We always whip up some Argentinian dishes at home, so our kids are used to empanadas, milanesas, flan, chimichurri, and more.
My son was keen on the restaurant business and began working in various restaurants around Spokane. He also pursued college and earned a degree in Culinary Arts.
Since there was no Argentinian restaurant in the area, we decided to launch an Argentinian empanadas spot in the summer of 2019. The quickest way to open was by sharing space with an established restaurant that had been running for nearly 30 years.
I handled the corporate side of things—registering the entity, managing payroll, handling accounting, and setting up the checkout system. My son and wife took care of the day-to-day operations.
We named the restaurant “Tarascon Empanadas.” Tarascon is Argentinian slang for a “big bite,” signifying when food is so good that you take a huge bite (tarascon) out of it.
The restaurant became an instant hit, receiving high rankings on platforms like Google Maps, Yelp, and more. We even got featured in printed press and local news TV.
But, as you probably noticed, I said 2019, as in COVID-19…
By the end of the year, COVID-19 hit the area, and in early 2020, we had to close down and vacate the space so the original restaurant could continue as take-out only. Managing two restaurants in a single location wasn’t feasible while adhering to COVID protocols.
Once COVID subsided to acceptable levels, we started searching for a new location. Unfortunately, after a couple of years of looking, we couldn’t find a new home for the restaurant, and family members moved on to other projects.
We’re still on the lookout for a new opportunity to reopen, but with high rent, minimum wage increases, and rising raw ingredient prices due to inflation, it doesn’t seem like we’ll be able to open anytime soon.
Despite the challenges, we had a great experience. We now have a much greater appreciation for all the hard work that food industry workers put into providing meals and service.
As usual, some pictures below. (coming soon)
