Ay! Caramba Café Fare is authentic Mexican

The Cape Codder July 18, 2003

 
Ira (short for Irasema) Mendoza is the chef/owner for Ay! Caramba Café and Cantina in Harwich Center . The restaurant first opened with just a take out menu and on room in April 2000. They were busy right away and expanded to add another dinning room last year and a new bar this year that serves high-end tequilas, margaritas, Mexican beer and sangria. It's a simple bar. You won't find martinis here, Ira says. The restaurant is known for its authentic Mexican food made with all fresh ingredients and at reasonable prices. With tacos starting at $2.50 and the most expensive entrée, Shrimp Vera Cruz at

$12.95, two people could easily have dinner for less than $20.
Ira was born and raised in Los Angeles were she still has a lot of extended family. Her brother, Ralph Mendoza, came out from Los Angeles to help her paint when she first opened the restaurant and decided to stay. Now he works as the dinning room manager while she concentrates on the kitchen.
Why did you decide to open a Mexican restaurant on Cape Cod ?
I was in the restaurant business in management for well over 18 years and kept saying I'm going to open up my own place one day. I visited the Cape about six years ago and my friend and her father kind of planted the seed to open up a Mexican restaurant here because the Cape lacked authentic Mexican food.
Tell me about your menu. You cook authentic Mexican food?
It's the Mexican food I grew up with and we try to do the different regions of Mexico here and things you find on the menu here are things you would find on the menu in Mexico so you don't find fajitas and you don't find chimichangas here. You won't find that in Mexico . Maybe Texas .
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