South American restaurant opens in NewBo City Market

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CEDAR RAPIDS — A new restaurant is delivering a different flavor to NewBo City Market.

Nechus, opened June 27 at 1100 Third St. SE, delivers a casual concept three months after the closure of Lacayo, the more upscale restaurant that served South American, Central American, Spanish and Portuguese food across the street.

The dream project is the first venture in business ownership for Bianca Valles, Vanessa Valles and Juan Madrid, who previously lived in Colombia and Ecuador. The family moved from Miami to Cedar Rapids a few years ago.

Last year, the trio noticed that NewBo City Market offered assistance for small businesses with a focus on diversity, and started planning their restaurant with help from partner grants.

“We learned to cook from our families, and we use original recipes that came from our families,” Madrid said.

The menu brings some new and familiar dishes to the area.

Patacon, a Latin American staple, sandwiches shredded chicken or beef, cheese and smoked ham between fried plantains. Cachapas, savory corn pancakes, are made with cheese and butter.

Empanadas are offered in two styles: Venezuelan or Colombian. The menu is rounded out by arepas, salchipapas and tequenos, as well as imported non-alcoholic beverages.

“We want to grow, to offer more kinds of food from other South American countries like Peru and Ecuador. We hope we will continue to help people discover a different kind of food that maybe they haven’t tried and that we can share with them,” Vanessa Valles said.

Comments: Features reporter Elijah Decious can be reached at (319) 398-8340 or elijah.decious@thegazette.com.

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