Although the state of the local economy has seen more businesses closing than opening, there have been some exceptions to the rule in Louisville.

With the opening of a Sol Aztecas a couple of weeks ago in the old Sweet Pea’s Southern Bistro location, diners got another restaurant option among the string of eateries along Frankfort Avenue. “For a lot of people 2008 hasn’t been good for small businesses, but not for us,” says Saul Garcia, co-owner of the restaurant.

The other owners are Garcia’s sister Maria Perez, Jesus De La Fuente, and Ramiro Gandara, a former resident of the Crescent Hill neighborhood, who said they had been looking for a location along Frankfort Avenue for about five years. The new restaurant is the second Sol Azteca’s. Garcia, Perez and De La Fuente own the first Sol Azteca’s, which is on Bardstown Road and opened in 2005. Gandara and Garcia also are partners in the Main Street Los Aztecas location downtown, which opened in 1997, and Garcia is a partner in three other Los Aztecas restaurants in the Louisville area.

Changes to the building, which was built in the 1920s, include a spruced-up bar, renovated restrooms and the addition of several shades of festive colors and Mexican bric-a-brac to the walls. Changes to the menu include test items such as two parrillada entrees, which consist of a mixture of grilled meats, that will serve four people. New items that gain a following will be added to the menu at the Bardstown Road location.

On a very recent visit, I was pleasantly surprised at the remake. The hardwood floors gleamed, and a friendly server quickly ushered us to an inviting table in the corner. I ordered my standard, the chiles poblanos rellenos, and my friend ordered tacos de carne asada. The peppers, stuffed with gooey cheese and fried after a quick dip in egg batter, were artfully arranged on a large platter alongside a serving of refried beans, rice and garnish of pico de gallo. Maybe because they seemed to be presented with more aplomb than their counterparts at the Bardstown Road location, the chiles seemed to taste better as well.

The best part: with two 22-ounce draft Dos Equis, the bill came to under $30, including the tip.

by David Dominé, The Bluegrass Peasant