Chill Mezcal: Delicious fare from Mexico City to Missouri Valley
Don Harrold, Executive Editor
editor@enterprisepub.com
Chill Mezcal, the new restaurant on Missouri Valley's main street, is run by the Beccerra family of Omaha. Arlette Beccerra supervises the operation her father, Joe Beccerra, opened.
The name is two ideas stuck together. "We wanted to catch the type of atmosphere where it's a place where it's kinda low-key, and then that's where chill comes from," Arlette Beccerra said. Mezcal is a Mexican liquor made from agave. The restaurant pours several brands, including 300 Conejos.
Beccerra compares the taste to tequila reposado — smoky, and less sharp than a silver tequila. "Reposado is supposed to be, like, less intense, and it kinda has like a smoother, smokier finish," she said. "And mezcal kinda tastes like that."
The restaurant has a bar, but the family did not want a bar menu. "You can come in, have a drink, eat something aside from bar food," Beccerra said. "That's why we have kind of like a full-service menu."
Joe Beccerra has worked in the food industry a long time and opened his first restaurant in Omaha after COVID. The space was very large and presented difficulties, and the family wanted to be more independent, so they began looking at other cities. Missouri Valley offered less competition and a building the family could run on its own. "The size of the place seemed manageable enough for us as a family to handle," Beccerra said.
The building required remodeling. Under an agreement with the family, the landlord handled the flooring and walls and supplied the tables. The Beccerras bought new chairs.
The menu is a fusion of American and Mexican dishes, the same concept the family ran in Omaha, and Beccerra said the mix is deliberate. "Essentially it is more American-based dishes. We just add a little bit of Mexican flair, such as, like, the pico de gallo on the side or the guacamole sauce on the side on some things."
That is likely to change. Some customers have asked for more traditional Mexican items, including taco bowls and bean and cheese tacos. The family plans to revise the opening menu. "We have no problem adjusting to what people are asking for," Beccerra said.
Beccerra's own favorite is the chilaquiles, served in the morning: tortillas cut into chips, smothered in green salsa and topped with onions, sour cream and queso fresco, with rice and beans on the side and eggs if the customer wants them. Among customers, she said, steak and eggs and pancakes are the frequent orders.
The restaurant serves all day. The family had planned to focus on afternoons, but the responses they got were split between brunch and dinner, so they opened for both. Afternoons have been the slowest stretch.
The family was aware of the Mexican restaurant already operating down the road and ate there once before opening. "We weren't trying to, like, pull the rug from under them," Beccerra said. "We just kind of wanted to see, okay, what are they providing? That way we don't do the same to them."
Most of the staff speaks Spanish, particularly in the kitchen. Joe Beccerra is from Mexico City and emigrated around 2001. Arlette Beccerra, who has been to Mexico City, said the contrast with Missouri Valley is not as sharp as it sounds, since her mother is from a small town herself. "It does feel honestly kind of heartwarming seeing how everyone greets each other and very respectful," she said. "And I know you don't get that in Omaha."
The family's biggest obstacle so far is the 30-minute drive from Omaha. When a server calls out at the last minute, coverage has to be arranged across state lines. "Sometimes we have to coordinate very well of who's gonna make it in time to cover that shift," Beccerra said. The family is considering moving closer, with winter approaching.
The Chamber of Commerce reached out to the restaurant. Jeannie Wortman helped coordinate the grand opening, took photographs and handled the ribbon cutting. "She's really been very, very welcoming," Beccerra said.
The restaurant has also done catering. A middle school football team recently ate there, served buffet style for breakfast, and the organizers have the family's contact information for future events.
Asked what she wanted to add, Beccerra began with gratitude and then asked for patience. "We're very grateful once again," she said. "We're all very hardworking and, you know, just give us some grace. We still are trying to figure things out. We've only been open two months."
She used the word tight-knit — the same one she had used earlier to describe Missouri Valley — and said the purpose of the restaurant is a simple one. "We're here to work and, yeah, just try to provide a space where after a long day at work to come, relax and enjoy a food and drink."
Customer feedback has been useful, she said, and is going into the coming menu revision. "We are hearing everyone's feedback and it's been very helpful, because it helps us cater to your likes and dislikes."
She closed where she started. "We are very excited to be here and have immense gratitude of just having the opportunity to meet everyone," she said. "And for people that keep coming back — that's a very wonderful feeling, seeing people becoming regulars now."
A note from the editor: The morning of this interview, my wife and I had breakfast at Chill Mezcal. We ordered a breakfast burrito, french toast and the chilaquiles. Everything was hot, fresh and in large portions. All of it was full of flavor. We've eaten there several times and each meal was a winner. Everyone who served us or spoken with us was friendlier than the job requires. I can't recommend Chill Mezcal highly enough.
