~THE GRINGO TRAIL~
HISTORY 1976 -

Los Amigos Restaurant first opened it’s doors in West Berlin, NJ in 1976.bIt was the first Mexican Restaurant in the Delaware Valley, and it offered a variety of Tex-Mex and traditional Mexican dishes. In 1977 a location was found in Old City Philadelphia and the second restaurant was launched. In 1979 with the demand for good Mexican food increasing and the legalization of gambling, Los Amigos, Atlantic City was opened. In 1998 owners Pat Shemeley, Curt and Mimi Taylor sold their restaurant in Philadelphia, to focus on renovating and reopening the Atlantic City restaurant in 1999.

“Mexican Food” has become very fragmentized: Classical Mexican, Regional Mexican, Contemporary Mexican, New Mexican, Tex-Mex, Southwestern, Contemporary Southwestern, and Cowboy Cuisine. Consequently not all Mexican food is hot nor is it all spicy. Initially our menu focused on Tex-Mex and traditional Mexican dishes. Since 1976, the menu has evolved to include include a variety of “tastes”, influenced by the Southwest, the Carribean, and Asia. Today, at Los Amigos, our menu is more contempory, we like to offer a variety of choices, with emphasis on flavor and freshness.

Bueno Provecho!!

Genaro Valdez Castillo

Born in Mexico City, Genaro knew at an early age that food was his passion. His first introduction to cooking was going to the Mercados early in the mornings to help his grandmother and mother gather the ingredients for the daily meals. He helped with the washing, cutting and peeling of the ingredients for the daily meals and learned about the different textures of food. He still recalls the aromas of chiles, tomatoes and herbs, coming from the family kitchen. Growing up in this environment he learned what combination of ingredients and flavors worked best together. After working at some of the finest restaurants in Mexico City, he relocated to Philadelphia, where his uncle was the Chef at Los Amigos Restaurant in “Old City”. Under his uncle’s tutelage, he continued his education until he was offered the Executive Chef position at Los Amigos in Atlantic City in 1999. Since then, Chef Genaro has been developing and offering the tastes and flavors of Mexico and the Southwest.

Buen Provecho!!!