Small Business Profiles

Capital Cuisine La Chilanga brings authentic Mexican cuisine— and entertainment—to the New Orleans area.

By Misty Milioto | Photo by Jose Garcia

La Chilanga (504) 470-2056 3229 Williams Blvd., Kenner, LA L eslie and Israel Curiel dreamed of opening a Mexican restaurant for many years, but the road wasn’t always easy. They started their journey in 2006 working 12hour shifts at Leslie’s mother’s Chilangos Taco Truck. The working conditions were hot, and they found it challenging to introduce customers to authentic Mexican tacos.

However, Leslie and Israel were determined to bring the tastes— along with the accompanying merriment—of Mexico City to New Orleans. They opened Chilangos Taqueria in 2008, and then later Chilangos Seafood, before finally opening La Chilanga in April 2019. “La Chilanga is a remix of the Chilangos, where we apply what we learned in past experiences,” Leslie says.

In the beginning, the Curiels found it difficult to be an Hispanic-owned business in New Orleans. However, they have found a lot of support over the years by participating in the Hispanic Chamber’s networking and annual events, including the Dia de los Muertos Festival, of which both La Chilanga and Chilangos Seafood have been a part.

“There was not help at the start,” Leslie says. “But there were a lot of people in the city fighting for our rights. New Orleans and Jefferson Parish, and the city of Kenner, are now making us feel at home. And they are bringing us new tools to help us operate better and offer better service. The Hispanic Chamber and El Centro have helped us and given us tools to learn the city better. Every year has different challenges: new laws; new locations; new distributors. When we started working, we were teenagers. The dream to become successful and bring jobs to people is coming true.”

While they are always looking for new offerings from Mexico City to add to the menu, there are several standout dishes that make La Chilanga unique. “If you want something different where you can amaze your

date, ask for the Molcajete,” Leslie says. “It has a boiling sauce with a perfectly cooked fajita, shrimp kabobs and melted cheese.” Every Sunday, the menu includes hot and fresh menudo. And the pozole is served in a Mexican pot that almost transports the diner to Mexico City. Some of the most popular drinks include the Tamarindo, the Mango Michelada and the Jarritos Loco.

Not only is the food authentic, but also the jovial atmosphere. “Like in Mexico, we celebrate our birthdays with tequila and some funny hats or masks,” Leslie says. “We are really noisy, so we add matracas to the party. Our taco Tuesday is a joy with DJ Flako playing from 6-11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, we have karaoke. We love to see people enjoying themselves and making memories.”

With the emergence of COVID-19, the Curiels went from seeing their restaurant packed to being completely closed on the Governor’s orders. Once they were able to reopen La Chilanga, the Curiels at first could only offer curbside pickup and delivery. The cost of doing business also went up as ingredients and cleaning products became more expensive.

The Curiels have also had to adapt to new technology and new processes. For example, they started working with Uber Eats and DoorDash for deliveries. They also updated their point of sale system for better operations. Now that inside dining is allowed again, they are making sure to offer customers hand sanitizer and proper spacing for social distancing. They are also ensuring that all staff members wear masks, while also monitoring their health.

“During this time, we all have to adapt—there is no choice,” Leslie says. “We have to survive this crisis. But I’m so grateful with my team and with the customers who never left us behind.”

Raul and Lesly Castro founded Sun Tropic Landscape in February 1994 as a way to bring in extra income. At that time, they opened a garden center in Gretna that they ran for nine years. Eventually, they bought a three-acre plot of land in Belle Chasse that now serves as a wholesale nursery. In addition to growing and selling a wide selection of plants—including palms and other trees—Sun Tropic Landscape also offers materials such as soil, fertilizer, mulch and aggregates. The company offers both residential and commercial landscaping and hardscaping design services, working with partners such as landscape contractors, homebuilders and government agencies.

Being in business for more than 25 years, Raul and Lesly have built their company from the ground up by working closely with their clients to understand their vision, drafting plans that realize those dreams and then exceeding clients’ expectations. “To be an Hispanic owner means that a lot of our customers expect high-quality work and dependability,” Raul says. “Like many Hispanic businesses, sometimes we have to work hard to be comparable. We have been growing over the years and offering many different services that our clients need. Our most popular services include design-and-build landscaping, ground maintenance, paving and irrigation. Our latest [offering] is outdoor kitchens.”

Sun Tropic Landscape usually has a staff of about four to six people (depending on the season and the number of contracts). Over the years, the Castros have taken a number of courses, including horticulture at Delgado Community College, design courses at LSU’s Robert Reich School of Landscape Architecture, and irrigation and paving seminars. Since the Castros have their own nursery— and their Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) and State and Local Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (SLDBE) certifications—they are able to be more competitive when bidding on contracts. The company also is a proud member of the New Orleans Horticulture Society, the Louisiana Nursery Association and the Professional Landcare Network.

