AUTHENTIC MEXICAN TAKEOUT.
♪ >> EL CENTRO IS WHERE MEXICO’S
AUTHENTIC NORTHERN AND SOUTHERN CUISINES MEET, IN THE MIDDLE.
>> EL CENTRO IS THE PLACE THAT YOU FIND ANYTHING IN MEXICO.
>> THE RESTAURANT’S CO-OWNER MOVED HERE AFTER HE GRADUATED
FROM COLLEGE, THEN HE STARTED HIS OWN CONSTRUCTION COMPANY AND
LATER FOUND ANOTHER CALLING.
>> MY FAMILY HAS A BACKGROUND IN RESTAURANTS AND I SAW AN
OPPORTUNITY.
>> EL CENTRO HAS TWO LOCATIONS, THE FIRST IN BOSTON AND ANOTHER
IN DEDHAM.
>> WE HAVE BEEN INNOVATING AND CREATING OUR OWN DISHES.
>> ALL INSPIRED BY THE FOLKS, FOOD, AND FLAVORS OF HIS NATIVE
COUNTR >> I MIX DISHES FROM THE NORTH
WITH SAUCES FROM THE SOUTH.
>> IN ADDITION TO THE ENCHILADAS FIELD WITH YOUR CHOICE OF
PROTEIN, THERE IS THE SHRIMP CHIPOTLE WITH CORN AND
ASPARAGUS.
AND THE CARNE ASADA SERVED WITH FLOUR TORTILLAS.
>> WE MAKE OUR OWN TORTILLAS.
EVERYTHING HAS BEEN PREPPED EVERY SINGLE DAY.
EVERYTHING IS FRESH.
>> MENU MAINSTAYS THAT TRANSPORT YOU TO MEXICO WITH THEIR FLAVOR
AND ARE GOOD TO GO, ALONG WITH A DRINK FROM THE BAR, IF YOU ARE
THIRSTY.
♪ WHILE RODRIGUEZ AND HIS STAFF
TRY TO REMAIN RESILIENT, THE PANDEMIC HAS IMPACTED BOTH THE
BUSINESS AND HIS HOME.
>> I GOT COVID IN MAY.
>> ASIDE FROM EXHAUSTION, HIS SYMPTOMS WERE MILD.
>> MY PHONE WAS NOT BEING THAT MUCH SO IT GAVE ME TIME TO
THINK.
IT WAS A TIME FOR OPPORTUNITY.
>> HE SAW THAT DOWNTIME AS A CHANCE TO SLOW DOWN AND RESET
AND NOW HIS OUTLOOK FOR THE FUTURE IS OPTIMISTIC.
>> IT IS GOING TO BE A CHALLENGE BUT I AM POSITIVE.
♪ >> AT M&M BARBECUE, FOOD IS A
FAMILY BUSINESS.
>> WE STARTED OFF WITH A SMALL TRUCK AND A TRAILER AND IT
ACQUIRED ANOTHER FOOD TRUCK AND A COUPLE RESTAURANTS WHICH LED
ME TO TAKE OVER AND END UP HERE.
>> GEO OWNS AND OPERATES THE BUSINESS FOUNDED BY AND NAMED
AFTER HIS GRANDPARENTS, MARION AND MAURICE.
>> THEY COOKED THEIR ENTIRE LIFE.
THAT WAS THE WAY OF PROVIDING FOR THEIR FAMILY.
>> FOOD TO GO WAS A WAY FOR THEM TO CONNECT WITH THE COMMUNITY,
PARKING THEIR MOBILE RESTAURANT OUTSIDE THEIR CHURCH AND LOCAL
BUSINESSES LONG BEFORE FOOD TRUCKS WERE A FAMILIAR SIGHT
>> ONE OF THE FIRST FOOD TRUCKS IN THE CITY.
THEY COULD NOT EVEN PARK ON PUBLIC STREETS.
>> BUT IN 2019, THE WHEELS CAME OFF AND M&M PARTNERED WITH
DORCHESTER BREWING COMPANY, OPENING A BRICK-AND-MORTAR
RESTAURANT INSIDE THE NEWLY RENOVATED BREWERY.
>> I THOUGHT BEER AND BARBECUE WENT TOGETHER HAND-IN-HAND.
>> IF LAMBERT WAS GOING TO SET UP A STATIONARY SHOP, IT MADE
SENSE TO DO IT HERE AS HE IS ORIGINALLY FROM DORCHESTER.
>> I LIVE NOT FAR FROM HER I WENT TO THE GROVER CLEVELAND
MIDDLE SCHOOL.
>> THE NAMES ON THE MENU REFLECT M&M’S ROOT
>> I NAMED THE SANDWICHES AFTER PLACES WE PARKED THE FOOD TRUCK.
>> THE ORIGINAL RECIPE RIBS ARE WHAT THIS BUSINESS WAS BUILT ON.
>> I SMOKE ON A HARDWOOD SMOKER.
HARDWOOD IN THERE, WE HAVE OUR OWN BARBECUE SAUCE.
>> FOR MEAT LOVERS, WHO CANNOT PICK JUST ONE --
>> SMOKERS CLUB HAS OUR BEEF BRISKET, HOUSE BRAZE
>> EACH PLATE IS AN HOMAGE TO ITS NAMESAKE AND A NOD TO MARION
AND MAURICE’S LEGACY.
>> THEY BUILT A GREAT FOUNDATION.
THEY DID NOT HAVE A LOT BUT THEY ALWAYS PUT A LOT IN AND WHATEVER
THEY COULD GIVE, THEY WOULD.
I WANT TO PROVIDE THAT FOR MY FAMILY AND FOR THE NEXT
I WANT IT TO BE A HOUSEHOLD NAME TO KEEP THEIR NAME GOING BECAUSE
THEY BUILT A LEGACY.
♪ >> GOOD NEWS FOR M&M BARBECUE,
THEY HAVE REOPENED FOR INDOOR DINING AND EL CENTRO OPENED A
TACO