If you haven’t been to Sarapes in Enfield lately for its authentic Mexican fare (particularly its famed mole poblano), you’ll find a few things have changed.
First: the address. As of late May, Sarapes, a fixture in a tiny Route 5 strip mall for 17 years, has taken over the former Molina’s Cafe restaurant on High Street in the town’s Thompsonville section. The new space, just about a fifth of a mile from its original location, offers double the seating, a bar and ample parking.
“It’s a different environment; it’s bigger,” says Roberto Chavez, whose late father Eduardo and mother Cutberta first opened the restaurant in 2001.
“It’s good, but we’ll always have a soft spot for the old place because it was a little more homey.”
Because Molina’s Cafe had a loyal breakfast following, the Chavez family, including Cutberta, Roberto and his siblings Armando Chavez and Carmen Llanas, decided to incorporate their predecessors’ morning menu into the new restaurant. They kept Molina’s breakfast cooks on staff and expanded the restaurants’ hours, offering classics like egg sandwiches, omelets, Benedicts, pancakes, waffles and French toast. They’ve also added Mexican breakfast specialties like huevos rancheros, chilaquiles and huevos con chorizo.
The new restaurant is also next door to Carmen’s Bakery, owned by Llanas, who provides Sarapes with its flan, tres leches cake and churros for dessert.
FEATURED/NOTEWORTHY DISHES: Sarapes’ core menu hasn’t really changed, says Roberto Chavez, so regulars will be able to find favorites like burritos, enchiladas, chiles rellenos and tacos de lengua, barbacoa and al pastor. “Platillos Mexicanas” like hearty plates of carne asada, Milanesa Empanizada (breaded skirt steak) and Mexican-style beef and spiced pork are served with rice, beans and avocado.
Beloved “Mama Berta” specialties like puerco en pipian (pork chops in Mexican pumpkin seed sauce) are still popular sellers, along with the restaurant’s noteworthy mole poblano dish. The rich, scratch-made sauce gets its flavor from Mexican chocolate and a range of ingredients like dried peppers, almonds, plantains, sesame and anise. It’s served with choice of chicken breast or boned chicken and also tops a dish of “enmoladas,” filled with chicken or cheese.
With the expanded new kitchen space, specialty “Sabado y Domingo” dishes once typically only available on weekends, like menudo, pozole and sopes, are now served most days, Roberto says.
Sarapes also serves a variety of fish and seafood dishes, including whole fried tilapia, sauteed shrimp entrees, ceviche and seafood soups. Combination plates, all served with rice and beans, feature enchiladas, flautas, burritos, tacos, tostadas and gorditas.
“Everything’s got its fair share of popularity,” Roberto says.
The new Sarapes just secured its liquor license, allowing guests to complement their meals with margaritas. Housemade sangria, Mexican beers and wines are also available, and Roberto Chavez says he’d like to offer more mezcal options.
PRICING: Breakfast dishes are $4.50 to $13. Lunch soups, salads, burritos, tortas and entrees are $6.99 to $14.99. Appetizers, including guacamole, nachos and quesadillas, are $8.99 to $10.99. Tacos are $3 to $7; a plate of two with rice and beans is $11.99. “Antojitos Mexicanos,” including burritos, gorditas, tamales and tostadas, are $3.50 to $10.99. Entrees are $13.99 to $19.99 and combination plates with rice and beans are $14.99 to $18.99. Desserts are $1.50 to $3.50. Beers, wine, sangria and margaritas are $4 to $9.99.
The restaurant hosts its grand opening celebration on Sept. 15 starting at noon, with a mariachi band and food and drink specials.
LOCATION AND HOURS: 95 High St. in Enfield. Open Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; Friday and Saturday, 7 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.; and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. 860-745-7781, facebook.com/sarapesrestaurant.
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