A familiar Wichita restaurant is expanding its presence to downtown Wichita

The space below The Renfro apartments, which has been vacant since Paradise Donuts vacated it in September is about to get a new restaurant tenant that’s well known to Wichita

Mara Garza, who runs Molino’s Cuisine at 1064 N. Waco, is opening a new concept there that she’ll call Chilaquiles, Tacos & More. It should be open within the next two weeks, she said.

The address for the spot is 612 E. Douglas, and it sits across the street from Naftzger Park.

The small space does not have a kitchen, so the food that it serves will be prepared in the Molino’s kitchen then transported over. Chilaquiles, Tacos & More will serve some of the favorite dishes from the Molino’s menu: chilaquiles with red or green sauce, tacos, burritos, bowls, nachos, piratas and aguas fresca.

It’s designed mainly for to-go customers, though it will have a few tables inside that will provide seating for 12 people at a time. Garza said the restaurant also will be allowed to put a few tables in Gallery Alley: The colorful corridor sits just on the other side of the new restaurant’s east wall

All the food will be served in to-go containers, regardless of whether customers plan to dine in or take the food with them.

Garza is hoping to attract downtown workers and people who visit Naftzger Park for events. She’ll open the restaurant starting at 9 a.m. each day so people can stop by for breakfast. Chilaquiles, which are made up of tortilla chips that have been simmered in salsa and topped with melted cheese, refried beans, sour cream and onion, are traditionally a breakfast dish and are often topped with an over-easy egg. The new restaurant will be able to cook eggs fresh on the spot.

The restaurant will be open only until 2 p.m. on Mondays through Thursdays, but Garza plans to experiment with later hours on Fridays and Saturdays and stay open until 8 p.m. The restaurant will be closed on Sundays.

Garza said she’ll be back-and-forth between the new restaurant and Molino’s. She’s excited about finding new customers with the downtown space.

“This is my baby,” she said. “My new baby.”

Stay tuned for an opening date announcement.

Denise Neil

The Wichita Eagle

316-268-6327

Denise Neil has covered restaurants and entertainment since 1997. Her Dining with Denise Facebook page is the go-to place for diners to get information about local restaurants. She’s a regular judge at local food competitions and speaks to groups all over Wichita about dining.