HOW TO GO
What: Nelly’s restaurant
Where: 79 S. Main St., Centerville
Hours: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday
More info: Visit http://www.nellyschicken.com/index.html, call 937-859-5555 or visit Nelly’s Facebook page.
Bringing a taste of Bolivia to the Miami Valley was the goal of the Santillan brothers when they opened Nelly’s Chicken in 2006.
Now, Rafael, Edgar and Cesar Santillan are branching out. They have moved the restaurant from Miamisburg to 79 S. Main St. in Centerville and doubled seating capacity from 40 to 80. They also changed the name to simply Nelly’s.
The brothers, who all moved from Bolivia to the United States in 2001, said they have a niche because they serve a taste of Bolivian-style rotisserie chicken that is unique and has a flavor that is different from other Latin American food. It is marinated and prepared using a secret family recipe passed down from their mother, Nelida, who the restaurant is named after.
“Chicken is more popular and more versatile to cook,” Rafael Santillan said of their choice of signature dishes.
Nelly’s re-opened in its new location on Aug. 27 and has gone from a counter-service style restaurant to full-service in a more family-friendly atmosphere that includes its own parking lot, Rafael Santillan said. The restaurant, which had five employees in its previous location, now has 21.
“It feels natural,” said Cesar Santillan, a nephew of Rafael Santillan who works at the restaurant. “Even though there’s double the seating, there are also more servers which makes it easier. It is basically the same flow.”
But, getting into the restaurant business wasn’t easy. English is the second language for all of the brothers and they faced many challenges at first, Rafael Santillan said.
“It was hard because we started from scratch and with no experience,” he said.
Rafael Santillan added that the brothers learned a lot about business along the way, including that anything is possible.
“If you want, you can,” he said. “There’s a reason why this country is called the land of opportunity and this is a proof that this is my opportunity and we are developing it.”
In addition to the other changes, Nelly’s now serves alcoholic beverages and the brothers are developing more special Bolivian dishes. Prices range from $7.99 to $18.99.
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