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Isabela.- The owner of the Mexican food concept La Chancleta de Maíz —tailored to the Puerto Rican palate—, which has been operating in Isabela since 2014 and has won over hundreds of diners who have gathered at the establishment, seeks to make headway in the franchise market and expand throughout the island.

With this vision in mind, Gabriel Abreu Vélez entered the culinary market, betting on a business that began with a food truck stationed along Highway PR-2. But six months later, he was forced to move the truck to a larger space after contending with the large demand for his products.

“We noticed a lack of Mexican food places in Isabela and decided to create the concept. At first, we worked until the early hours of the morning because of the large number of customers,” recalled the 29-year-old owner.

Within a year, the newly acquired space proved too small to accommodate the growing number of customers. Then, Abreu Vélez decided to rent an abandoned building on Avenida Estación, near Isabela’s downtown area. “We rented it, cleaned it up, and started working on it; initially, it was basically just a shell, and we worked on improvements every week. The first thing we did was fix the roof. We have been remodeling it over time,” he narrated.

“Tacos were our initial focus. I learned to cook thanks to my mother; I don’t have a culinary degree, but I did learn from her. Together with my cousin, Gabriel Badillo, who is a trained chef, we created a menu featuring burritos, quesadillas, tacos, wraps, and more,” highlighted the entrepreneur. Additionally, he acknowledged that his four-year stint at a fast-food restaurant provided valuable preparation for entering the culinary industry.

La Chancleta de Maíz started with just six dishes. However, many options have been added over time, including a vegan menu.

“We’ve been creating new dishes; we have special sauces with tomatillo and fresh herbs. With the help of my cousin, who is a chef, we also ventured into creative cooking, and we came up with various types of pico de gallo: grape, tomato, mango, pineapple, and the traditional version, which is made with onion and cilantro,” highlighted Abreu Vélez.

The restaurant also offers different options for taco tortillas made with wheat, whole wheat, and corn flour, among others.

When it comes to vegan products, the entrepreneur mentioned that the decision to specialize in them was made after noticing a customer base was missing from the business. “When I asked why they hadn’t come, they told me they followed a vegan diet, so I dedicated myself to studying the products, training the staff to prevent cross-contamination, identifying certified vegan suppliers to purchase raw materials, and assuring our customers of what we sell,” he emphasized.

“It’s impressive because vegan items sell very well, and when those customers visit us and see the variety of the and quality of our vegan menu, they’re surprised and leave satisfied. La Chancleta is without a doubt a place for vegan dining,” he added.

We asked what dish is the customer favorite.

“The taco category is the top seller: octopus, lobster, al pastor, chicken breast, calamari, vegetarian, among others,” he mentioned.

La Chancleta de Maíz also runs a food truck stationed in Mayagüez and a truck on Highway 459 in Aguadilla.

“There are 12 trucks where it’s located. Additionally, we’re going to start selling franchises in Puerto Rico starting in June. Thankfully, we’re one of the small business owners with franchising opportunities across the island,” concluded the young man, who oversees a team of 12 to 14 employees at the Isabela establishment.

The Isabela locale is open Tuesday to Sunday, from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. The Mayagüez food truck is open Monday to Sunday, from 12:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

For additional information, call 787-830-9200.