Business Profile — Originally located in a quiet corner at the end of Atterdag Road, Manny’s Mexican Restaurant first opened in Solvang in 1989. A family affair, the restaurant was run by Manuel Tovalin Sr., with help from his wife and five children. It was famed as a friendly place where staffers often greeted customers by name.
The Tovalins sold the eatery in 2003, but when the “Manny’s” name recently became available, the family decided to jump back into the restaurant business. In July 2010, the new Manny’s opened its doors in Denmarket Square, thrilling locals hungry for a taste of the beloved purveyor’s signature dishes.
“This is the family’s eighth restaurant and the final one for the original Tovalin family,” said Fernando Tovalin, Manual’s son, who runs the restaurant with his brother, Jesse. “I’m the owner and Jesse’s the manager. We’ve switched these roles before in the other restaurant. We go back and forth!
“Jesse’s a talented guy,” he continues, “and he teaches the cooks our style. I’m the worst cook in the family, but I have a gift for organization, so we make a good team. We’ve enjoyed working together for a long time.
“And our dad,” he adds with a laugh, “is here to make sure we don’t screw it up.” Tovalin Sr. handles what Fernando calls “quality control,” while the brothers’ children also help out, just as their parents did at the original Manny’s.
“We all grew up in the restaurant,” Fernando says,” and my father’s excited because it’s always good for a dad to see his kids do what he taught them.”
Manny’s menu features Mexican-style treats. There are soups, fajitas, combination plates and more than two dozen house favorites, from tamales and carnitas to chicken en mole and camarones rancheros. They also serve a variety of hamburgers and eight different salads. According to Fernando, Manny’s food is prepared in a Durango slow-cook style perfected by his father, who has been running restaurants for 40-odd years. In fact, the senior Tovalin developed most of the recipes that have made Manny’s famous.
Specialties include carne asada made with charbroiled New York steak, and Platillo Mexicano, a popular dish featuring a crab enchilada, soft chicken taco, and beef enchilada that combine the colors of the Mexican flag. Adding a splash of green to burritos, tortilla chips and enchiladas is Green Machine, Manny’s signature salsa verde.
“The locals named it,” Fernando reveals. “It’s a jalapeño and pepper hot sauce that my dad put together. It’s actually not that hot, but people love it because it actually has taste.
“Our signature desserts is fried ice cream,” he adds. “When we started, nobody knew what it was. Now, you can get it in the supermarket, but still, nobody does fried ice cream like we do.”
At Manny’s, vanilla ice cream is rolled in a crunchy batter, quick fried, drizzled with caramel and cinnamon, and served on a fried tortilla shell. “It’s delicious!” Fernando declares. “People don’t believe you can fry ice cream. They come into the kitchen and are flabbergasted.”
Fernando’s father, who has opened and operated successful restaurants from Mexico to Bishop to Mammoth Lakes, discovered Solvang on one of his many road trips. “His favorite way of bonding with his kids, especially the boys,” Fernando says, “was to grab one of them and go on a road trip. On one trip, he came across Solvang, and a couple of weeks later we followed along.
“The reason we left Bishop,” he continues, “was because he wanted to do something long term in a place with potential for the kids to grow and do whatever they wanted. “One thing we can say about Solvang,” he adds with a grin, “is we were welcomed with open arms. And the locals just love Mexican food!”
INFORMATION: Manny’s is located 1693 Mission Dr. (corner of Mission Dr. and Alisal Rd.), Solvang, 691-9137. Hours are daily 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Closed Tuesdays. For more information, visit MannysofSolvang.com
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