Abuelo's Mexican Food Embassy Opens in Lakeland, Florida.

LAKELAND, Fla. -- Abuelo's Mexican Food Embassy restaurant, known for its classical Mexican style and top-quality cuisine, opened its newest location in Lakeside Village in Lakeland, Fla. today. The new Abuelo's, located at 3700 Lakeside Village Blvd., is Abuelo's 38th site nationwide and the company's first restaurant in Florida.

The design of the 7,700-square-foot Abuelo's restaurant, which seats approximately 250 guests and employs a staff of 100, is based on classical Mexican architecture and artistic influences. The restaurant's interior features hand-painted murals depicting Mexico's rich and colorful history, as well as imported stonework and statues that are hand-carved by artists in the villages around Guadalajara, Mexico. The restaurant's main dining area features an open-air courtyard atmosphere and the exterior finishes include cantera stone trim.

"We designed Abuelo's to have a gracious, yet friendly environment that's compatible with our authentic, creative dishes," said Michael Codner, general manager of Abuelo's in Lakeland. "We are very pleased to bring our unique Mexican concept to Lakeland and we look forward to being an active part of the community."

Following a long-standing tradition of giving back to the communities in which it operates, Abuelo's donated $4,800 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Lakeland from proceeds raised during its pre-opening training services. For over 65 years, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Lakeland has positively influenced thousands of lives by providing safe places where children and teens can learn and have fun, through activities that emphasize self-worth and self-esteem, under the direction of positive adult role models.

Abuelo's, which blends the best of Mexico through art and fine dining, is famous for its creative, made-from-scratch Mexican cuisine and superior service. Abuelo's House Specialties, which combine beef tenderloin, jumbo shrimp, mahi mahi, salmon and other top-quality ingredients with unique, homemade sauces and side dishes, have earned a reputation for "raising the bar" of Mexican food restaurants. The menu also features a number of traditional items including 12 different enchilada choices, chile rellenos, quesadillas, chimichangas and carne asada. Desserts include Abuelo's award-winning traditional Mexican flan and margarita pie with tequila cream sauce, among others.

"Our theme is 'beyond Tex-Mex,'" said Robert Lin, president of Food Concepts International, Abuelo's parent company. "At Abuelo's, our goal is to offer our guests an opportunity to experience the diverse and distinct flavors of Mexico in a beautiful setting with superior service at a great value. In interior and coastal Mexico, the cuisine is really Continental with Spanish, French and Italian influences. We want our customers to be able to experience that aspect of Mexican cuisine in addition to more traditional fare."

Meals at Abuelo's are reasonably priced, with an average dinner cost of $10 to $14 and lunch costs of $6 to $8. All major credit cards are accepted. Restaurant hours are Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Fridays and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. For more information, call 863-686-7500.

About Abuelo's Mexican Food Embassy Restaurants

Since its first opening in 1989, Abuelo's has continually been on the leading edge of menu creativity, combining consistency in food quality, colorful plate presentations, superior service and an impressive Mexican courtyard-themed atmosphere. Abuelo's restaurants, which were recently listed in Restaurants & Institutions' "Top 400 Sales Growth Leaders" annual ranking, are owned and operated by Food Concepts International of Lubbock, Texas. Abuelo's was also ranked as one of the top chain restaurants in America, the top-ranked Mexican food restaurant and highlighted as one of seven restaurant chains offering the best combination of price and quality in a recent survey by a leading national consumer magazine.

Abuelo's currently has 38 locations in 15 states throughout the nation. More information and a listing of restaurant locations are available at www.abuelos.com.