One of the chefs at Jalapeno Authentic Mexican Grill grills meat.
Restaruant is a celebration of Mexican food
Pictured is the staff of Jalapeno Authentic Mexican Grill. First row, from left: Alejandra Ayala, cook; Sara, dishwasher; and Alma Camach, owner. Second row: Oscar Rosas, grill chef; Wilmer Salgado, main prep cook; and Jonathan, grill chef.
Alma Camacho, owner of Jalapeno Authentic Mexican Grill, poses in the restaurant.
Birria tacos made with beef stew meat are staple at the Jalapeno Authentic Mexican Grill in South Abington Township.
Pictured is the dining room of Jalapeno Authentic Mexican Grill.
SOUTH ABINGTON TWP. – Jalapeno Authentic Mexican Grill, located on Northern Boulevard, began in September 2022 as a build-your-own-taco restaurant with a limited option of four other appetizers.
Customers were asking for bigger food items; therefore, owner Alma Camacho – who has been running the restaurant with her mother, Epelvina Monge, and grill chef Oscar Rosas – decided to expand the menu.
With its currently bigger staff, Jalapeno now serves a broader selection of dinner entrees.
All of the meals at Jalapeno are prepared with fresh, homemade ingredients. Other foods added include alambres, tamale, and enchiladas. Popular dishes include chimichangas and birria tacos. The latter is made with beef pulled out of a stew made with fresh seasonings.
“We cook the meat in a soup,” said Alma. “And then, we take the meat out, we grill the meat, and then, we grill the taco as well. We put cheese cilantro and onion.”
Jalapeno Authentic Mexican Grill also has specialty drinks. Jamaican fresh water is made with hibiscus flour. Horchata fresh water is made with rice and cinnamon. No alcohol is served, but customers are welcome to bring their own beer or mixed drinks.
The atmosphere of the restaurant is quiet and family friendly.
Alma emigrated from her native Jumiltepec, Morelos, Mexico, to Scranton at age 9, where she and her parents have been living for the past 25 years. A single mom of two daughters (America and Kimberly Fuentes), she was working two jobs. She realized that she might as well work for herself since she was working all the time.
“I wanted time for my kids,” she said. “Even though having a restaurant you sometimes don’t have time for yourself, I can make some time for them. I can make some time to pick them up from school. That was my main spark.”
Alma received support from her family to open a restaurant. She tried finding a place to start her business in the Scranton area but to no avail. One day, she went on Craigslist and found an ad for the space on Northern Boulevard for sale. She met the landlord and signed the lease. She is glad to have opened her restaurant in the Abington area.
“Now that I’m here, I get to see there’s great families. There’s great people here,” she said. “It’s a great community.”
Alma enjoys making connections with her customers.
“I always like to be around people,” she said. “It’s more like a relationship with the community. It gives me joy to serve people that enjoy our service.”
Jalapeno will have a couple of events this month.
On Cinco do Mayo (May 5), there will be a live mariachi band, which is called Tequlia Mariachi Band, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. On Thursday, May 11, there will be a Paint Your Own Pottery Terra Cotta Salsa Bowl for Mother’s Day.
