DA REAL

something new; we like to evolve with everything around us from the weather to the trends. We like to adapt.”

Mom’s recipes are the cornerstone to Hacienda Real’s flavor. “The Cochinita Pibil is a pork dish we serve in a hot lava bowl; it comes with tortillas on the side, and it has a really cool, delicious flavor to it,” says Aréchiga. “We have a big influence with seafood because we are from a coastal state of Mexico, so we include things like shrimp tacos and grilled octopus. Right now, in winter, Pozole is a pork soup that my mom usually makes and it’s one of those that, if she’s not in the kitchen and we run out, we won’t have any until she’s back. Only she can make it.”

Home is at the heart of Hacienda Real, an echo of the Mexican hospitality Aréchiga is thrilled to bring to his restaurants. “We have a reputation for being hospitable and one of the ways we connect is always through food,” says Aréchiga. “When we are at home, we always gather around the kitchen island or at the dinner table. My restaurants are an extension of that. I want my guests to sit back and relax. It’s a way of being and it’s an everyday thing for us.”

Aréchiga brings his hospitality-first mindset into every aspect of the restaurant, ultimately seeking to extend those values toward the customer’s experience. “It’s about promoting Mexican hospitality to the fullest,” says Aréchiga. “To be able to communicate that inviting warmth and open arms atmosphere is directly related to our concept. Even though we are designing a trendy and sophisticated dining space for the people in Geneva, it’s still a very approachable and homey, enthusiastic vibe.”

The family is ready to serve Geneva with satisfying and exquisitely delicious Mexican fare in an incredible atmosphere. “We love St. Charles, Batavia, and everyone around us,” says Aréchiga. “We can tell they have a caliber and an expectation, so all we want to do is make sure we live up to that expectation. To me, it’s a love letter to everything that has happened and the way my business has grown.”