New Algonquin Restaurant Revs Up After First Week

The only real problem during the first week at Algonquin's new Don Marcos Mexican Restaurant came the first night.  "The man who was going to be my bartender called a couple of hours before we were going to open to say he'd be late," said co-owner Mike Garcia.  "Then he didn't show up."

Garcia's got a new bartender now and things are going more smoothly for the former cement contractor turned restaurateur.  "It's something I wanted to do when I was younger," said the boyish-looking 46 year-old Friday.  The chance came when partner Anna Caranza was bitten by the restaurant bug, too.

"This is authentic," Caranza said.  "We're using my recipes." Then she laughed admitting some of the spices are dialed back a notch or two in deference to more tender Norteamericano tastebuds.

In the pic:  Algonquin's George Vasquez and family, Rosa and Elizabeth, stopped for dinner Friday at Don Marcos Mexican Restaurant in Fountain Square Plaza on Algonquin's east side. "This was our first chance to come," he said.  Munching some shrimp he added, "I think we'll be back."