Verde Expands Into Carmel With Second Location

Writer: Matt Keating
Photographer: Mark Bell

Paul Arechiga, co-owner/operator of the new Verde Flavors of Mexico, 1111 W. Main Street, Carmel, goes the extra mile to make sure his guests have the freshest ingredients when they dine at his restaurant. 

Arechiga and members of his Verde staff went to Mexico last year to look for different kinds of authentic meats and food items.

“The word ‘Verde’ means green, which means that everything is fresh,” Arechiga says. “We only choose the best local products, and that is what our guests love. We make authentic Mexican food that is absolutely delicious with each bite. We have family recipes that are also very popular. Everything is handmade, and we make sure our meals are prepared in the kitchen daily so they are as fresh as they can be.”

Manager Hugo Sanchez says the trip to Mexico to research different types of Mexican cuisine was well worth it.

“In order for us to be the best Mexican restaurant in the state, we needed to start from scratch,” Sanchez says. “We went to Mexico for a few weeks, spent some time in small towns enjoying different types of food and bring them back to Indiana.”

Sanchez says he and the Verde staff love going out of their way for their customers.

“We believe that our guests deserve the best and freshest ingredients, each and every day,” Sanchez says. “That’s why we choose local vendors. We will continue each day to take pride in what we do, so we can stand out.”

Arechiga also co-owns the highly successful Verde, Flavors of Mexico, in Fishers at 11680 Commercial Drive. The restaurant originally opened as Friacos, but Arechiga wanted to rebrand both his Fishers restaurant and his new Carmel location.

“We wanted to really focus on the amount of time and energy we put into making sure everyone enjoys their meals, and the rebranding with the emphasis on freshness was a big part of that,” Arechiga says.  “We are still a family-owned restaurant, and people have told us they like that. We have loved the positive response we have received from both the Carmel and Fishers communities. The restaurants have been a dream come true for me.”

Arechiga, who originally hails from Jalisco, Mexico, has been with the Fishers Verde for seven years. He and his wife, Deborah, and their daughter, Paulina, live in Fishers.

He enjoys working at both restaurants. He says his staff also enjoys the positive reception from guests.

“We are beyond delighted to now be part of the Carmel community too,” Sanchez says. “Our new restaurant features two dining rooms, a private room and a fresh upscale atmosphere. We cannot wait to have warm weather for guests to enjoy our patio. We also want people to come and join us for a fresh hand-shaken Margarita or for our well- known Mexican street tacos.”

Verde customers at the new Carmel location should also check out the handmade water fountain and unique glassware, while they enjoy Spanish music, comfortable handmade furniture and the exquisite horse sculptures above the bar. Sanchez noted that the restaurant tables are hand-carved and were imported from Mexico.

Verde has also partnered with Patron Spirits, to make a special blend of reposado tequila, specially for the restaurant.

“It is the base of our ‘Verde select Barrell Margarita,” Sanchez says.

Executive Chef Luis Aguilar says popular lunch specials include the Lunch Fajitas with a choice of steak or chicken, with sautéed onions and bell peppers. They are served which refuted beans, Mexican rice, lettuce, sour cream, tomato, guacamole, pico de gallo and a choice of corn or flour tortillas. Other selections include fajitas, chimichangas, burritos, etc.

The lunch and dinner selections are numerous.

“We have 102 unique meals to choose from,” Aguilar says. “The Molcajete Mar y Tierra is very popular.” It has marinated steak, shrimp, chicken breast, chorizo, Cotija cheese, cilantro and Mexican red sauce in a molcajete (authentic rock bowl). It is served with rice, refried beans and flour tortillas.”

Aguilar noted that Verde also has a catering service that includes a Fajita Bar and a Fiesta Taco Bar.

“We will go as far as Kokomo and Bloomington. We will even go to Ohio,” he says. “We are very popular for corporate lunches, weddings from 20 to 550 guests, private parties, special events and more. We have been very big in Fishers and Carmel for business lunches.”

Aguilar added that when people visit Verde they feel as if they are visiting family and friends.

“We want you to relax and feel like you are at home having great food and conversation with the people you love,” he says.

Arechiga agrees.

“After you come here for the first time, we make sure your food and experiences are so wonderful, you can’t wait to come back,” Arechiga says.

Verde in Carmel is located at 1111 W. Main St. The Fishers location can be found at 11680 Commercial Drive. Visit them online at verdeflavorsofmexico.com.