SAN ANTONIO-- Teka Molino has been serving up traditional corn products since the 1930’s, never changing its recipes, which ensures it’s all made in San Antonio.
Since 1937 Teka Molino has been a hot spot to find traditional Mexican dishes.
The restaurant is owned by Ernestine Chapa and her family, who began by making homemade corn tortillas.
“That’s all she would sell. Whatever ball she had she would make them and whenever she sold out that was it. She was happy with what she was selling so that was it started,” Teka Molino Cook, Alma Ortiz said.
Chapa’s masa, or corn dough, was so popular that she started adding other products.
“The very first thing that she started to add was the bean rolls… And she would sell a lot with like the St.Mary’s, the students there,” Ortiz said.
Her popularity pushing her to open a small brick and mortar in the St. Mary’s area, the menu slowly expanding to what you see today, but keeping corn at the center of it.
“We are known for our corn products so that’s the basis of the restaurant, so without our corn there is really nothing to it,” Ortiz said.
Teka Molino has evened switched owners. but always kept the same recipes. “We haven’t changed anything. It’s been the same since the original owners had it,” Ortiz said.
Each week Teka Molino goes through 75 to 100 lbs. of corn. Soaking then boiling down the corn, grinding each kernel with a traditional Molino or grinder, then creating all of their menu items by hand, supplying its two restaurants and food trucks.
“All of our puffy tacos, the little cups that we make, everything is made with corn,” Ortiz said. And customers say the taste doesn’t compare to any other around town.
“It makes us really proud and we really enjoy having people. It’s like them coming to our home,” Ortiz said.