Name of business: New Town Café
Type of business: Restaurant
Location: 811 W. Hawkeye Ave., Turlock
Hours: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday; 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Contact: (209) 581-5238
History of business:
Not often does a man’s part-time job working as a dishwasher eventually result in the launch of his own restaurant, but it happened to Abraham Leon.
Leon’s journey began 30 years ago, washing dishes at the popular Sonora Café in the urban neighborhood of La Brea in Los Angeles. He worked so quickly and effectively, his bosses moved him into the culinary line. He never wanted to leave. He never did.
Leon worked for years as a chef at Sonora Café, a five-star eatery that served stars like Jennifer Lopez, Jackie Chan and Johnny Depp. Soon, he moved to the Central Valley to be closer to family, but remained a chef, first at Redwood Café in Modesto and at Loza Wine and Crepes in both Ceres and Turlock. In July, Leon went all in on his love of cooking by opening New Town Café at 811 W. Hawkeye Ave. It’s the third restaurant to operate in the space following stints by Mexican spot Restaurante Los Gallos and Crostini Italian-American Restaurant.
“My passion is food. Since I started cooking, I’ve had a passion,” he said. “I learned in Hollywood, kept it going at Loza and Redwood, and just wanted to expand with a restaurant of my own. It’s a very new, learning experience.”
New Town Café is not just incredibly different from its predecessors, but also from most restaurants in the region.
The 47-year-old is of Mexican descent and is always excited to share the rich flavors or his equally rich culture. The mainstay meals are rib eye steaks and risotto plates. Since opening, the variety of sandwiches and salads have also been hits with visitors. Most menu items are traditional American or Italian meals, but the spices he uses makes each bite unique.
“This is mainly an American restaurant with just a good touch of Mexican spice. There is some spice to some of the dishes. And I do everything. I make the sauces, the spices, I cut all the meat, the fish. I guess I do it all,” Leon said with a laugh.
New Town Café opens their doors at 9 a.m. on each day of the week, starting customers off with a brunch menu that heavily consists of crepes and French toast. A total of 18 sandwiches are offered during lunch and dinner, as well as eight salads and nine pastas and several seafood appetizers and entrees.
“A lot of options with, like I said, our own twist on it,” Leon said.
While the opening of his own restaurant has been described as a learning experience, Leon said that it is all worth it to see people enjoy his food.
“When they give this,” he said, putting his thumbs up, “it makes me feel good. I love to serve the customers.”
