Call it neo-traditional. Nena's Mexican Restaurant in Stockton is putting a new, healthier twist on some old recipes. Just stepping inside the door at lunch or dinnertime makes it obvious that Nena's is an extremely popular spot in Stockton. The place is non-stop-busy. That's one reason the restaurant was singled out to bring healthier Mexican dining to the public.

El Concilio, the Latino organization that serves the Hispanic community throughout the Central Valley, received a $20,000 "healthy eating" grant. El Concilio chose to focus on four popular Stockton Mexican restaurants. "It's about choices," says El Concilio executive director Jose Rodriguez. "We aren't asking the restaurants to change the way they present their food. We're just hoping they'll offer some alternatives to some of the traditional dishes."

Maria Elena Reyes, or Nena as she's known, was more than happy to comply. She added no-fat beans to her menu as an alternative to refried beans. She uses corn oil instead of lard. And her restaurant is one of the few Mexican establishments to offer a salad bar instead of, or in addition to, the traditional chips and salsa. Nena says she's also careful to use only whole foods, much of which is organic. "My grandparents and their grandparents lived longer lives because they ate whole foods that weren't exposed to chemicals," she says.

Besides taking its healthier authentic cuisine crusade to the restaurants, El Concilio is also offering classes to home cooks. "We feel that going both to the home cook and to some popular restaurants is the fastest and best way to reach as many people as possible with the message," says Rodriguez.

Judging by the crowds at Nena's, the message is getting through to many.

Nena's Restaurant
1064 Waterloo Road
Stockton, CA 95205-4264
Phone: (209) 547-0217