As San Diego Restaurant Week kicks off Sunday, Puerto La Boca in Little Italy gears up with early preparations.
“Restaurant week brings a lot of new customers. They never heard about us," said Roberta Cotta, the co-owner of Puerto La Boca. "We have been doing it over 10 years and it brings people together.”
Over 100 local restaurants, including Puerto La Boca, offer discounted meals starting at $20 from Sunday to March 10.
Both Cotta and co-owner Rodolfo Fanelii started as servers and worked their way up. “We tried things, new ideas to bring people in ... especially after COVID changed everything,” Fanelii said.
Puerto La Boca's unique fusion of Argentinian and Italian culture influences their food, sauces and wine selections.
“About 80 percent of Argentinians have Italian background they grew up with grandmothers who are Italian," Cotta said. "Their grandmothers were cooking pasta with steaks together.”
Beyond business goals, the restaurant hopes to use Restaurant Week to share the cultural richness that defines their identity.
“I like to make them (customers) happy. That's what makes me feel good when they leave happy and satisfied." said Fanelii.
