The speeches were short at the Friday morning ribbon cutting. Our state legislators couldn’t be there. But their representatives handed certificates to the business owners. Town Supervisor Richard Randazzo shared a brief observation, “I’ve heard nothing but good things about your restaurant,” he said.
Cielito Lindo has been open since December when the owners, Lauro and Beto Olivera, moved into the former site of Fresh Café. The proprietors of Fresh helped them work with the Town to get the necessary approvals.
The Olivera brothers grew up in San Pedro Octlan in the Puebla State of Mexico and came to the United States as adults. Surprisingly, their first visit to Cornwall reminded them of their hometown.
Their restaurant, at the corner of Main Street and Torrey Lane, features the recipes they learned from their mother as well as the hibiscus and tamarind they receive from their father in Mexico. The doors to Cielito Lindo are open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day.
Customers can order sandwiches, tacos, or complete dinners. They can elect to have seafood, vegetarian plates or salads. If they’re thirsty, they can choose between Mexican and American soft drinks.
On July 12, Chamber of Commerce members crowded in front of the restaurant, which was decorated with an arch of green, white and red balloons — the colors of the Mexican flag.
After the tribute from the supervisor, Chamber President Joe Dvash produced a pair of scissors and a red ribbon. He counted down from “five” until, at zero, the brothers made the ceremonial cut.
Then they invited the guests into the restaurant for a complimentary buffet. The invitation was a surprise, and was not the reason for the speeches being brief.
The buffet was spread across the full width of the dining area. The options were not identified. But, to use the same words as the supervisor, the buffet contained “nothing but good things.”
