Fiesta Jalisco Mexican Grill: Honoring Cinco de Mayo Through Family and Food
Cinco de Mayo, celebrated on May 5, commemorates Mexico’ s unlikely victory over French forces at the Battle of Puebla in 1862. It has since become a vibrant celebration of Mexican heritage and culture in the United States, featuring parades, music, dancing, and traditional foods like tamales and mole.
Fiesta Jalisco Mexican Grill in Smithville captures this festive spirit through authentic Mexican cuisine and family tradition. Owned and operated by three generations of the Ayala family—Humberto, his sister Juanita, niece Maria, and Maria’s son Toby—the restaurant offers dishes like arroz con pollo and slow-roasted pork carnitas, recipes lovingly passed down through the family.
Chef Jose, who worked his way up from dishwasher in the Carolinas, now leads the kitchen with passion and expertise, infusing each meal with genuine Mexican flavors. Chef Jose credits his knowledge of cooking to his best amigo who mentored him in the art of Mexican cuisine.
Maria plays a vital role in the restaurant’s warm hospitality, helping maintain the family’s tradition of welcoming guests with care and attention. She continues her family’s legacy of passing down tamale recipes that are part of the holidays—including savory pork and chicken varieties and dessert tamales filled with raisins and pineapples, enjoyed with after-dinner coffee.
The restaurant’s full bar offers a wide selection of margaritas in over ten flavors, both on the rocks and frozen. They feature all types of tequila—from reposado and blanco to añejo—catering to all tastes.
Upon entering you will be greeted with a free basket of warm chips and a bowl of freshly made salsa and a bean and queso dip. Their daily happy hour, beginning at 3pm features 2 for 1 specials on draft beers and margaritas.
With its spacious dining area and festive atmosphere, Fiesta Jalisco can easily accommodate large gatherings. It is a beloved community spot where guests enjoy authentic Mexican flavors and celebrate cultural traditions year-round, especially during lively occasions like Cinco de Mayo.
Feliz Cinco de Mayo!
130 Walmart Dr, Smithville, TN 37166
Sunday-Thursday 11:00-9:00 Friday-Saturday. 11:00-10:00
Easy 5 Ingredient Flan
Ingredients:
• 4 Large Eggs
• 1 (14 oz) Sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/4 cup Whole milk
• 3/4 cup Granulated Sugar (for caramel)
• 1 1/2 tablespoon Vanilla extract
Steps:
1. Make caramel (slowly) by heating sugar in a pan (medium heat) until golden brown, then pour it into the bottom of your flan pan and let it harden.
2. Whisk together eggs, sweetened condensed milk, whole milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
3. Pour the custard mixture over the hardened caramel in the pan.
4. Cover the pan(9 inch round) tightly with foil and place it in a larger baking dish filled halfway with hot water (water bath).
5. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 1 hour until set but slightly jiggly in the center.
6. Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 5
hours or overnight.
7. To serve, run a knife around the edges, invert onto a plate, and enjoy the flan with caramel sauce
Nice to serve with some fresh berries.