The Cheel owners to open new Mexican restaurant in Thiensville

The owners of Nepalese restaurant The Cheel are expanding their presence in Thiensville with a new fast-casual Mexican restaurant concept.

Daily Taco & Cantina is slated to open in mid-November at 105 W. Freistadt Road, located about a half-mile north of The Cheel (located at 105 S. Main St.). The Freistadt Road building formerly housed Falafel Guys, which relocated to the Mequon Public Market in August.

Once minor renovations are complete, the building will include a drive-thru window for online orders as well as indoor counter service and sit-down dining area. A large outdoor patio space will open in spring.

Daily Taco’s menu will focus on the western region of Mexico, with popular dishes such as tacos, burritos, beans and rice, flautas, and chips and guacamole. Its full-service bar will serve traditional drinks such as house-made margaritas, Agua De Jamaica, Paloma and Mexican beers and sodas. 

Mexican cuisine has been a favorite of The Cheel owner Barkha Daily since she moved to Wisconsin from Kathmandu, Nepal.

“The flavors were similar, spices were similar–- cilantro, onion, garlic, bay leaves, cinnamon, rice, beans– every time I ate any good Mexican dishes, it reminded me of home,” she said. 

Daily, who opened The Cheel in 2014 with her husband Jesse Daily, said their new concept fills a longstanding gap in the dining scene north of Milwaukee.

The opening of Daily Taco is the second major project the Dailys have taken on in recent months, despite the COVID-19 pandemic’s hold over the restaurant industry.

Construction will soon begin on a new four-season pavilion along the south side of The Cheel’s historic Main Street building. The space will include a climate-controlled socially distant dining area, topped with a seasonal rooftop patio to host events and provide overflow seating for its ground-level beer garden, The Baaree. 

The three-week expansion project will allow the business to maintain its pre-pandemic seating capacity, which is crucial for survival this winter, Barkha Daily told BizTimes last month. It will also help drive event business once the pandemic is over.

Joining the Dailys as co-owner of Daily Taco is Matthew Buerosse, who has more 30 years of hospitality industry experience and is the chief financial officer of The Cheel and The Baaree. Buerosse and Jesse Daily are also co-owners of Thiensville-based CORE Consulting LLC, Buerosse is CEO and Daily is a managing partner.

Two other industry veterans, Drew Kassner and John Stenzel have been hired as general manager and kitchen manager, respectively, for Daily Taco.

“We look forward to servicing our community with another option for dining,” said Barkha Daily. “We feel that our experience at The Cheel and Baaree has well positioned us to launch a new concept in our area and we are excited for the challenges and successes we will have in our newest venture.”