Meet Allan Rodriguez of EL CENTRO, LA CATRINA, and AR CONTRACTING

Today we’d like to introduce you to Allan Rodriguez.

Allan, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I came to Boston with $600. Dlls in February 2000 from Mexico after I finished my bachelor’s degree in business, I came to Boston to learn the language (I did not speak at all 0% ) on March 19 and with $15. Left I started working in a roofing company in Lexington then going to school at night. I had a background in construction working with my dad. Since I couldn’t speak well I was the helper for 10 guys. It was very frustrating because I knew hot to use all the power tools and do the work but the language was an issue.

One day, 2 months after I started working I told a friend to talk to the owner of the company and explain that I knew how to do the work that I need a shot. So the owner (Tom Raboin) told me that I will work with him on the weekends and one day was enough to show him what I can do. Monday came along and told the 10 guys that I was part of their crew (that was in may 2000), by June I spoke 70 % English and I had to go back to Mexico in July. Then back in Mexico the owner of the company called me and told me to come back that he will promote me to the foreman, and a month after I went back to work in charge of the crew.

Starting 2001 we made a deal between the company and me, I will hire my own crew and I was earning 30% of the total sales (kind of a partner). (Also I had time to go to school and took classes at Harvard University, communication in business and international law.

2005, I talked to the owner now he was like a dad to me, I told him that I need something else in my life that I really appreciated what they did to me and I was ready to open my own roofing company. In October 2005, I started AR CONTRACTING CORP I had 3 guys working with me. I was knocking on doors, flyers at the doors etc and business was very good, always trying to make new connections.

In 2009 I started a good size job in Southend that lasts almost 2 years. During that period I used to go to lunch in to a small place located on Shawmut Ave (greek and Indian food) I became a good friend of the owner (rabi Islam) and always sharing recipes and talking how much I loved to cook, and that one day I will like to open a Mexican restaurant. Few months after he called me and told me that he was going to sell the business and if I was interested to buy it and of course I said yes. One day we sat down and trying to make the deal we got the idea to become partners and open a Mexican restaurant, and that will be easy since I had a background in restaurants already in Mexico and that I love cooking.

In 2010 I started with the construction of the first location 472 Shawmut Ave Boston and I named EL CENTRO. My brother and I we did the whole renovation, from demolition to build brick walls, ceilings, bar and kitchen. We open the doors in may 26 2011, that year we got the best Mexican restaurant in Boston as well in 2012, I open in Brighton a small 20 seats full bar named LA CATRINA, then EL CENTRO in Brookline in 2013 and Belmont in 2014. That year we got Boston best and we were under the 21 best Mexican restaurant in America.

Right now we are open our four location in Dedham with 110 seats and is going to have a full bar, ceviche bar, a person that will be making tortillas, churros and other deserts and the customers will be able to see it. To this date, I still have AR CONTRACTING, LA CATRINA, AND 4 EL CENTRO LOCATIONS.

Has it been a smooth road?
Well, it hasn’t been easy at all, a lot of challenges but its part of any business running a different business at the same time it is hard but I have to say I really like it.

In the roofing business you really have to do and excellent job when it comes to doing any copper work, it is a lot of competitors out there and if you don’t really hustle someone else gets the job, fortunately, I have great customers and great workers to keep this going for 13 years already. I took big jobs too early so I already learned the lesson, it takes a lot of time and coordination doing big jobs on a busy street in Boston. From getting permits approved from landmarks commission, to find the best/safe way to work on top of the 9-floor building in downtown Boston, and again in this business, you must have a good reputation and good connections.

In the restaurant business, every day is a challenge and special when you are on the loop. From employees to keep the quality of the food and service. our restaurant is well recognized for the authenticity of our food and fresh every day.

I like to innovate and always try something different to the table. also as you know every day is a new restaurant in Boston or other areas, different concepts, food, drinks, etc etc, so we always have to keep working on what is new up there, I go to Mexico every other month to gather recipes and get some new ideas for the next project. Also, social media is playing a very important role here, customers are always on the watch of what is good or what is bad and most of the time bad experience in a restaurant travels faster than the good experiences so that keep us always trying to be the better.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the EL CENTRO, LA CATRINA, & AR CONTRACTING story. Tell us more about the business.
El Centro is been in business since 2011, and we are well known for the authenticity of our food, from homemade tortillas to me going to Mexico and bringing new recipes, 80% of our ingredients are imported from Mexico, most of our recipes are from me and my family. Also, every new place that I open I built, from floors, walls, ceilings, bathroom and pretty much all décor.

I really want all our customers to feel that they are close to Mexico, every city that we open a location, we make sure we served the community, from events, fundraisers to teach kids from schools about food and our culture. I don’t mind at all to share my recipes, ideas, or advice to anyone that come to us with a question. I do believe that there are a plenty of customers, opportunities new ideas that we can share with anyone when they need it.

I am very proud for our success on this years, I came with this concept to open a restaurant with dishes that no one had before (from the estate of Sonora) where I am from and well known for our steak that we call carne asada and flour tortillas which are my dad’s recipe. All our staff knows that if someone comes to our restaurant asking for a dish that we don’t have ….. we must cook it for them if we have the ingredients. We take one customer at the time, and I do believe that we are in business because of them with our the customers we are nothing. A good food & good service is the best marketing strategy.

We specialize in copper and slate restoration, from copper gutters to any custom made copper work such as roof, dormers, crown moldings, church steeples and any other ornamental design. What sets me part of others is that we are very responsible of what we do, we love what we do, very clean and one of the best thing on this business is being reliable, I don’t get spoil if we are busy, I always answer my calls and if you need us on a Sunday we will be there. I SOLVED PROBLEMS AND THAT’S WHY WE ARE SUCCESS

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Well I think in the restaurant business which is growing so fast and new concepts coming along, we are forced to keep innovating foodways and also technology plays a very important role and here that we can’t ignore. We have to find ways to keep our name out there, social media also is playing a big role too. Everything now is on the finger of our customers and we must be there, without putting our goals aside, such as our mission which is keep it real, maintaining our quality and what we are known for.

Contact Info:

• Address: EL CENTRO
  Shawmut Ave, Boston 02116,
  236 Washington St, Brookline 02445,
  66 Leonard St, Belmont 02452 &
  350 Washington, Dedham 02026
  LA CATRINA
  1 Location 1620 Commonwealth Ave, Brighton 02135
• Website: elcentroinboston.com
• Phone: 617-262-7508
• Email: allanrodriguez@hotmail.com
• Instagram: allan2876

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