Photo by Asia Burns.
The Fresco leadership team, from left: Executive Chef Crash Hethcox, lead bartender Damian Comancho Santa Ana, General Manager Michael Gambino and owner Sean Berry.
Fresco opened in the Village at Cahaba Heights in early November, and owner Sean Berry said the restaurant is taking “a fine dining approach” to Mexican cuisine.
“We are redefining Mexican food in the area,” Berry said. “The typical expectation when you go out for Mexican food is Tex-Mex with enchilada gravy and yellow cheese and neon-colored margaritas. Our approach is a made from scratch, more authentic Mexican cuisine.”
The Cahaba Heights resident said Fresco is a way for him to bring his passion for fresh ingredients and authentic Mexican food to his community.
“I’m from Texas,” Berry said. “I grew up on Mexican food. I grew up on Tex-Mex, and I love Tex-Mex, but if I’m cooking at home, I’m cooking authentic Mexican food.”
Fresco menu items are a modern interpretation of authentic cuisine, Berry said.
“While there’s a time and a place for the yellow cheese and the enchilada gravy, there is also a time and place for having more authentic, made-from-scratch type stuff, and that’s my passion for what I put inside my mouth,” he said. “Everything is made from scratch. The enchilada sauces are made from dried chilis using the same recipes that someone’s Mexican grandmother would have used 100 years ago.”
The word “fresco” literally translates to “fresh” from Spanish, and Fresco plays upon that with its menu. Each item is a fresh take on a traditional Mexican platter made with fresh ingredients, Berry said.
“We don’t buy anything pre-made. We even make our own tomato juice for our bloody marys and bloody marias,” Berry said. “There is no comparison between opening up a can of pineapple juice and having a guy juice a pineapple right in front of you. It doesn’t even taste like the same fruit. If we can’t make it from scratch, we just don’t have it.”
Berry said one of the centerpieces of Fresco’s menu is its seafood, including oysters, fish, shrimp and octopus.
The menu also includes small plates, nine table salsa options, a weekend brunch menu and an extensive list of wines, beers and tequilas.
Fresco is located at 3144 Cahaba Village.
