to Dryden from Southern California in 2018 when Andrew accepted the position of executive chef with Ithaca College dining. Citing the cost of living and the frequent wildfires in California as motivating factors, Andrew jumped at the chance to relocate.

“We were living with one or two fires every year and the constant fear of having to evacuate,” Andrew said. “Here it rains, it snows, but I don’t have to worry so much about my house burning down.”

Finding the Dryden community friendly and welcoming, the family settled in. When the commercial space at 2 E. Main St. became available in the fall of 2019, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to launch the Latin and American eatery the couple had always talked about.

“We signed the paperwork and set things in motion before anyone knew about COVID-19,” Andrew said. “By February, we were getting the kitchen ready to open, and then March came, and everything went downhill.”

In fact, the taqueria’s doors opened just a week before restaurants across the state were forced to shut down due to the virus.

Since reopening in April, Andrew said he’s seen a slow but steady increase in business.

“Luckily, we were already set up to do a lot of takeout,” Andrew said. “We didn’t have to rethink everything.”

Of course, the Suttons did have to make some adjustments. They put new protocols in place to keep customers safe, such as cleaning and disinfecting surfaces frequently. They began offering delivery and curbside pickup when the lockdown first took effect and are continuing to offer those services. When in-person dining became an option, they set up tables outside and decreased indoor seating so that diners could maintain a 6-foot distance.

“We definitely have some regular customers, and we appreciate them very much,” Andrew said. “Other people are just starting to venture out to eat. We’re hoping that we’ll get even busier as TC3 and the schools open up.”

Andrew counts the location of his restaurant on the Route 13 corridor between Ithaca and Cortland a plus, but the thing that really puts Village Taqueria and Grill on the map is the food. Bringing the flavors of traditional Latin cuisine with a California flair to central New York, Andrew and Mirna are making a name for themselves, and word is starting to spread.

Their menu offers something for everyone, from tacos and quesadillas to more traditional favorites like chile rellenos (roasted peppers stuffed with cheese, battered and fried), menudo (a red pepper-based soup made with tripe) served with fresh, homemade tortillas and ceviche (chilled seafood “cooked” in a citrus marinade).

Mirna said she grew up cooking with her mother in Guatemala and still uses some of those recipes, though she admits that Andrew is the chef in the family. Some of her specialties include the rotating selection of desserts like Mexican wedding cookies and conchas (sweetbreads shaped like shells).

“We’ve had customers come from as far as Syracuse and Binghamton because they heard our food was authentic,” Andrew said. “It’s a good feeling when they come back and tell us they’d been missing those flavors from home.”

Don’t worry if you prefer more standard American fare; the taqueria has that too. In fact, some of their best customers come in just for the burgers, Andrew said.

“The mesquite burger is very popular, with cheese, bacon, fried onions and a homemade smoky molasses barbecue sauce,” Andrew said. “Other people can’t get enough of the California burrito, which comes with fries and guacamole wrapped up in it.”

Andrew also pointed out that he is happy to customize any order to accommodate customer preferences.

While Andrew is optimistic about the restaurant’s future, he admits that it hasn’t been easy. One of the biggest struggles has been dealing with the supply chain during this period, he said.

“Beef jumped to double or triple the normal price for months at a time, as did pork,” he said. “Right now, cheese and dairy are high. Paper products, gloves and sanitizer were difficult to come by. Even things like tortillas and bread have been a bit of a roller coaster as to quality and availability due to coronavirus.”

One thing that has made the venture easier is the continued support of the Dryden community.

“Our dream was to make quality Latin and American comfort food,” Andrew said. “My hope is that we’ll be able to contribute in this way to the community my family and I joined when we moved here.”

Find Village Taqueria and Grill’s menu and ordering information on Facebook at facebook.com/villagetaqueria or by calling 607-708-4166.