Chris Randall Photos
The main dish.
While some customers wary of ICE raids stayed home, Alexis Ramirez was as usual marinating sliced pork shoulder in a blend of dried chiles, achiote, pineapple juice, and spices.
Ramirez was at work on tacos al pastor, one of the signature dishes at Salsa’s Authentic Mexican Restaurant at 99 Grand Ave.
After marinating the pork, Ramirez stacked it on a vertical spit to slowly roast. Then he shaved the meat off and served it on warm corn tortillas.
The result: a delicious smoky, sweet, and savory taco.
Salsa’s is a staple of the food scene in Fair Haven — and like other such establishments, is struggling with a drop in business due to the fear that President Trump’s promised deportation sweeps have instilled in a neighborhood with a large immigrant population. Community leaders are urging people from throughout the city to come patronize Fair Haven restaurants like Salsa’s to help them weather the current storm. (In fact, four alders are hosting a “community dining out” night Sunday, Feb. 16 at Salsa’s.)
Long before Salsa’s Authentic Mexican Restaurant became a neighborhood staple, it was just a tiny shop slinging tortas, the kind that made people stop in their tracks and follow their noses inside. That was 20 years ago. Today, it’s a bustling eatery known for its mouthwatering Mexican cuisine.
Running the show these days is Ramirez, 28, whose parents, immigrants from Tlaxcala, Mexico, opened Salsa’s with a dream and a griddle. Alex has been in the family business since he was 8 years old.
“Back then, it was just tortas,” he said, smiling as he moved between tables. “People came in because of the smell, and we kept growing.”
“People aren’t scared,” he said of the drop-off in business the past two weeks. “They’re just worried about being separated from their families.”
Alex knows firsthand how life can take unexpected turns. A self-described “bad kid”, he credits Squash Haven, a local youth sports development program, with changing his trajectory.
“That program and that sport saved my life,” he said. “Now, I give back and go there every day.”
Meanwhile, you can find him serving up not just the above-mentioned tacos, but a host of dishes worth trying.
Homemade chicken and cheese quesadillas topped with crisp lettuce, creamy queso fresco, and fresh avocado.
Quesadillas and tacos al pastor with guacamole and golden handmade chips.
Steaming Mexican rice with beans catching the light just right.
Creamy guacamole, loaded with cilantro, lime, and a hint of tomato.
Frosted strawberry juice drink.
Alex Ramirez proudly displays his phone home screen, which is a photograph of his mother with Squash Haven staff.
Previous coverage of Fair Haven restaurants to check out and help defrost the ICE chill:
• Arroz con gandules and maduro at J&J restaurant.
In the above 2023 video, Steve Hamm takes a closer look at Fair Haven's thriving commercial district.