Paul Fernandez’s father had the nickname “Capitan” or “Capi” for short when he was growing up in Madison in the 1990s.
“I was always his only man, his only boy, so he always called me ‘Capi, Capi, Capi, Capi,'” Hernandez said.
Last year, when Hernandez was looking for a name for his new Mexican restaurant on Madison’s east side, he decided to honor his father, who passed away in 2017. Tacos El Capi opened at his bakery location in People’s at 2810 E. Washington Ave. December 1st.
Tacos El Capi opened on December 1 at the former People’s Bakery location at 2810 E. Washington Ave.
Mateo Mora presents the Pambazos Sandwich at Tacos El Capi. Bread dipped in red guajillo pepper sauce and fried.
Tacos El Capi’s menu of homely Mexican classics is served in a casual setting reminiscent of a weekend neighborhood barbecue. This is emblematic of the Hernandez family’s long involvement in Madison’s Mexican food scene.
The family’s first big name was Mercado Marimar, which Hernandez’s mother, Maria Garcia, has run since 2000 at 2102 S. Park Street. Today, the city has many Hispanic grocery stores, but Garcia was a pioneer when he first opened the market. As Hernandez said in the early 1990s:
The market’s slow-cooked carnitas and other delicacies draw a diverse customer base from all over the city. Although the dish is popular, the limited seating space and high demand make it difficult to serve customers with limited dining times.
“Some people come there for the 30-minute lunch window, but it’s too busy and they take a long time to get their food out,” Hernandez said. I thought.
always busy
Hernandez and his brother Mateo Mora opened the Taquitos Marimar food truck in 2012 to expand their market reach beyond sit-down dining in South Madison. Her sister Leticia Hernandez and her husband Daniel opened Tapatio Scotina Her Mexicana in Fitchburg in 2018. Meanwhile, Paul his Hernandez continued to look for a more permanent location to have his own.
“Regent Street and Monroe Street are exactly where we wanted to go,” says Hernandez. “But there really wasn’t anything there.”
Tacos El Capi offers three types of crispy biryah tacos ($14). Tacos El Capi serve each stuffed with slow-cooked shredded beef served with seasoned beef he broth.
When he spotted People’s Bakery listings, he saw an opportunity to bring his cuisine to a growing part of the city where he saw more Mexican options available.
“There are a lot of skyscrapers, apartments and new buildings. East Wash is always busy,” Hernandez said.
Hernandez and Mora wanted the new restaurant to blend in with the neighborhood’s structure while creating a “home away from home” space for the underrepresented East Side residents.
“I’m the type of person who if you scratch my back, I’ll scratch your back,” Hernandez said. I am happy to do so.”
Mateo Mora is co-owner of Tacos El Capi, which opened on the east side of Madison on December 1st.
Classic roots, modern look
Hernandez signed a lease for the Tacos El Capi location on April 15. He spent nine months remodeling the restaurant’s interior with just himself, his family, and a few friends who did the construction work.
“There were nights when I couldn’t sleep…it was stressful. There were nights when I wanted to give up,” Hernandez said. “But we were able to get it done.”
Tacos El Capi finally opened on December 1st, and since then business has been steady despite the frigid winter weather. The menu includes Mercado His Marimar fan favorites such as carnitas and birria.
Hernandez also included some recipes inspired by her late father. Originally popular in Guadalajara, this French bread sandwich is stuffed with carnitas and pinto beans, then drizzled with a thick tomato sauce and topped with sliced onions and lime.
Tacos el Capi’s Tortas ahogadas de carnitas are French bread sandwiches stuffed with carnitas and pinto beans, then drizzled with a thick tomato sauce and topped with sliced onions and limes.
“It’s from my father’s hometown,” Hernandez said. “It’s very famous in Mexico, but it’s not done very often here.”
Other Tacos El Capi highlights include the Capi Steak Fries ($12) stuffed with shredded beef and nacho cheese. A trio of crispy birria tacos ($14) stuffed with slow-cooked shredded beef and served with a seasoned beef broth.
First popularized in Tijuana, birria tacos have exploded on social media thanks to their signature bright orange hue. Mora said the Hernandez family started serving birria tacos at Mercado Marimar about a year or two ago after seeing them on TikTok.
“As soon as they got in Marimar, they blew up. Everyone was coming for them,” Hernandez said. “We put it in Capi’s and he’s one of our top sellers.”
“I love tacos el capi”
The restaurant walls are designed for the digital age. Hernandez and his girlfriend painted a mural wall filled with bright yellow and a green wall with a neon selfie sign that read, “I love tacos el capi.”
Kapi Steak Fries ($12) have shredded beef and nacho cheese.
“The phone eats first,” Mora said. But behind the modern touch lies heart and tradition.
A framed portrait of Our Lady of Guadalupe rests on the back counter. This is a small depiction of a Murkado he Marimar mural, a token of blessing that Taco El Capi received from the priest upon its opening. Mercado he is the same blessing given to Marimar over 20 years ago.
It is a symbol of sincerity and new beginnings.
“There may be bumps in the road, there may be adversities along the way, but as long as you keep your head down and keep moving forward, things will work out,” Mora said. “If you pray, it will definitely come true.”