‘People like it and that is what I love the most. I have regulars already, which I am so, so lucky and grateful (for),’ says new restaurateur in Orillia
Casa Colibri brings together upbeat music, vibrant colours and bold flavours for an authentic Mexican experience in downtown Orillia.
“People will feel like it’s a little piece of Mexico here,” says restaurant co-owner, Diego Romero. He and his wife, Dina Ferfuson, purchased the Cool Cones business last year with the intent to expand the menu.
The vision was always to create a Mexican restaurant, says Romero, whose career spans years learning the many roles in a restaurant: from dishwasher to line cook to manager.
When they came to Orillia, Romero noticed some places offered tacos, but there was no authentic Mexican food.
Not only did the duo notice this little gap in local cuisine offerings, they also fell in love with Orillia and the people they serve.
Romero characterizes Mexican food as rooted in tradition; the cooking methods have been passed down for generations. It’s also experimental and does not shy away from using an abundance of ingredients, he says.
He mentions mole — a sauce that can have upward of 50 different ingredients – as an example of mixing many flavours. It’s often served over poultry and made for celebrations. The dish originates from Mexico’s pre-Hispanic indigenous cultures, he explained.
Romero and his head chef, Julian Fernandez, collaborated on the menu for Casa Colibri. Fernandez has plenty of experience in the kitchen and worked as a chef in Mexico, Romero says. They started with a medley of Mexican street foods like tacos, quesadillas, burritos and chimichangas.
An appetizer, esquites, he says, “you find most (often) on the streets in Mexico.” The creamy corn kernels are a slightly sweet start to a meal and have caught the taste buds of those who have visited the restaurant since it opened last month.
Romero notes other popular dishes so far are the chicharones and ceviche.
Due to popular demand, they decided to keep the poutine everyone loved from last year’s menu. A popular addition to the Quebec-style dish is birria. For an extra $2, the tender, slow-braised beef kicks it up a notch.
“There are a lot of soups in Mexico,” says Romero.
They narrowed the list down to three; chicken soup, Aztec soup, and pozole, the most traditional of the three.
“Every time there is a party in Mexico, like traditional parties, we cook pozole,” he says.
The variety of ice cream flavours — including soft serve options and cones — are still on offer. Some renovations were made to accommodate those looking for the summery treat.
Romero points to a bar area near the large front window where he envisioned people sitting for ice cream while the back half of the restaurant has tables and seating for couples and families to enjoy their meals.
A hummingbird mural is on the back wall at Casa Colibri, depicting what the restaurant is named after. Danielle Pitman/OrilliaMatters
Additional kitchen equipment was needed to prepare new menu items, he explained.
The walls were painted bright shades of orange and the decor, which includes colourful sombreros, brings a lively texture to the eatery.
Toronto-based muralist Art Noya was commissioned to paint the large hummingbird and cactus on the back wall.
Casa Colibri translates to ‘hummingbird house’, says Romero. He chose the hummingbird for many reasons. Culturally, he says the tiny bird was depicted on Aztec talismans for protection during times of war.
Romero’s grandmother loves hummingbirds. He remembers watching them from her kitchen window.
“She always had one outside her kitchen,” he says smiling.
The connection between his visits, learning the basics of cooking in his grandmother’s kitchen, the hummingbirds and his culinary career came together in the name of the restaurant.
Romero’s grandmother also helped with some of the food. She suggested adding carne en su jugo to the menu. It’s a beef, bacon and bean dish served with tortillas; what is served at Casa Colibri is her recipe.
“This is in honour of my grandmother,” says Romero.
Although the Casa Colibri sign is still in the works, the restaurant is open and the reviews, he said, have been positive.
Romero says it’s rewarding to have his vision come to life and share it with others.
“People like it and that is what I love the most. I have regulars already, which I am so, so lucky and grateful (for).”
He explains how many people might think after a lifelong culinary career that owning a restaurant is the endgame.
“Like, you’ve made it, right? But to me it’s just the start,” he says.
There are still ideas in the works. For one, Romero wants to improve the drinks menu.
“I have a lot to learn still, but we put all our passion and even all our time here,” he says.
Casa Colibri is at 149 Mississaga St. E. and can be reached at 705-325-0541.
It’s open from noon to 8 p.m. on Monday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday.