Clemente Heredia is looking to spice things up with a second Carmelita's in Orange County.
The restaurant, which combines traditional-style cooking with today's best ingredients, has come to Laguna Beach in the former Crab Zone spot at 217 Broadway.
Heredia, 27, is no newbie to the business. His parents have owned the two Carmelita's in the Sacramento area for some 50 years. He's also traveled extensively to various parts of Mexico, mostly the Polanco district in Mexico City, Guadalajara and Rosarito, picking up cooking nuances there.
"I grew up cooking with my family," he said Tuesday, a day after the restaurant officially opened.
About four and a half years ago, Heredia opened his first Carmelita's in Rancho Santa Margarita. The restaurant is named after Heredia's grandmother.
Heredia has taken a different approach to Mexican food than his parents. When people think of Mexican food, they usually think of "cheese-filled plates," he said.