First Look: Las Palmas in Maplewood

Line cook Mauri Rivera in the kitchen at Las Palmas in Maplewood.

The stuffed shrimp is six-crab meat, stuffed shrimp, breaded and pan-fried, served over cilantro rice with creamy diablo sauce. It is served with lemon and pico de gallo.

Owner Edwin Steve Suarez coming out if the kitchen at Las Palmas.

The Carne en Su Jugo is a T-bone steak smothered in sautéed onions and chorizo. It is served with cilantro rice, frijoles de la olla (natural beans), guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo.

Las Palmas’ young owner, Edwin Steve Suarez, who usually just goes by “Steve” shares responsibilities with his mother, Veronica Morales. The pair still operates the successful Las Palmas in Woodson Terrace. The family sold the Las Palmas in Overland to another family years ago.

Margaritas! Clockwise from upper-left corner: Las Palmas Margarita (Hornitos, Orange Curacao), Frozen Strawberry Margarita and the Blue Sky Margarita (Sauza Gold, Blue Curacao).

Really, would the décor be complete without the Virgin de Guadalupe?

Next is the Filete de Pescado a la Diabla. It is a filet of red snapper sautéed and topped with a spicy cream sauce. It too is served with cilantro rice, veggies, guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo.

Executive Chef Alberto George in the kitchen at Las Palmas in Maplewood.

Chicken being prepared in the kitchen at Las Palmas in Maplewood. While not in the kitchen at this location, Steve's mom, Veronica makes all the chili rellenos and tamales from scratch for both locations. In addition, all of the salsas used are made in-house, with large batches usually made about every other day.

Las Palmas manager Jesus Jaimez enjoying a Black Magic margarita.

The Las Palmas stuffed chicken is chicken stuffed with spinach, mushrooms, onions, pepperjack cheese and in a spicy diablo sauce. It is served with cilantro rice, veggies, guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo.

Executive Chef Alberto George in the kitchen at Las Palmas in Maplewood.

The Las Palmas chicken is breaded chicken, pan-fried and covered with cilantro onion cream sauce. It comes with cilantro rice, veggies, guacamole, sour cream and pico de gallo.

Mauri Rivera, a line cook at Las Palmas, at work in the kitchen.

And if for some reason you find you’re maybe just not in the mood for a Margarita -- there’s always the Bloody Mary.

In the kitchen at Las Palmas in Maplewood you’ll find Executive Chef Alberto George (on right), and working beside him is line cook Mauri Rivera (on left).

Dining in the back “nook” of Las Palmas in Maplewood.

Las Palmas took over the ol’ El Scorcho spot on Maplewood’s main strip a few months ago. While the original Woodson Terrace location still thrives, expansion into Maplewood is a homecoming of sorts -- it is where owner Edwin Steve Suarez grew up.