Del Fuego Finds Fresh Niche in St. James

The trick to running a successful St. James restaurant: letting your food first and building a bond with the local community

Joseph DeNicola, owner of Del Fuego Tex Mex Kitchen and Tequila Bar, said his restaurant celebrated its second anniversary this Sunday thanks to a close ties built with the St. James community. 

"The biggest thing over the last two years is we’ve had a great reception from the community," DeNicola said. "They get the concept that we are trying to provide something different in the neighborhood, fresh casual food at a reasonable price and we're having fun doing it." 

The restaurant's traditional Mexican and Southwestern dishes have been continuously refined and fine-tuned over the past two years, according to DeNicola. 

"We always focus on the menu first and the food. I think we’ve improved as time has gone on. We’ve honed our skills in this cuisine and I think it shows on the plate," he said. 

Top selling dishes include their enchiladas, such as the Carnitas Enchiladas featuring slow-cooked pulled pork and sweet fried plantains rolled in corn tortillas with a black bean sauce, Mexican crema, melted Cheddar Jack cheese and scallions ($18) or their fajitas in your choice of five meats or vegetables mixed with onions, peppers and the fixings ($16 - 21).

In it's first 2 years, Del Fuego has not only survived difficult challenges such as surviving Hurricane Sandy and the nor`easter blizzard in February that drove nearby eateries out business, but thrived. 

"We were able to stay fully operational via generators. We met and maintained some great friends and customers from that and the blizzard," DeNicola said. 

For 14 days, DeNicola said he wired in generators to the restaurant's control panels to keep fresh tacos and food coming up for customers - even those didn't have cash to pay, when credit card machines weren't working. 

"I think it created a connection that maybe we didn’t have prior to that storm as strong ," DeNicola said. 

The restaurant's popularity has led him to consider expanding the St. James location, if space becomes available, and opening a second location in Babylon Village. 

"We’ve been really well received and we wouldn’t change a thing as far as the way its gone," DeNicola said.