“Heading up Hercules is Chef Beltran Reyes [who came here from Guatemala at the age of 18],” was described in an article in The Mercury News by Laura Ness, as, “one of those instantly endearing chefs whose sunny disposition and inner drive have brought him to the point of fulfilling a long-held dream to prepare beautiful food and eventually have his own place."
Cecile and I had an early dinner with good friends Sarah and Bill Rothenberg at the relatively new Hercules Drafthouse and Cantina in Los Gatos that had its grand opening last fall. Part restaurant, part sports bar, in a comfortable and spacious indoor and outdoor setting, the Cantina has something to
offer everybody. Having taken over the former location of Hults and Flight, Hercules, which began as a beer-focused hangout, now includes a latin menu. They also have a wide variety of cocktails. Cecile and Sarah had a margarita and I had one of their pilsner draft beers to accompany a generous portion of Nachos for the table, a delicate, more tasty version of the usual over done version we have had at other Mexican style restaurants.
For our entrees, Sarah, Cecile and Bill had an assortment of fish tacos and I throughly enjoyed a Pan Seared Salmon, rubbed with adobo and topped with mango salsa, and served with rice and vegetables. Juicy and delectable, it was one of the best Mexican style salmon dishes I have eaten in quite some time.
The consensus was that we would be return customers, and would consider their Happy Hour offerings as we tend to eat earlier.
I approached Niko, one of the partners to ask him how they came up with the name Hercules which reminded me of the movie of my youth: Hercules Unchained (1959) staring Steve Reeves about two warring brothers. Niko, seen here in a selfie we took together explained it is a reference to a Spanish professional wrestler. It turns out that the late Alfonso Carls Chicharro’s ring name was Hercules Cortez, known to compete in Spanish, European, and North America (AWA).
After dinner we walked over to "Easy Breezy,” the yogurt, custard shop for dessert.
