Biz Buzz: Local soda shop partners with Mexican grill to offer expanded menu - East Idaho News
Biz Buzz

Biz Buzz: Local soda shop partners with Mexican grill to offer expanded menu

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Menu items available at Cancun Express inside Soda Tsunami | Courtesy photos

Do you want to know what’s happening on the east Idaho business scene? We’ve got you covered. Here is a rundown of this week’s business news across the valley.

BIZ BRIEF

IDAHO FALLS

Soda Tsunami and Fiesta Cancun Mexican Grill merged, and owners say customers love it

soda tsunami
Rett Nelson | EastIdahoNews.com

IDAHO FALLS – Customers at Soda Tsunami in Idaho Falls may have noticed a few changes.

Soda Tsunami recently partnered with Fiesta Cancun Mexican Restaurant to offer an expanded menu for customers.

“We’ve always had little pizzas and cookies and bagels — that kind of stuff. But people have asked us for a long time for food,” Soda Tsunami co-owner Amanda Rosenberg tells EastIdahoNews.com. “Jonathan (Rosenberg’s husband) and Ricco Lanuaze (Fiesta Cancun owner) have been friends for a long time. They started talking, and we decided it would be a good merge.”

Jonathan says the merger allows them to use some of the extra space in their restaurant better. Soda Tsunami began offering Fiesta Cancun menu items about a month ago, and they agree the partnership has been mutually beneficial.

“I brought my menu here to join them in this venture,” Lanauze says. “I was having a hard time trying to find the right items because we aren’t able to have a whole kitchen set up, so I needed to offer something that would be easy to cook over there, bring over here, and still can be fresh.”

RELATED | New Fiesta Cancun Mexican grill offers non-traditional ‘big city’ menu

Lanauze opened Fiesta Cancun at 115 South Higbee in September 2018. He will continue to operate his restaurant on that end of town, while offering specialty items from that menu for Soda Tsunami’s on-the-go crowd.

“The chili verde here — that’s what 90% of the people get. It’s so good,” Amanda says.

Chili verde is a combination of pork tips and green salsa. It is served with rice and beans or in a burrito.

New menu items will be added next week. It will include burritos, street tacos, quesadillas and fiesta bowls, which is a combination of meat served over rice and topped with blended cheeses, sour cream and pico. Side orders of rice and beans will also be available, along with chips and salsa and tortillas. A kids menu will include a free quesadilla option for kids 6 and under.

“So if people come in with their kids, they don’t have to worry about spending $5 or $6 on something (that the kids probably aren’t going to eat),” says Lanauze.

The Rosenbergs opened Soda Tsunami about three years ago. Its menu includes cookies, specialty sodas and drinks, smoothies, coffee, hot chocolate, steamers and other treats. It also has “spirit drinks” for each high school in Idaho Falls.

RELATED | East Idaho Eats: Soda Tsunami making waves with specialty drinks

Though this venture is just getting started, all the parties say they’re grateful for the support of the community, and they’re excited about the growth.

“It will be awesome to see two small-business owners in Idaho Falls getting together and build something big,” Lanauze says. “The sky’s the limit.”

Lanuaze is opening a second Fiesta Cancun restaurant inside the building formerly occupied by A Little Bit of Mexico at 465 East Anderson in Idaho Falls. It will open in the next four to six weeks.

Soda Tsunami is at 3460 South 25th East. Its hours of operation are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday. The new food menu opens at 11 a.m.

Learn more on the Soda Tsunami Facebook page

Smitty’s Pancake & Steak House, which Amanda and her family also owned, was recently sold. EastIdahoNews.com hopes to provide more information in a forthcoming story.

BIZ BITS

Rigby gearing up for Midnight Madness event, and you’re invited to attend

RIGBY – The Rigby Chamber of Commerce presents Midnight Madness Miracle on Main Street. You’re invited to join Dec. 6 at 6:30 p.m. at the annual light parade. Visit with Santa at Bennion Park immediately after. Most businesses will be open until midnight with special deals and contests. For more information and parade entry forms, call Teresa at (208) 745-8715.

Local business wants your help giving away half a ton of food to families in need

REXBURG – Rexburg Motorsports is looking to give back to local families in need with its annual Stuff the Side-by-Side Food Drive. Come to Broulim’s in Rexburg this Saturday and place a new or unopened food item in the side-by-side parked outside the store. All items received will be housed in the food bank in Rexburg and be distributed to families in need in the Madison County area. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. 
For further information, contact Matt Dyer at (208) 356-4000 or email mdyer@gearhead.com.

Fall River Electric customers may see a decrease in their power bill in January

ASHTON – As of Oct. 1, Bonneville Power Administration implemented rate increases for both wholesale power and transmission costs to 143 northwest electric utility companies, including Fall River Electric Cooperative. Not only did the board determine the co-op could absorb the most recent BPA increase, but it authorized a decrease in the kilowatt-hour charge. For the average year-round residential member, this rate adjustment will result in a slight reduction in the monthly bill. Monthly costs fluctuate, depending upon the amount of power a member consumes. These rate changes will go into effect on Jan. 1 and will be reflected on member statements in February.

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If you have a Biz Buzz item you want to share, send it to rett@eastidahonews.com. Remember to use “Biz Buzz” in the subject line. Also, don’t forget to sign up for the free Biz Buzz email newsletter.

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