When a restaurant opens for the first time and is jam-packed within four hours, it’s obvious the residents in the area are hungry for something new. That’s exactly what happened when Poblano’s Family Mexican Restaurant opened in Falcon in April.Co-owners and brothers Don and Ed Klein said they were overwhelmed by the response to their opening. “We didn’t even advertise our official opening, but within four hours we were slammed and had a three-hour wait,” Don Klein said. To keep up, Klein said he hired more cooks and added a smaller lunch menu to keep the restaurant running smoothly.”That’s the big plus of being a local business and not a retail chain,” he said. “I can adapt to the community.”Sometimes, however, with a startup restaurant, it takes time for the community to adapt. In the beginning, there are almost always a few critics.Ashlee Bell said she and her husband Doug had carry-out dinners when Poblano’s first opened.Although they were disappointed with their meal, Bell said they would try the restaurant again.”Maybe they had grand opening jitters,” she said. “I’d like places to succeed out here so more things move our way.”On the other side, Wendy Thorpe, Falcon resident, has been pleased with her experiences.”I’ve been there a few times and the service is good,” Thorp said. “The margaritas are good. I’ve had the fajitas and some different appetizers. All were good.”Klein said he developed the menu from old family recipes passed down through his sister-in-law’s family and recipes from his head chef Jorge Gonzales. “We serve a different style from the Tex-Mex that is most familiar. We focus on the actual flavor of the meat, and our sauces are different,” Klein said. American fare also is on the menu. The chef uses all fresh ingredients and the mole – a spicy chili chocolate sauce – contains 50 different ingredients, he said.Poblano’s was not affected by the recent salmonella scare, Klein said. “That’s another advantage of being local,” he added. “We know where our suppliers get the food.”Klein and his brother have been in the restaurant business (Mexican restaurants included) more than 20 years. They were drawn to Falcon because they saw the growth moving east.”We could go on Powers or Academy and get lost in the shuffle,” he said. “We would have more initial business, but in the long run we will do better in a smaller community.”Poblano’s seats 260 diners and offers a meeting room that seats 50. Poblano’s is open Tuesday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Happy hour serves $2 margaritas Tuesday through Friday 3 to 6 p.m.
