Robby's Taqueria TC Mexicana

A taste of home

By Janice Binkert | July 22, 2017

Few things bring more satisfaction to Rosalba Montes Leko, aka Robby, than when people from her home country — she hails from Leon, Mexico — come in to eat at her restaurant, Robby’s Taqueria TC Mexicana, and afterward ask their server if they can meet the owner.

“It happens more often than you would think,” she said. “So I come out of the kitchen, and they usually say something like, ‘I can taste the flavors — this is like my grandma’s food — it’s very authentic.’” That’s exactly what Robby is always aiming for: happy customers, authenticity, and flavors that evoke — or make — memories.

PERSONAL TOUCHES
“I love to cook, and I love to eat,” said Robby. Her only restaurant connection growing up, though, was that her father owned a bar in Leon that also served food. Her husband, Michael, had a host of restaurant experience under his belt when they met. He had worked his way through college cooking in restaurants in his native Traverse City, in Detroit, and in Kalamazoo — though by the time the two met in Mexico, where Michael lived for eight years, he was employed by the U.S. auto industry, and she was working in the leather goods sector. They eventually married, settled in Leon, and had no immediate plans to relocate to the States.

It was only after a few vacation trips back to northern Michigan, and starting a family, that the couple began entertaining the idea of someday living here and opening a taqueria. They made the move in 2013 and began their foray into the restaurant business with two other partners in 2014, opening a Mexican café at the corner of Silver Lake and Zimmerman roads (the former Green Hill Grocery) in Traverse City. Eventually, the couple bought out their partners and began looking for a larger place.

They opened their present space on Traverse City’s East Front Street, close to the downtown district, on Labor Day 2015. The central location and ample parking were big factors in choosing it. Today, nearly two years later, arriving customers are greeted by their hosts amid the sight of a cheerful interior adorned with art and artifacts from Mexico, the sound of lively Latin music playing in the background, and enticing aromas emanating from the kitchen.

“Our focus here is on the food and flavors and the personal touch,” said Michael. “We like to be able to talk to our customers personally when they come in.”

PRESERVING THE CULTURAL LINK
Robby said the first time she visited Michigan with Michael, they came to Traverse City, and she fell in love with it. “Of course I miss some things from my country,” she admitted, “but it’s better to be here for raising our kids. And one of the principal reasons for having this restaurant is that it helps me be closer to my community here while still keeping me connected to the people, the food and the culture of Mexico.”

While Michael was living in Mexico, he said he would take his American business clients out to eat, “and one of the things I noticed was that it was the authentic Mexican foods they really liked. So that was like my ‘test group’ for the future restaurant. I knew we would have to include things like sopa de tortilla [tortilla soup], spit-roasted trompo pork [for tacos pastor], and arrachera [pounded, marinated and grilled Mexican flank steak] on the menu.”

The current menu is large and ambitious but also carefully curated, incorporating dishes from several different regions of Mexico. “We are lucky to have a good team,” said Michael, “and we do everything we can to keep them. We cross-train everyone so that they can step in wherever they are most needed. That’s why Robby spends so much time in the kitchen, but also to ensure quality control, because everything we do — sauces, marinades, seasonings — is made from scratch.”

Molé in particular is “a huge job,” Robby said. “Ours takes two days to make, but you have to take time and respect every ingredient — you can’t rush it.” Molé is traditionally prepared in a stone mortar, pounded together with a stone pestle. In the Mayan language, Robby said, molé means “mixing.”

“The best thing to serve molé with is enmoladas,” said Robby. “That’s corn tortillas rolled up with a chicken filling — but the chicken has to be quite plain, because it will be bathed in molé sauce and topped with crumbled queso fresco. You have to taste each thing separately, but sense how it all goes together.”  

POP QUIZ
The most popular item on the menu? “Everybody loves the guacamole,” said Robby, “and the tostones.”

“The burrito divorciado,” countered Michael, “and the fajita burritos.”

“Oh, and the chiles rellenos,” added Robby. “People love them as well.” 

“And the tacos, of course, especially the pastor.”

One guesses that the list could go on and on.

“I can’t complain,” said Robby.

Robby is clearly in her element as a restaurateur. “Maybe my food is not very fancy or sophisticated, but it is my food that I love, and it’s my personality that comes through when I cook it,” Robby said. Considering the multi-layered flavors and textures — as well as the creative plate presentations — coming out of Robby’s kitchen, the question of how fancy or sophisticated her food is or isn’t might be up for debate.

But she remains humble. “I love it when the people who come here appreciate our food,” she said. “I’m mostly in the back cooking, but if I am needed somewhere out front, I will jump and go to that position, whether it’s serving or clearing tables or whatever. I am jumping a lot actually, because I also do the administration, and I have to shop for ingredients, and I am a mom of three! I’m always doing something, and I have long days, so when I get home, and I lie down in bed, I think, ‘Wow, I’m really tired.’ But as long I am working, I never get tired, because I really enjoy what I’m doing.”

Robby’s Taqueria TC Mexicana is located at 830 East Front St. in Traverse City. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner served daily. Catering, carry-out, and delivery via Chompler also available. (231) 486-6991, robbystaqueriatc.com. Rating: $-$$

AT THE BAR
BEYOND MARGARITAS
OK, so you like margaritas. It’s what you want to enjoy with your guacamole and chips, your nachos, your tacos. And you certainly can get killer margaritas — all made with 100% agave tequila — at Robby’s. But why not try something that the locals (in Mexico) drink? Branch out with the Paloma (Jose Cuervo tequila, grapefruit soda, lime) or the Michelada (a fishbowl-sized combo of Mexican beer, Clamato, and seasonings). How about a Modelo or Dos Equis on tap? Or a Mexican bottled soda? And that’s just scratching the surface. Check out happy hour at Robby’s from 3–6pm daily and get a taste of how Mexico does happy hour — including botanas, compliments of the house.

JUST DESSERTS
SWEET AND SPICY
They had me at tres leches (sponge cake infused with whole milk and sweetened condensed milk, topped with whipped cream). Then came silky flan and doughnut-like churros. A tempting trio. But wait … It seems that Robby’s connection with Moomer’s (she once worked for the local ice cream enterprise) has also yielded three unique, Mexican-inspired ice cream flavors made just for her: orchata (vanilla, cinnamon, rice milk and chocolate), Mexican chocolate with churros, and mango with chamoy (a spicy chile-and-pickled-fruit sauce). “Chiles can be used in anything,” insisted Robby, “including sweets.” Tasting is believing.