New bar and restaurant bringing unique experience

Rustic pictures of the Mexican Revolution decorate the walls, and more than a dozen varieties of tequila sit behind the bar inside the old, brick building in Austin.

“We’re trying to incorporate as much of that look and feel as we can into the ambiance here,” said Israel Gonzalez, manager of the newest Mexican bar and restaurant in town.

The atmosphere has changed inside what used to be the El Parral on Fourth Street Northeast, as new booths line the walls in both the restaurant and bar — highlighted by fresh coats of paint and new woodgrain. As one would guess, the name has changed, too. Welcome to The 1910.

Perhaps the biggest change, though, is the business plan. But Gonzalez and his brother-in-law partner, Gonzalo Cibils, aren’t afraid to go out on a limb.

The partners have created a restaurant unique to Austin, not just another Mexican restaurant with tacos and pre-mix margaritas, Cibils says. The partners had to close their eyes and take a trip back in time — back to Mexico.

“We wanted to deviate a little from the cliche Mexican restaurant,” Gonzalez said, who mentioned the name of the new business stems from the outbreak of the Mexican Revolution.

To incorporate that, Gonzalez and Cibils covered the walls with black-and-white images of soldiers riding horses, sitting among adobe buildings, and wearing sombreros and bandoliers. Furthermore, the business partners were inspired from traditional elements of Guadalajara, especially the food.

“It’s Mexican inspired, but seafood is our main focus right now,” Gonzalez said.

To achieve that, the business partners sought a gourmet Mexican chef who could go beyond the realm of tacos, burritos and fajitas. That wasn’t an easy task, but with time and luck, they found Reynaldo Olivares. Better yet, they found him in Austin. Gonzalez said Olivares was working in construction because he no longer wanted to cook if he couldn’t use his talents. The 1910, however, offered that opportunity.

Gonzalez is excited, as his new chef has operated restaurants in Mexico and brings vast experience and cuisine options to the table, literally.

“He’s got over 300 dishes,” Gonzalez said.

For example, one seafood cocktail includes octopus, fresh oysters, shrimp and sauce.

“You just pair it with a lager beer, and it’s a dream,” Cibils said.

Gonzalez and Cibils are relatively young business owners, 33 and 29 respectively. They realize not everybody will appreciate their new business model.

“It’s risky,” Cibils said. “Some people are disappointed, but we know for sure there are some people, they want to see something different.”

The brothers-in-law know this from their own experiences. Gonzalez was co-owner of a bar and restaurant in Miami before returning to Austin. He previously managed El Parral until owner Custodio Serrano wanted out of that business. Gonzalez was ready to shift the focus and manage his own idea. Because he also wanted the bar to be unique, he sought the expertise of Cibils.

“I started in San Francisco,” Cibils said. “I actually went to bartending school in San Francisco: San Francisco School of Bartending.”

Since then, Ciblis has managed bars, including a French bar in San Francisco and a Latin bar in Los Angeles. Now he brings his ideas and heritage to Austin.

Cibils wanted to focus on Mexican drinks with fresh ingredients. To start, he got rid of the pre-mix bottles and store-bought infusions.

“I got rid of all that,” Cibils said.

He brought in craft-style beers and an array of tequilas. He is focusing on not only drinks derived from fresh fruits, but drinks people have never tried. In just a week, it has gone well.

The managers haven’t forgotten about the ballroom aspect, either. Cibils was excited to find out Johnny Cash played at the ballroom when it was the Terp in 1957. He and Gonzalez want to cater to all demographics in Austin, they said, and bring back the joy of the ballroom. This past Sunday, people were already playing soccer in there.

Thus far people have been visiting the business after Bruins games on weekends and slowly finding out about the buzz. Cibils and Gonzalez have a lot of work to finish, but the business is already open Wednesdays through Sundays. Much more is yet to come, all with a focus on the experience.

“It has been an opportunity to show and invite people to something that is not that common,” Gonzalez said.