{"id":16126,"date":"2015-01-07T20:59:47","date_gmt":"2015-01-08T01:59:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2015\/01\/mexican-connection-owners-strive-to-keep-atmosphere-the-same-as-years-past.html"},"modified":"2015-01-07T20:59:47","modified_gmt":"2015-01-08T01:59:47","slug":"mexican-connection-owners-strive-to-keep-atmosphere-the-same-as-years-past","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2015\/01\/mexican-connection-owners-strive-to-keep-atmosphere-the-same-as-years-past\/","title":{"rendered":"Mexican Connection Owners Strive To Keep Atmosphere The Same As Years Past"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"mexconnect-wm.jpg\"\n<\/div>\n
Mexican Connection at 41 Nelson Ave., Saratoga Springs, came under new owners Joe Parisi and Brad Smith in 2014, the former serving as executive chef\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

BY LIZ WITBECK<\/p>\n

Joe Parisi and Brad Smith were best
\nfriends growing up, going to Saratoga
\nSprings High School and getting jobs bartending
\ntogether at Mexican Connection.<\/p>\n

After attending separate colleges and receiving
\ndegrees in the hospitality and hotel
\nmanagement industries, both men went to
\nwork at restaurants. When opportunities
\nfor ownership of Mexican Connection in
\nSaratoga Springs came up, Parisi and Smith
\nknew they were the ones to take over.<\/p>\n

“We couldn’t imagine a better place to
\nwork than Mexican Connection,” said Smith.
\n“We both loved working here. It was our
\nfavorite place to work.”<\/p>\n

Parisi and Smith became the new owners
\nof the 41 Nelson Ave. establishment in 2014.
\nThe restaurant has been in Saratoga Springs
\nfor 30 years, with the previous owners operating
\nthe establishment for 14 years.<\/p>\n

The two men take a hands-on approach
\nto the business, and are there every day to
\noversee operations. Smith is head of the
\nfront of the house and helps manage the bar.
\nParisi is the executive chef of the kitchen.<\/p>\n

For Parisi and Smith, owning Mexican
\nConnection is about making sure that the
\nrestaurant they loved as teenagers stays
\nthe same.
\n“It’s like a family in this place,” said Smith. “A lot of this is due to the support
\nwe have from the community and we really
\nappreciate that … it’s still the same place
\nthey remember, and we’re getting better
\neach day.”<\/p>\n

The previous executive chef helped train
\nParisi to make many of the dishes that
\nMexican Connection is known for. One of
\nhis favorite dishes to make is chilaquiles, a
\nMexican lasagna casserole made with layers
\nof corn tortillas, shredded chicken, cheese
\nand sour cream baked in a tomatillo sauce.<\/p>\n

The menu at Mexican Connection has
\nremained the same, along with prices, the
\nnew owners said.<\/p>\n

Renovations included painting the walls
\nand renovating the bar. The owners and their
\nfamilies did the renovations themselves.
\nNew to the restaurant are tequila tasting
\ndinners. Guests can come in for a four- or
\nfive-course meal, where each dish is strategically
\npaired with a Mexican tequila.<\/p>\n

Parisi and Smith use the event to show off
\ntheir passion for great tequila and Mexican
\ncuisine.<\/p>\n

Mexican Connection is open Monday
\nthrough Thursday, 4-9 p.m.; Friday, 4-10
\np.m.; Saturday at 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and
\nSunday from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more
\ninformation, call 584-4466 or visit www.mexconx.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Mexican Connection at 41 Nelson Ave., Saratoga Springs, came under new owners Joe Parisi and Brad Smith in 2014, the former serving as executive chef BY LIZ WITBECK Joe Parisi and Brad Smith were best friends growing up, going…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":121,"featured_media":21092,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[57,110,115],"class_list":["post-16126","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-news","tag-business-news","tag-restaurants","tag-saratoga-springs"],"yoast_head":"\r\nMexican Connection Owners Strive To Keep Atmosphere The Same As Years Past - Saratoga Business Journal<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\r\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.saratoga.com\/saratogabusinessjournal\/2015\/01\/mexican-connection-owners-strive-to-keep-atmosphere-the-same-as-years-past\/\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\r\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Mexican Connection Owners Strive To Keep Atmosphere The Same As Years Past - 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