Downers Grove welcomes Mexican restaurant to downtown community

DOWNERS GROVE –  For the first time in about a decade, downtown Downers Grove has a full-service Mexican restaurant.

Mia’s Cantina, 1012 Curtiss St., opened its doors in mid-January and hosted a grand-opening celebration Jan. 31.

This is the second Mia’s location for owner Esteban Aguado, who opened the original restaurant in 2012 in Mount Prospect. The restaurant is named after his 7-year-old daughter.

“The place we have in Mount Prospect is a very successful, nice little place, but it’s just too small,” he said. “We were looking for a place that has more capacity and looking for a town that needs a Mexican restaurant.”

Aguado started in the restaurant business more than 20 years ago, working as the bar manager and floor manager at places such as the Twisted Lizard in Chicago’s Lincoln Park neighborhood and Adobo Grill and Frontera Grill on the Gold Coast.

It was after he moved to the suburbs when he opened his own restaurant.

“I saw the potential of Mexican food and good margaritas in the suburban areas,” he said.

Aguado said they try to make many of their dishes healthier than the Tex-Mex food many people are used to.

“All the food is authentic Mexican food,” he said. “We have a lot of family recipes and other recipes from all these years working with other restaurants.”

For instance, he said Mia’s enchiladas are different than most other enchiladas at restaurants.

“Most enchiladas they serve with rice and beans, sauce, cheese and sour cream,” he said. “Ours is served with potatoes and carrots. We try to keep everything gourmet and control the carbs, too.”

The fresh ingredients also can be found in the margaritas, which he said will be made with seasonal fruits during the summer.

Aguado chose to open a restaurant in Downers Grove because he and his wife liked the downtown area and the community.

“Potentially, it can be our town, too,” he said. “In the future, we can move [our family] here.”

Downers Grove resident Tom Schroder has handled marketing and communications for Aguado.

He said the restaurant fills a void left when Comida Bebida closed 10 years ago.

“We have a few really good taquerias in the downtown Downers Grove area, but until now we’ve been lacking a full-service, spacious, family-friendly Mexican restaurant that has an extensive menu and the ability to serve margaritas and traditional Mexican beers, wine and cocktails,” he said.

After being open only for evening hours during the soft opening, the restaurant has started lunch hours.

Aguado said he also plans to serve brunch Saturdays and Sundays after Valentine’s Day and have outdoor seating in April or May.

He added he’s received a lot of good feedback from customers.

“I’ve been surprised, to be honest, how much they know about the Mexican ingredients,” he said. “They can really appreciate what we’ve been serving here.”

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About Mia’s Cantina

LOCATION: 1012 Curtiss St., Downers Grove

HOURS: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily; lunch menu served until 3 p.m.

SIGNATURE DISHES: Camarones a la Morita, Mia’s Enchiladas and Pollo al Mole

INFO: 630-541-8176, www.miascantina.com