Although contradictory to the name, ¡Andele! has evolved at a slow and steady pace over the past 13 years. This Mesilla restaurant may serve your lunch quickly but Andrea Schneider believes that when it comes to business and expansion, what’s the rush?

“It took me six months just to make the decision to move across the street,” Andrea replies. “I always make changes slowly, taking baby steps, because that's what has worked for us.” Never one to act on a whim, she has proven that great food and good service are the key elements to longevity. Andrea credits a lot of her success to consistency. “People know when they come here that whatever they order will taste just as good as it did the last time they visited,” she says.

That’s why the only thing that has changed is the building. “My goal was to not bite off more than I can chew, so we have a full-time to-go person at the window, an extra server during all shifts and an extra line cook. I promised the employees that everything would stay the same except for the surroundings.”

The thoughts for a larger location began two years ago. When Andrea expanded into the catering business it was obvious that there wasn’t enough space. They discussed many options – adding a second kitchen at the old property, relocating or doing the catering out of another building. Besides the lack of kitchen space, parking had always been an issue. The new space in Oñate Plaza opened two years ago. “I think the Town of Mesilla was excited to see someone else utilize the plaza,” says Andrea, and she was excited because it was right across the street.

“My dad explained that if I wanted to continue to grow that I'd have to move. Mesilla is in my blood and has always been so supportive of us, I couldn't or wouldn't imagine moving the restaurant anywhere but here,” says Andrea.

Another vital aspect to her success is the staff. “I'm here all day everyday and I have an open door policy. I treat my employees the way that I would want to be treated and I have a fantastic staff. They take pride in what they do,” adds Andrea.

Andrea knows the food is what keeps people coming back. Andrea developed recipes for each dish, often with the help of friends or family. The only recipe she says she’ll never take credit for is the green chile sauce. “That recipe belongs to a good friend, Greg Meeks, who worked with me at La Posta.” When asked why it’s so good, Andrea shares two main differences between her sauce and the typical recipe: instead of milk, they use heavy cream and instead of cream of mushroom soup, they use cream of chicken soup, so it's very rich. “Other than that, we just use the freshest ingredients,” she adds.

Andrea is thankful for her father's support. “He’s my rock, the one that pushed me to get started and has kept me going.” He’s also part of the reason she was apprehensive about moving from the old restaurant. “That building has so much sentimental value. My dad did every renovation on that building and it has worked great for us. It was truly hard to leave it.” Not that she's let it go completely.

Andrea is shuffling through new ideas for the old location of ¡Andele! She may re-open the to-go window only, she may use it as a banquet room for private parties; she hasn’t made that decision yet. Like everything else, she’ll wait it out to see what her customers truly need before deciding what to do next.