Fiesta debuts new Queensgate restaurant Wednesday

Fiesta Mexican Restaurant completes its Tri-City trifecta with the opening of its newest location this week.

The local chain of Mexican restaurants is opening in the former El Rancho Alegre at 2731 Queensgate Drive, near Target.

Fiesta, operated by Isidro Ortiz and his mother, Theresa, has restaurants at Road 68 in Pasco and on Gage Boulevard in Kennewick. It routinely is named best Mexican restaurant in the Tri-City Herald's People's Choice awards.

"The other only city left for us was Richland," Ortiz said. "We wanted to have a Fiesta Restaurant in all three cities."

The new edition is slightly smaller than its sisters but can accommodate about 120 diners in the dining room, banquet room and lounge.

The expansion is financed with a commercial loan from Community First. It will employ about 15 people to start.

The Richland Fiesta offers the company's staples, including a salsa and tortilla bar and custom prepared guacamole.

Business hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday to Thursday and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

A formal ribbon cutting is set for 5 p.m. .June 12.

Prosser combines BBQ, beer and wine

Twenty competitive barbecue teams will converge on Prosser this weekend for the Prosser Wine Network's Bottles, Brews, Barbecues event.

Bottles, Brews, Barbecues showcases the community's wine and brew heritage in a single location, with the added excitement of a barbecue competition sanctioned by the Pacific Northwest Barbecue Association. Teams will compete for $8,000 in prize money.

The day-long competition begins at 10 a.m. Saturday with the barbecue competition followed by a day of live music featuring Latin jazz by Tri-Cities Fino and popular remixes from Doc Jeebus' Mojo Library.

Horse Heaven Hills Brewery and Bale Brewing Co. are the brewery partners. Prosser Wine Network members will offer their vintages at stations throughout the event, being held at Vintners Village, 357 Port Avenue.

Tickets are $20 in advance and $25 on the day of the event. Visit the Prosser Wine Network's Facebook page for details.

Premier Access Passes are available and include a private dinner and concert on Friday evening.

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This story was originally published June 5, 2018 at 12:37 PM with the headline "Fiesta debuts new Queensgate restaurant Wednesday."