Staff photo by Fritz Busch Dulce Guerra stands in front of the Orale Authentic Mexican restaurant counter that includes wide-screens with sporting events including rodeos. Guerra said plans this year include expanding the outdoor patio.

NEW ULM — Ôrale Authentic Mexican restaurant continues to grow at 1627 S. Broadway.

Owner Dulce Guerra said a liquor permit received last summer allows the restaurant to sell margaritas, mixed drinks and bottled beer at the establishment open, which is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

Guerra said business has been good from Sept. 12, 2020, the first day it opened. She described the menu as “very authentic.” Recipes are come from her grandma, great-grandma and her mother.

She said the loaded burrito and Birria tacos are the most popular foods in and around New Ulm.

Birria Taco tortillas are dipped in a broth and fried before meat is added.

“It’s juicy, crunchy, cheesy, then you dip the taco in the broth. There’s a lot of flavor in that taco,” Dulce said. “Business has been good.”

Menu items feature chicken, beef and steak. Many seasonings are available.

Guerra said her mother always wanted to start a restaurant business. All of her family has worked in restaurants.

She won’t forget the first day in the restaurant business because the number of customers was overwhelming. So overwhelming, the restaurant had to close early because the kitchen couldn’t keep up with demand.

Guerra said she soon hired more help, things stayed busy but the kitchen was prepared to handle it.

Despite an indoor dining shutdown in November 2020 due to COVID-19, she said business remained great with lots of take-out service.

Guerra said to her, the best part about opening the restaurant was seeing people enjoy their food and hearing customers said they hope the restaurant stays open.

Ôrale recently expanded its drink menu to include Mexican Garrets, all-natural, fruit-flavored sodas that are less carbonated than popular soft drinks.

Horchatas are a fresh water drink with a rice base, sweet, often flavored with cinnamon. Hibiscus tea is said to have healthy properties and melon made of cantaloupe.

A number of margarita varieties and other drinks include mango, peach, berries, vodka, rum, tequila and other flavors. Long Island Iced Tea is on the drink menu. Mojitos are a traditional Cuban punch cocktail with white rum, sugar, lime juice, soda water and mint.

A number of Mexican and domestic bottled beers are now available.

Wide-screen television screens with sports events adorn the restaurant interior. Mexican music is always playing.

Guerra said she’s looking for more restaurant servers, especially on weekends.

Other future plans include using the large parking lot in front of the restaurant for a celebration or customer appreciation day. She’s also interested in possibly getting a food truck and bringing in a mariachi band with two or more stringed instruments and band members wearing Mexican costumes.

Further into the future, Dulce said she is interested in adding a meat and grocery store in New Ulm, possibly downtown.

New Ulm Chamber of Commerce President/CEO Sarah Warmka said she’s glad to have Ôrale in New Ulm.

Órale is an excellent addition to the New Ulm business community,” Warmka said. “Dulce and her team provide a great product and great service. People have made New Ulm a destination on the reputation and word-of-mouth of Ôrale and are not disappointed by making the trip.