Pictured at left are the staff of Las Potrancas, from left to right: Candelario Raymundo, Cici Vega, Cristina Vega, and owner Ramon Vega.

A familiar face from Fairmont has moved to Winnebago, and he’s brought delicious, authentic Mexican cooking with him. Las Potrancas Taco Shop & Diner opened at 26 South Main Street in Winnebago back in September, and owner Ramon Vega has created a vibrant, welcoming space offering authentic Mexican cuisine.

“My wife Cristina and I ran a food truck and taqueria in Fairmont for 10 years before moving here,” Vega explains. “Unfortunately, there was no room in Fairmont for a place like this. We got very little support from the city.”

Vega’s history working in the food business goes back further than Fairmont. In fact, it goes all the way back to Guadalajara, Mexico, where he and his family are originally from. Vega immigrated to the U.S. over 30 years ago, and brought his culinary expertise with him.

“We had a bakery back in Mexico, so along with knowing how to cook, we know how to make different types of bread and pastries as well,” Vega shares. “I would have liked to offer some of those products as well, but I don’t have time to do that and also run a restaurant.”

As for the business’ name, Las Potrancas translates to “the female horses” or “the fillies” in English. However, there’s more to the story than just horses – the name is a tribute to Vega’s daughters, who have been a massive source of support and encouragement throughout his life.

“Las Potrancas means “the female horses,” and it’s named for my four daughters,” Vega remarks. “I was inspired by someone in Mexico who loved horses who used the name Los Potrancos, which is the masculine version, but I have only girls. Some people insisted that I use the name “Cinco Potrancas,” or “five female horses,” and I was confused because I only have four daughters. I figured out later that they were also including my wife.”

Las Potrancas is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and is closed on Sundays. Their menu offers a spectrum of Mexican cuisine, ranging from street food offering such as tacos, burritos, and quesadillas to authentic, homestyle Mexican dishes like tamales, pozole, and menudo.

“My wife and I learned to cook together, but we have very different styles,” Vega shares. “She’s used to making fancier dishes, while I’m more familiar with street food and more “homemade” types of Mexican food. While these street food offerings were very popular in our food truck, I prefer to say that I don’t do Tex-Mex, I make real Mexican food.”

While he might be the owner of the business, Vega spends most of his time behind the counter, working in the kitchen along side his wife Cristina. Their four daughters can also be seen helping out on occasion, as well as employee Candelario Raymundo, who has been working with the Vegas for a little over a year.

“Normally, there are only three people working: me, my wife, and Candelario,” Vega remarks. “My daughters sometimes come to help as well, when they aren’t too busy. When I’m not in the kitchen, I spend a lot of time cleaning – it’s important to me that people have a clean place to eat, and that everything looks nice.”

One of the most important aspects of running a successful business for Vega is fostering a sense of togetherness, and this goal is evident in everything he does, both in the kitchen and in the wider community.

“Back in Fairmont, along with our food truck, we also had a little grocery store that sold various Hispanic foods and products,” Vega explains. “I would like to be able to open a store like that here in Winnebago, possibly in the vacant property across the street from us. I was talking with the building inspector here and learned that the building used to be a bakery a long time ago, and could be used as one again if it were fixed up, which would allow us to offer baked goods and bread if we did turn it into a store.”

Vega also has several other ideas to connect with the community in Winnebago, many of which he tried to get off the ground in Fairmont. Unfortunately, a lack of support meant that many of these ideas were put on the back burner.

“One of the ideas that had a lot of support from other cities was my idea to start a soccer league, and make use of the soccer fields in Fairmont,” Vega recalls. “We had teams from Mankato, St. James, Madelia, and many other towns interested in joining us. However, the city told us that we were not allowed to use the soccer fields, and the idea went nowhere. I’d still like to start that soccer league someday.”

Another idea involved a food truck event, which would see several food trucks from across the state gather together as a celebration of Hispanic food and culture. Ideally, this event would be held during the summer months, when many people could come out and support it.

“We would get together with several of our fellow food trucks, and all set up in a parking lot or along a side street to host a sort of festival,” Vega shares. “There are many areas I have seen in Winnebago that would be perfect for an event like this.”

Thus far, Las Potrancas has had a slow but steady stream of customers. However, Vega remains optimistic that business will pick up as more people learn about the restaurant’s new location.

“Some days are busier for us than others – Friday nights are the busiest, while Monday and Thursday are a little quieter,” Vega explains. “We have had people tell us, “we hope you stick around and stay,” and I hope that we can stay as well. The Winnebago community has been very welcoming to us so far, and I’d like to be able to support the Hispanic community here as well.”

For more information on Las Potrancas, including their menu and updates on daily specials, you can follow their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/people/Las-Potrancas-Taco-shop-and-Diner/61581215957355/.