Reborn in Fallbrook

When the restaurant closed down, Ramiro and Imelda were ready to retire, says Carlos. He and Frankie asked them if they could keep the family business going. Their parents gave their blessing and financial backing, too.

They settled into a tiny spot in downtown Fallbrook. With only eight tables and a tiny bar jammed in a 700-square-foot dining room, it was much smaller than what they’d left behind. The brothers brought along best-selling family recipes like Tacos Imelda and Ramiro’s Carnitas, and began adding innovations of their own.

For instance, they wanted to add craft beer on tap to the menu, which would take about $12,000 in equipment. “Our parents were probably thinking, ‘What are these kids up to?’” says Carlos, “but they let us run the show.”

Within two years, the small restaurant was at maximum capacity every night, says Carlos. The time was right to open a second location, and the brothers signed the lease for the former Valley Fort location in April.

They spent four months planning and renovating the new site. Before and after work and on every day off, they were ripping out old tile and carpet, and renovating the bar and kitchen. The first week after opening was tough, says Carlos. The good news was, customers were pouring in; the hard part was synching up the bar, kitchen, and a raft of new servers under the pressure of that demand.

Born in Imelda’s kitchen

Twenty years ago, the Estrellas lived between two horse ranches, San Luis Rey Downs and Moody Creek Farms. Every day, Imelda got up before dawn and cooked 300 burritos on her kitchen stove. “At 6 in the morning, my sisters took ice chests filled with burritos to sell to the ranch workers,” remembers Carlos. Soon, workers were coming to their house for lunch. “People just fell in love with my mom’s food.”

Meanwhile, Ramiro, who had worked as a butcher in his native Michoacán in western Mexico, was becoming known for the carnitas he cooked in his backyard. By 4:30 a.m. every Sunday, he was cooking Michoacán-style carnitas in massive pots that rested on round metal bases with wood fires burning inside. After a while, Ramiro was cooking three pigs every Sunday and drawing customers from across North County and as far away as Los Angeles.

In 2002, a restaurant location in Bonsall became available, and Ramiro and Imelda jumped at it. What they lacked in business experience they made up for with lots of loyal customers. The restaurant thrived until 2010, when the state seized their property via eminent domain to widen Highway 76.

An enduring family tradition

Things are running smoothly now, says Carlos, with plenty of help from their family. His parents still play a vital role. “They come to the restaurants early every morning and make sure everybody’s doing their jobs right,” he says. “I call them our quality control.”

Working in the restaurants is an enduring Estrella tradition. Seventeen family members spanning three generations work full- or part-time in the two restaurants. “I don’t have any kids yet,” says Carlos, “but if I did, they’d be here, too.”

The other night, Carlos greeted some old-time customers he hadn’t seen since the Bonsall days. They’d avoided the first Fallbrook site because it was always packed and were glad there was now a larger Estrella’s where they could always get a table.

“I had to tell them, ‘That’s not the case tonight,’” says Carlos. “‘We’re busy, so you’re going to have to wait.’”

From The San Diego Union-Tribune (Published 6 Dec 2015)