Abuelos Mexican Restaurante keeps it all in the family

Three generations of a family are working side-by-side in a Loomis eatery that now serves authentic Mexican food.According to its owners, Abuelos Mexican Restaurante (abuelos is Spanish for grandparents) serves the same type of food cooked by a Mexican grandmother. It's new name honors Don and Norma Tramel, who opened the Jimboy's Tacos at that location 10 years ago. The Tramels were married for almost 50 years.Recently, Norma died and Don turned the day-to-day operation of the restaurant over to his granddaughter, Erica Jones, of Loomis, who has worked there since 2000.Tramel can still be found behind the restaurant's counter greeting customers and taking orders three days a week. Jones' husband, Willie, and her mother, Karen Gaton, also put time in at the restaurant. Gaton is Tramel's daughter.Jones' first order of business was to leave the Jimboy's Tacos chain and infuse some of her own ideas into the cooking."I always wanted to do my own thing, but couldn't because we were part of a franchise. Now I can," she said.Jones said she tested ingredients and recipes before introducing them in the restaurant, which was closed for a few days and then reopened on Dec. 15 as Abuelos. Tramel explained that the new name and the caricature of him and Norma on the sign pays tribute to his late wife. "I lost my wife two months ago. For my family this keeps the memory of their mother and grandmother alive," he said.Tramel said the big difference is that the new menu offers "more authentic Mexican food.""The new restaurant has the same passion and professionalism. It's now more like you're going to your Mexican grandmother's home for a meal."Jones said that customers tell her they like the new menu and recipes. James and Amy Wentworth, of Auburn, stopped in at Abuelos and said they liked the food "much better" and thought there was "a good balance" on the flavors and seasonings.They were most pleased with the complimentary chips and salsa that customers can help themselves to."The chips are good and fresh," James Wentworth said.Jones said the salsas and guacamole are made from scratch daily."It's a lot more work, but it's fresh and better," she explained.Jones said all of the food items are good, but she especially recommends the carnitas, loaded fries and chimichanga burrito served with sour cream and guacamole.Her extended family joined in preparing the new restaurant, Jones said. She said family members painted the interior and used purple, Norma Tramel's favorite color, in their color scheme. Another family member printed the new menus and a close family friend designed the signage.Gaton said her father plans to continue the classic car shows that have been held monthly from May through September on the third Saturday of each month.Don is pleased with the changes at his restaurant and his family's tributes to his late wife."She touched so many lives with her smile, her kindness and genuine love and concern for people," Tramel said. "She was a loving wife, homemaker, incredible mother and an unforgettable grandmother." "Now it's time for the grandkids to run the restaurant," he added.