Carmen's Cocina II

A family timetable, carried into a second generation

Carmen’s Cocina began in March 2012 with Judy and Luis Araujo. Their daughters Ashlee and Carlee later continued the restaurant when their parents moved into ministry in Indiana. In a family interview, Ashlee explained the unusual hours: their father wanted to cook for the community while remaining available for his children’s school activities. That history helps explain why this is chiefly a breakfast-and-lunch destination.

The breakfast taco combines egg, potatoes and cheese with bacon, ham, sausage or chorizo. The same foundation can become a burrito, gordita, quesadilla, torta or bowl. Hugo’s Special brings chilaquiles, potatoes, two eggs and beans together on a plate; huevos rancheros offers eggs with salsa, beans and potatoes. Breakfast is not served Tuesdays. Other days, individual breakfast items can continue after 11 a.m. with a surcharge, but breakfast platters stop then.

Lunch shifts to asada, shredded beef, ground beef, carnitas, barbacoa, pastor and chicken or beef fajita fillings. Soft tacos and crispy tacos are separate orders; three-taco platters add rice and beans. The Tuesday special centers on crispy ground-beef tacos. Tamales appear Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturdays, rather than every day. Thursday’s special combines three soft tacos with a drink.

The Mur-Len Road address

Find the restaurant at 15926 South Mur-Len Road, 913-764-5855. Tuesday runs 7 a.m.–2 p.m. and 4–7 p.m.; Wednesday–Saturday runs 7 a.m.–2 p.m. Monday and Sunday are closed. The dining room closes thirty minutes before the restaurant’s final closing time. The ordering service offers pickup and delivery; the listed phone is the restaurant’s general line.

Order from the Olathe kitchen.