At La Concinita Latina Restaurant, the day may be slow but it’s consistent. Grey Peguero and Elem Richiez, both longtime servers worked with Juan Hernandez, the head cook and manager. Grey Peguero and Elem Richiez sing along to Latin music playing in the background while they move up and down the narrow space behind the counter. They spend the morning squeezing various imported fruits, like soursop and pineapple, into the juicing machine and pouring coffee with con leche and sugar.
Grey Peguero goes to the cash booth and is shocked by a receipt. Elem Richiez explains that she has a tattoo with an infinity symbol and the word love because, “Only family love is for infinity, forever, you know?” Juan hurries shuffling pies, pizzas, lasagnas and meat stew in and out of the small oven in the back of the diner.
Every so often a customer asks for take-away. They dish out plates from the buffet of stewed meats and empanadas in the front display window. In the corner of the room is a flat screen television, showing a Telenova running on mute. The staff stops every so often to watch or, more likely, to share stories.
