Legal Immigrants

Slated for a Wednesday, March 26 (but possibly a day or
three later) opening, Juanita’s will be sizzling the goods from their
new Kitchen at 207 Oswego St., Liverpool, in what used to be the
Ponderosa Steakhouse behind Heid’s.

Having been in the same location for so
long will sure cause some locals the need for an emotional hunger
rescue when the Court Street location becomes vacant. “Of course there
will be some sentimentality and we will miss the place” says Paul LaRose,
owner of Juanita’s since 1985. “But a lot of customers come from
Liverpool, so in a way, we’re just bringing it closer to them. It’s
going to be a new adventure.”

LaRose says there will be a few new menu
options after the move, but overall, most of the entrees and prices
will remain the same. The two main reasons for the move have to do with
space; parking at Court Street was almost non-existent, and the seating
area was taut in dimensions. In Liverpool, they’ve nearly doubled their
previous seating capacity to about 95, plus the stools at the bar; and
with the extra seats, the ample parking within the spaces in the
Ponderosa Plaza parking lot will allow easy access coming and going.

And while they’re on the convenience
kick, they’re keeping the same telephone number from Court Street,
478-2185, providing the takeout’ers with nothing to change except their
directions. The new Juanita’s location will open at 11:30 a.m. Sundays
through Thursdays, and noon on Fridays and Saturdays. They will close,
as LaRose notes, either at 9 or 10 p.m.—and maybe later—depending on
how bueno of a noche it is.