Chapter 01 · The name
Querida.
Lo que se ama, se cuida.
Querida means my dear, and beloved. It is the word that opens a handwritten letter and the one that echoes through a Mexican home. It's more than a name; it's an invitation. We chose it because a dish only reaches our menu if it is something we truly love — the techniques passed down by generations, the smoke of a toasted chile, and the vibrant energy of a Sunday afternoon in Monclova.
Across the ocean, the same warmth is found in the word عزيزي (Azizi). Two cultures, different sounds, but the exact same feeling of home. Estás en tu casa. We've set a place for you.
Chapter 02 · The kitchen
A small town in Northern Mexico.
Every restaurant has a beginning, and Querida's story is no different. It starts long before its first table was set; it begins in Monclova, Coahuila — a small town in northern Mexico where food wasn't just cooked, it was lived. Where kitchens smelled of carne asada, cabrito, and salsa martajada; where families gathered around the yard every Sunday, lit the wood, and the smoke gave the signal that the asado was about to start.
Barbacoa and menudo every Sunday morning, tortas de aca toy, the firefighter-station tacos, the hot dogs next to the cathedral, the whole roasted chicken, and the asada tacos. Food in Monclova is simple — but delicious.
Obed grew up in that world. The privilege of learning by living, first-hand: the heat and smell of charcoal, the laughter of his mother as they turned simple ingredients into something soulful. Those early moments became the foundation of what Querida stands for today: authenticity, warmth, and heart.
— From Magazine Issue 01, page 4
Chapter 03 · The editor
Mama Lalis.
The reason for everything.
Every flavour tells a story. Every photograph holds a feeling. For Obed, it all began in his family's kitchen in Monclova — a place filled with the smell of roasted chiles, the sound of simmering pots, and the laughter of his mother. Those early moments taught him that Mexican cooking is not just about food — it's about emotion, patience, and love passed down through generations.
— Mama Lalis (Oralia), Editor's letter, Magazine Vol 01 page 3
"Me la enseñó mi abuela y yo se la enseñé a mis hijos."
— My grandmother taught it to me, and I taught it to my children.
Chapter 04 · The move
From twenty-four kitchens to one room of our own.
Obed and Sagar met the way most chefs do — in the heat of the kitchen. Between them they carried eighteen years of line experience and a portfolio of eighteen kitchens across Bangkok, Singapore, and Dubai — top-tier hotel hospitality through to two-Michelin-star fine dining. What is now Querida first lived as a concept called Taco'n Madre, in Aguascalientes — the soil where the seeds were sown. Then Mexico to UAE, the markets of Teran and Morelos giving way to a quiet street in Al Barsha. The journey was fueled by a simple goal: to bring technical precision to traditional Mexican flavours.
Querida Mexican & Friends opened on Talal 14, Shop 9, Al Barsha 1 in April 2024. Twenty-six seats, built for the neighbourhood. Walk-in friendly — reservations also taken via Zomato. Our first customers were a family from Monclova who came looking for the asada they remembered from home.
They found it.
Chapter 05 · The kitchen we built
Mexico. Chile. India. Cameroon. Uganda. UAE.
Querida's kitchen is multinational by accident and by design. Mama Lalis is the inspiration; Obed and Sagar are the founders; Hassan Juned is the third partner. Mauricio from Chile is the head chef. Luis, Chandar, Janeth, Stephan, and Jean hold the line. Aroon keeps the kitchen moving. Ibrahim, Lucia, and Irma run the room. Bryan runs the brand layer.
Closing
Mi casa, tu casa.
Welcome to Querida. One taco at a time.
— Obed, Founder · Sagar Khanna, Co-Founder