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 Entertainment | Restaurants & Dining | February 2006 
BananaCantina Opens in Puerto Vallarta
 Debbi Egan - PVNN
Have you ever wondered why retirees move to Mexico and open a restaurant? So have we, so we asked Puerto Vallarta restaurant owner Debbi Egan to share the story of how she and her family came to establish BananaCantina, a casually elegant eatery that opened two months ago on the corner of Amapas and Pulpito in the Romantic Zone. Here's what she had to say...
Where do I start? I guess at the beginning... Mike and I started coming to Vallarta 19 years ago. First, we bought a time share at Lindo Mar, and a year later, we bought two weeks at Continental Plaza. Next, we bought a condo in the hotel zone. We made many good friends, both tourist and locals, and came to call Vallarta our second home.
Six years ago, we got custody of a little boy named Gabriel. His mom was unable to take care of him by herself, so he started traveling from St Charles, Illinois to Puerto Vallarta with us. At age three he started attending pre-school, three months in the states, three months here, three again in the states.... and so it went for two years.
Then it was time for Gabriel to start going to kindergarten, and we divided our time equally between the two countries. We told his Mom if she would move to and work in Vallarta (she is a Mexican and was moving around a lot,) we would stay here full time so she could spend time with Gabriel. Today, Gabriel, who'll be 8 on March 5th, lives with his mom and little sister here in Vallarta, staying with us only 1 or 2 days every week.
I'd say the reason we decided to run a business here is that Mike didn't retire well. Before we moved here full-time, he had worked and built his own park and playground construction business in the Chicago area for thirty years. When our son Kyle drove down with our belongings, he decided to stay, so we looked for a business they could run and enjoy together (that's important to us, as we trademarked the phrase "We Build Fun" in the US.) Choco Banana was it, the place where Kyle met and married his wife, Alejandra Noelle Garcia.
Shortly thereafter, Mike became very ill with a rare heart ailment, and was unable to work. So the responsibility and joy of running the business fell to Kyle and Alejandra (along with their son Brandon.) Moving forward a year, Mike was feeling better (Thank you Dr. Leslie Swindle,) and though I was happy just sitting on the beach, Mike needed a new challenge.
Choco Banana needed a face lift, so we decided that while we were at it we'd open a taco restaurant and bar on the rooftop... Enter Bill Belloli, our friend and neighbor, who had opened two very famous restaurants, "Rosalie's" and "Raf," in San Francisco in the 80's. I admit that in the beginning I thought he was nuts. I just wanted help choosing colors, but I now know that he is brilliant.
We hired an architect, and off we (Bill, Mike and I) went. Everything from the front gate to the silverware, was crafted in Mexico - much of it produced right here in Vallarta. What wonderful people we've met while choosing stoneware, hand-blown glass, ironwork (thank you Chevo from Las Palomas, for rescuing us, getting our back stairs and gas tank stand done so quickly,) leather goods, paint colors, awnings, and fabric for the napkins sewn by Ale's sister and Mom.
Creating a wine list that was rich in choices, but not prices, was so much fun. For two nights we tasted and rated and came up with the perfect wine list with the help of Nina (Wines by Nina) and Cass, Janet, Donna, Anna, Antoinne, Robert and John. With everyone's help, what we'd envisioned as a "taco restaurant" has turned out to be a casually elegant restaurant serving creative Contemporary Mexican Cuisine and International dishes that range from Hamburgers and Grilled Chicken Salad Sandwiches to Crab Ravioli and Almond Crusted Shrimp Cake & Shrimp Fritter with garlic jam.
According to customers comments, what we have created in BananaCantina is a space that feels "like it has always been here, comfortable, romantic, New York, San Francisco, Chicago, Vancouver," meaning, I believe, somewhere they would choose to go regularly at home. What I know is that it captures the good feelings of all who enter.
We have only been open a month and have had many set backs; no gas, no electricity, kitchen staff turnover and all of the usual problems that come with opening a new restaurant... The good news is that I've been told by two successful restaurateurs, "we got all the first year's kinks out in a month." Having Edgar, Willie, Lee, Lucio, Emilio, Marco, Raul, Guadalupe, Veronica and Kris, or is it Windy Mills? on staff has made it easier, they are a talented bunch of people who are fun to work with.
On January 26th, Bill's partner and our very dear friend, John Hodges died. The worst had happened. With a heavy heart Bill comes in, he directs, orchestrates, tweaks and tastes the food. Old and new Friends, local business owners and all of our customers have been incredible - all coming in with ideas on how to promote the restaurant and get new customers upstairs. Last night, a man came in trying to sell us a flying banana... but we aren't quite ready for that.
 Can you imagine a community where the other local restaurant/bar owners help you with contacts (Thanks Javier at Garbos, Hector & Tex at Tia Catrina), paperwork (Thank you Michael from Kit Kat and Memo & Bety from LaPiazetta), drink recipes and guest appearances (Thanks Mama Delores & Kerin), supplier and management tips (thank you Bob and Betty from LaJardin, Zac from Eventful Moments, Ernesto from Ernesto's Good Grub, Jose Luis from Le Gourmet, Roberto Chavez from Lindo Mar), and the list goes on. I asked if you could imagine it, can you now? can you feel how wonderful it is? If not, just come up and see us - we are waiting for you at Amapas #147, in the Romantic Zone of Puerto Vallarta. Click HERE to see the menu.
For more information or to make reservations, call 222-2114 or send an email to pvbananacantina@aol.com.
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I was so delighted to read this story. It warms my heart to see young people pull up their boot straps, take a shot, and go for it. God works in mysterious ways. I have to think they are wonderful people just by the fact they helped a women in need with her child, they evidently spent a great deal of time with the child and saved two people from the devastation at being separated.
I know the restaurant business, for right out of culinary arts school, I too took a shot and bid for the University of Ma. in Boston. Much to my surprise and amazement, I won the bid. I'll never forget my first day of trying to figure out how much milk 10,000 people in a day drank. Well I ordered a hundred crates and sold 25, I was on the move. So that's how much they drink, "Hey, I'm in fat city," that was easy. Isn't ignorance bliss? Times that by a hundred products and you have an idea of the difficulty of knowing what consumption is all about.
I still love the business, know how difficult it is and wish them so much luck that I have tears in my eyes. I was so delighted that you wrote the article, for I know where I will be sitting tomorrow! Did you guess upstairs to sample a mouth watering menu? How proud I am of our Puerto Vallartan restaurant owners. So typical of the pulling together to lend a hand. Makes me wish I was a native of this wonderful country and that I grew up with their culture.
I'm retired here in restaurant heaven, "God is good," my biggest problem living here is, "Where shall I dine?" Thanks to your wonderful article, you have made a poor girls choices so much easier, for that I thank you.
- Joyce Doherty |
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