Street food elevated in Norwalk

NORWALK — When you walk into Norwalk's newest Mexican eatery, don't expect cafeteria trays or pre-mixed sides. Everything, and they mean everything, is made to order. "We don't have any processed food. Nothing's microwaved. Everything is prepared from scratch," said Lilly Lopez, who operates Quesa-Broso Mexican Restaurant with Jorge Livis. "Even the condiments — the sauces, the salsa, the pico, even the chips, we make those ourselves." That kind of kitchen discipline means longer prep, but it's the heartbeat of their operation, which recently opened at 201 Milan Ave., Building 7. It's located in a plaza near Rent-A-Center not far from a McDonald's. The broth alone, Lopez said, takes four hours to build from peppers that are hand-cleaned, boiled, and blended with natural ingredients. Fresh vegetables are cut only when an order comes in. Corn for the tostadas and chips is fried on the spot. "People are surprised when they see how fresh it really is," she added. Built on passion and a truck The storefront serves as the dining area, but the real cooking happens just outside in their food truck. "All the cooking is done there," Lopez explained. "That's where the fries, the tostadas, everything gets made fresh. Then we bring it in hot to serve." Licensing a full kitchen was expensive, she said, so using the food truck as the main prep area allowed them to start without bank loans. "We've done it all ourselves — no payments, no outside help. Just savings and hard work," Lopez said. Food with heart Lopez and Jorge aren't just building a business; they're building community. Born in Mexico, Lopez moved to Norwalk with her mother as a child. After her mother's death, cooking became her connection to family — and eventually her calling. "Everything we do is with love, passion, and freshness," she said. "We want Norwalk to come and enjoy our food with us."