On this week’s episode of “What’s Eric Eating,” Molina’s Enterprises president Ricardo Molina joins CultureMap editor Eric Sandler to discuss Molina’s Cantina. Along with his brothers Raul III and Roberto, Ricardo Molina is a third generation owner of the Tex-Mex restaurant that traces its boots back to 1941.
Photo by Julie Soefer
Jose's Dip is a Molina's staple.
The conversation begins with Molina sharing how his grandparents Mary and Raul Molina opened the Old Monterrey Inn at 1919 West Gray. Ultimately, they adopted the name their customers used when referring to the restaurant, Molina’s, and grew to their current three locations on Westheimer, in Southside Place, and a Fulshear location that opened in 2020.
When a restaurant has that kind of legacy, certain dishes become staples. At Molina’s, they include the Enchiladas de Tejas (cheese enchiladas topped with chile con carne, cheese, and chopped onions) and the Jose’s Dip (queso with spicy taco meat). Sandler asks Molina about the challenge of keeping things traditional enough for regulars while also adding other dishes to stay contemporary.
“Tex-Mex restaurants didn’t have seafood to speak of. Soups and salads weren't a thing. Those are probably the most common things we’ve added,” he says
“One thing we battle is trying to roll out a new item. Your guests come in. If you worked at our place for three Friday nights, you’ll know 80 percent of our guests. You get to know them well,” Molina continues. “That’s the other side of it, trying to get somebody out of their comfort level and change lanes to try something different. That’s always a challenge for us.”
Listen to the full interview to hear Molina’s thoughts on how likely a fourth generation of the family is to continue the restaurant’s legacy. He also shares his perspective on further expansion.
Sandler always asks his guests if they have anything they want to discuss that he didn’t ask about. Molina ends the interview with a simple request for the audience.
“Support family business. We’ve got a great group of family businesses in Houston across the board. I’m proud to say I know most if not all of them. Some are really good friends. We’re the ones who support the Little League, we do a ton with the Rodeo, Girl Scouts, all that stuff,” he says.
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