Services available include landscape design and installation (such as flower beds, shrubs, trees, irrigation and low-voltage lighting) and landscape maintenance (such as shrub and tree trimming, irrigation repairs, planting seasonal annuals, and mulching and weeding). Sun Tropic Landscape also custom designs the hardscape—such as ponds, waterfalls and fountains; walkways and concrete-paver patios; garden walls; fire pits; and fences, decks and gazebos—to create the perfect outdoor space for clients. Together, the selection of plants, and their placement amongst features like a statue or pond, can create a special and memorable atmosphere. Raul says there are a number of plants that thrive here in our humid, sub-tropical climate. Some that he recommends include azaleas, Indian hawthorn, camellias, lily of the Nile and boxwoods.

With the onset of Covid-19, Sun Tropic Landscape has managed to persevere. “We kept working a lot for our customers,” Raul says. “Many customers stayed at home, and they wanted to do more projects.”

Raul and Lesly continue to push forward by growing their company, providing excellent customer service and attending annual trade shows (as soon as they are able to do so) to keep up with new technology and equipment. Through their membership with the Hispanic Chamber, they’ve also been able to attend seminars, workshops and signature events that have helped build capacity, in addition to completing the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program.

While Raul doesn’t anticipate any long-term changes to his business, he has learned two important lessons through the pandemic. “Everything can change in a minute; it’s always good to have a little cushion,” he says. “It’s also important to spend more time with loved ones, and don’t wait for tomorrow what you can do today.”

Elevated Scenery A local nursery ups the ante on quality landscape and hardscape design.

By Misty Milioto | Photo by Jose Garcia

Sun Tropic Landscape 1502 Engineers Road, Belle Chasse, LA (504) 392-3639 suntropiclandscape.com

Client Focused, Goal Oriented Brown Tax Services has provided tax and accounting services to individuals and businesses for more than 25 years.

By Misty Milioto | Photo by Jose Garcia

Miriam Brown, owner of Brown Tax Services, Inc., earned an accounting degree in Honduras in 1975 and later continued her studies at the University of New Orleans. She first started her tax and accounting company on a part-time basis in 1985. At that time, she was working for an oil and gas company, and, when it moved its headquarters to Houston in 2002, she opened her office full time. Since then, it has been her mission to not only help her clients maintain financial viability in the present but also to help them take a proactive approach to achieve future goals.

Brown, along with her two assistants, work with nearly 800 tax clients and 150 business clients in New Orleans and on the Northshore each year. Services include everything from incorporating new businesses, bookkeeping and payroll to tax advice, preparation, audits and monthly financial reports. While her assistants work on clients’ books, Brown handles all tax preparations herself. A longtime member of HCCL, Brown has also served as Treasurer and Board Member and has been a vocal advocate for small and women owned businesses.

“We cater to individuals, and small- and medium-sized businesses,” Brown says. “We are a team of three—all bilingual in Spanish and English—and we make it a priority to serve our clients in every way possible. There is a great number of Hispanic-owned businesses in New Orleans and the surrounding areas, and we can speak their language. Sixty percent of our clients are of Hispanic heritage. To see our clients’ businesses grow is very gratifying to us.”

It is precisely the staff’s open communication, and professional and personalized service—along with attention to detail, expertise and work ethic—that brings the company’s clients back year after year. As such, Brown Tax Services is one of the leading firms in the area. “I used to advertise a lot in prior years,” Brown says.

“Three years ago, I decided to take on new clients by referral only.”

Clients at Brown Tax Services are able to rely on thorough research, sound analysis and strong business advice. Most importantly, they are able to free up their time to better run and grow their business.

During the pandemic, and ensuing economic downturn, it has become even more important for individuals and businesses to ensure their finances are in order. “I made it a point not to close the office during the pandemic,” Brown says. “We changed the way we worked. Our clients drop off files and records with no personal contact, and we are able to provide the needed reports for their bank loan applications. The government extended the tax deadline to July 15, and, to meet deadlines, we have worked longer hours. I also have requested extensions for some business returns. We are keeping the pace, but we also had to adjust the work hours. The schedule worked well for our clients.”

While Brown does not anticipate any long-term changes due to the pandemic, she says that her field is always changing. “There is so much to learn in this business,” she says. “It seems that every day something new happens, especially when working with clients and taxes.”

Even so, Brown and her team are always at the ready to help clients with whatever tax and accounting needs they may have. “I want to take this opportunity to thank our clients for trusting us with their businesses,” Brown says. “Our relationship with them is very close and important. I hope we will be able to serve them for many years to come.”

As an added resource, the company website offers tools such as downloadable tax forms and publications, financial calculators, news and links to other useful sites that can help with financial decision-making and the tax process. Brown Tax Services 512 Terry Pkwy., Ste. C, Terrytown, LA (504) 362-0540 miriambrown.com