Restaurateur Ari Gejdenson Says Minimum Wage Hikes May Force Him Out of D.C. | Eater DC

"In the year since I opened my Mexican‑themed restaurant I expected it to be slow and was ready for painfully slow weekdays; weekends are good but we need to drive more people during the week. I was strict about keeping the food authentic after a disagreement with our original chef, Carlos Camacho—born in Mexico but trained in America—who favored fusion and left after roughly five months; bringing on Chef Raymundo Oliva and the first full menu change felt like the moment everything came together. I pride myself on our seafood—a nice whole fish and phenomenal calamari—and we work with ProFish across the street so the chef can walk over and pick exactly what he wants. Learning the "tortilla game" was a major lesson—corn tortillas behave very differently than flour, crisping and changing consistency at different temperatures—and I won't compromise our authenticity by adding Tex‑Mex here, even though many locals prefer Tex‑Mex. My personal favorites include the slow‑roasted duck for two that falls apart and comes with a stack of tortillas, and the whole fish is a hidden gem; tacos and the approachable spring chicken can help bring people in. Service is my main focus for year two—we're around a B‑minus now and need to improve table presence so guests feel comfortable and special." - Lenore Adkins