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Tequilas restaurant, struck by fire in February, is rising from the ashes — literally

The industry is helping the upscale restaurant's employees. Mission Taqueria is donating 25% of proceeds from certain dishes.

Chicharrón with a burnt tortilla and habanero mayo, topped with hibiscus pickled onions and cilantro macho, from the tatemado menu at Mission Taqueria, 1516 Sansom St.
Chicharrón with a burnt tortilla and habanero mayo, topped with hibiscus pickled onions and cilantro macho, from the tatemado menu at Mission Taqueria, 1516 Sansom St.Read moreCourtesy of Mission Taqueria

Tequilas restaurant, heavily damaged by a fire Feb. 9, is expected to come back later this year.

While the Suro family is working with contractors and insurance companies to repair the historic building at 16th and Locust Streets in Center City, the restaurant community is helping Tequilas’ 50 employees, many of whom are still out of work.

David Suro, a native of Guadalajara, opened the first incarnation of Tequilas in 1986 at 1511 Locust St. He moved it to 1602 Locust St. in 2001.

Dan Suro, a son of the founder, said Jose Pistola’s has thrown a party with proceeds and raffle tickets donated to Tequilas. Añejo’s locations in Northern Liberties and Manhattan donated. Tacos Guey in New York and Cantina El Mexcal in Point Breeze brought in guest bartenders from Tequilas’ staff, with proceeds going to the fund. Oyamel in Washington, D.C., served Tequilas’ cocktails for a week. Monk’s in Center City sent a portion of its Pliny the Younger proceeds to Tequilas’ staff. Also, he said, Tequilas kitchen workers are working with Martha in Kensington on a collaboration.

» READ MORE: Inquirer critic Craig LaBan joins Tequilas' David Suro on a spirited trip to Mexico

Mission Taqueria at 1516 Sansom St., which shuttered for a few days in January after a kitchen fire, donated proceeds from the sale of avocado margaritas on Cinco de Mayo, raising $2,000 for the Tequilas employees fund.

Mission owner Daniel McLaughlin is going one better with what he and consultant Roland Bui call the Tatemado Project.

Tatemado is a technique of cooking food by burying it in burning coals. Mission’s new executive chef, Alejandro Martín Sánchez, formerly at LMNO, is using this technique to create four dishes; 25% of proceeds are being donated to the fund. Among them are coal-roasted asparagus with smoked requeson crema, and chicharrón with a burnt tortilla and habanero mayo, topped with hibiscus pickled onions and cilantro macho.

The promotion will end when Tequilas reopens.

“Quite literally, it’s helping them recover from their fire, by raising funds from the ashes,” Bui said.