Elvira Coronado and La Casa Coronado

Elvira Coronado wanted to open a restaurant. But in 1946, St. Paul, let alone most of the United States outside the Southwest, was unfamiliar with Mexican cooking.

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Editor: Britt Aamodt

Producer: Britt Aamodt

Editorial support: Emily Krumberger

Mixing & mastering: Chris Harwood

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Transcript

Welcome to MN90: Minnesota History in 90 Seconds.

Elvira Coronado always dreamed of owning a restaurant like her parents did in Texas, and where her mom whipped up the most incredible Mexican food. But her husband Arturo put his foot down. “Who’ll take care of our kids if you work?” So he hired a chef and opened his own restaurant, but it closed within months. As a couple, they tried again in 1946. La Casa Coronado was born. It was just a tiny room with four tables on St Paul's Fairfield Avenue. Yet Elvira had her recipes and a kind of magic in the kitchen. Still the mouth-watering aromas drifting out into the street weren't bringing customers in the door. Back then, many Americans outside of the Southwest had never tried Mexican food. Elvira had to figure out a way to introduce it to St Paul. Her idea was to give cooking demos at schools with samples. La Casa Coronado had to move twice to larger buildings and hire more staff to keep up with demand. Despite the success, Elvira would say she always preferred that first La Casa Coronado with just four tables and her alone in the kitchen.

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