DOMINICK CORSI
Special to The Leader
The food scene in Fredonia can be a perplexing subject to some.
Sure, Willy C’s, Cranston Marche and Starbucks hold students over on campus, but off campus is where things get interesting.
While it’s easy to get fast food on Bennett Road or some bar food in downtown Fredonia, there’s a brand new experience at 30 Water St.
El Negocio Latin Cuisine is open and Jullier Rivera, the restaurant’s administrator, is bringing the taste of Puerto Rico to Fredonia.
The front of the building features an “El Negocio Latin Cuisine” banner that displays the Puerto Rican flag.
Not only is Rivera personable and helpful, but he’s also passionate about his business.
Rivera has had a vision of running a restaurant for as long as he can remember, and now that vision has come to fruition.
“Ever since I was a kid, I would hear my family talking about having a business, so I always heard el negocio, el negocio, el negocio (which means business). And then this opportunity came to me,” Rivera said.
Rivera, now 22, made sure to include his family in his new business venture. His mother, sister and stepfather all provide help with El Negocio.
The feeling of walking into an establishment that genuinely cares about your experience as a member of the community is important for Rivera.
The bell on the door signals Rivera to the front counter, where he greets all customers.
The mood is set with the TV connected to a music station that brings you to Puerto Rico and makes you want to dance.
Creating an environment that naturally gets you excited to eat is a rare feat, but El Negocio does it.
At the counter, Rivera will give a brief rundown of the menu and any specials.
He also provides the 411 on the business’s Facebook page.
Every day that the restaurant is open, Rivera goes live on its Facebook page to give the “Announcement of the Day.”
The “Announcement of the Day” usually features a breakdown of the menu, any specials from the kitchen that day and anything else that’s going on with the restaurant.
He gives the announcement in both Spanish and English to accommodate anyone and everyone interested in eating well.
His ability to switch between Spanish and English is impressive and undoubtedly helps with customer service and shows his willingness to connect with the community.
The menu features a wide variety of Puerto Rican staples, along with the special of the day.
El Negocio offers different types of grilled or fried chicken, shrimp and pork. Quesadillas, empanadillas and sandwiches are also included on the everyday menu. White rice, yellow rice, fries and plantains round out the sides, but there is so much more to the menu than what’s mentioned here.
Specials such as birria tacos, seafood and maduros locos have all graced the diverse menu at El Negocio.
The smell of the 100% authentic Puerto Rican cuisine is definitely a draw to the already alluring restaurant.
The smell doesn’t even compare to the mouthwatering, fresh Spanish food, which is unlike anything else offered in Fredonia.
The care that the family has for the restaurant is evident. The effort is obvious in both the taste of the food and the service of the people involved.
“It’s a lot of work, it’s basically a 24/7 job,” Rivera said. “I sleep and literally dream about the stuff that I have to do for the restaurant the next day and in the future. It’s like our whole life right now.”
With the diverse menu El Negocio features, it makes sense that a great deal of time would need to be put into the whole process.
That’s not even considering the business aspect of the venture; running a business itself is a massive commitment, but Rivera is seeing results.