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Ole’ Ole’ Fresh Mexican Food

Are your taste buds looking for a party then you need to go to Ole’ Ole’ in Mattydale! Owner and chef, Lenny Aviles, bought the restaurant in October of 2016. The restaurant opened in 2015, and Lenny became the chef in January of 2016 and then decided to buy it in the fall.

Lenny comes from a restaurant family – his parents owned Carmelita’s in the 70s and 80s. He always helped his parents from kitchen to counter and everything in between.

For over ten years, Lenny worked in funerary business. But even with a full-time job there, he found time to cook. He’s worked as a short order cook and a server so his link to the restaurant industry never ended. As a matter of fact, he longed to return cooking – it’s his passion. That’s evident the minute you walk into Ole’ Ole’!

Upon entering Ole’ Ole’, I loved that I could see into the kitchen which was immaculately clean. As a former restaurant owner, I am particular about how a restaurant is kept and run. However, I saw the same level of pride and care in this place as I did my own. The dining room had sparkling clean tables and floors. Even the checkout counter was neat and tidy with the tempting menus neatly stacked next to the register. And if that doesn’t appeal to you, you can always feel comfortable with the home like environment. The clay colored walls are clad with bejeweled sombreros, and decoratively woven rugs. I fell in love with the turtles made from seashells and wood – craftsmanship directly from Mexico.

Ole’ Ole’ is not another chain store Mexican restaurant! Owner and chef, Lenny Aviles’ came from Mexico City with a slew of family recipes all of which are on the menu.

This is not another chain store Mexican restaurant! Lenny came from Mexico City with a slew of family recipes all of which are on the menu. “Each restaurant has their own way of cooking especially when you use the recipes particular to your family. I don’t care what one you go to, but no two Mexican restaurants are the same. You can have the same items on your menu, but it will taste differently from place to place.” As a person with a passion for cooking, I understood what Lenny meant. “You don’t measure do you?” I said with a grin because I already knew the answer! “Only rice,” Lenny said with a smile, “but no, I don’t measure anything else. It’s by color, smell and taste. You must taste what you’re cooking or you’ll end up serving something that may not be the quality you want to put out there. You want a customer to enjoy the experience every time and to do that, you have to be consistent. I may not measure, but I always taste what I’m cooking.”

Currently, the restaurant is open six days a week – Monday through Thursday is 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM, and Friday and Saturday 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM. Sundays are family days for the Aviles family. As a family business, Lenny’s daughter, Maria, helps by running the front end of the operation. “However, she can do it all if I have to go out for a bit – she knows everything!” said the proud Papa. Since Ole’ Ole’ also offers catering, there is a lot of running to do. Lenny can provide a tasty and affordable menu for any event and any number of guests. If you just want something small, Lenny will gladly bring his taco cart with the same delicious food but with a limited menu. You can also order on Grub Hub and get anything from the menu delivered.

The other element that made me appreciate about this place was that all the food is fresh. “We even cut our own meat,” advised Aviles, “I don’t want to use anything but the best ingredients and that always means it has to be fresh. I don’t use canned or frozen vegetables – they simply don’t have the same flavor. You have to start from scratch and that means fresh everything.” When I asked what he felt was most important for his success, he replied, “Cleanliness, service and food. It may sound simplistic, but it’s what makes us different from the chain places.” When asked what his best-selling item was, Lenny said without hesitation, “the Chimichangas! -They fly out of here and it’s because of both the flavor and the size. Most have to take some home.”

While it’s a smallish place, Ole’ Ole’ is packed with flavor and atmosphere. The atmosphere doesn’t stop with the inside. There’s a patio area with tables and hanging plants that let you take the party outside. Speaking of parties, of course there will be a Cinco de Mayo celebration! There will be give-a-ways such as free meals every half hour chosen at random. And the proceeds from the 50/50 raffle will go to the local children’s advocacy group.

Whether you dine indoors or outdoors, Ole’ Ole’ has a party for your mouth!