Jerry Seiwell knows there are plenty of authentic Mexican restaurants throughout the Mountain Top and Hazleton area. So for that reason, the owner of The Brass Buckle Restaurant does not want his restaurants to try to be 100 percent authentic Mexican.
Rather, he describes his restaurant as a modern Mexican restaurant. In fact’s its slogan is “Not 100% Authentic But 100% Uniquely Delicious.”
“We are The Brass Buckle Modern Mexican Restaurant,” Seiwell offered during an interview on the spacious new deck adjacent to their recently opened location at 27 S. Main St. in Mountain Top.
“At the end of the day,” he noted, “there are 30 good restaurants that sell the same authentic Mexican taco that is identical. With the growth in Latino and Hispanic population in this area, we’ve seen a lot of authentic Mexican restaurants grow in this area. We don’t want to be that. There’s enough great restaurants out there where you can go get a taco.”
“Our food is unique and different from anything you’re going to get at any other Mexican restaurant,” Seiwell emphasized. “We’re different. We’re unique. That’s something I’m trying to get through to people. If you want an authentic taco, we have them. We do sell that type of Mexican taco. We also have carnitas that we make from scratch as well as dishes like shredded chicken.”
Both Jerry Seiwell and his daughter Cassie, who manages the Mountain Top restaurant, emphasized The Brass Buckle is not trying to be authentic Mexican.
“We want to be different,” she said.
He pointed out that in addition to traditional tacos, The Brass Buckle offers an alligator taco, Ahi tuna tacos, and even Crab Rangoon tacos.
“We take different cuisines and infuse them with traditional Mexican foods,” he said.
Seiwell explained that modern Mexican cuisine is inspired by traditional Mexican foods and is reverent to the fresh flavors and ingredients of Mexico, including agave, tomatoes, fruits, corn and chiles.
“However, modern Mexican cuisine takes these traditions and adds a twist,” Seiwell noted. “It’s like if a Mexican restaurant and Chili’s had a baby. If you go into cities, see a lot of the word fusion. It’s a big thing in the cities. It’s taking different cuisines and blending them together.
“That’s what we’re doing.”
Among the Modern Mexican fusion specials on the agenda are dinners such as Crab Rangoon Nachos, Korean Shrimp Toast Taquitos, Mexican Shepherd’s Pie and Grande Seafood Boil Burrito.
In addition to the authentic Mexican dishes and modern Mexican cuisine, The Brass Buckle also offers hamburgers, wings, and some other American items. In fact, their hamburgers are among the customers’ favorite items. Seiwell noted Wednesday is buy one and get one for hamburgers, a big attraction.
Also very popular are the restaurant’s gourmet street tacos which include Ahi tuna, California grilled chicken BLT, and a fresh lobster tail taco, among a few.
“You get three ounces of real lobster tail on the taco, not the claw or knuckle, the tail,” Seiwell pointed out.
Seiwell emphasized all of its food is made from scratch in The Brass Buckle kitchens.
“Our enchilada sauce is made from scratch. So are out guacamole and Queso dip. Even our boneless chicken bites are from scratch. We get chicken breasts and cut them up into bite size pieces,” he said.
He noted the restaurant buys its peppers locally.
“With the uniqueness of our food, it’s not something you can buy just anywhere,” Seiwell said.
The Brass Buckle also offers a full breakfast menu daily from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. The remainder of the menu is available daily from 11 a.m. to closing. The restaurant is open from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and Fridays and Saturdays until 10 p.m.
It also offers a full bar with a wide selection of beers, including a jalapeno lager from Conyngham Brewery, margaritas, Sangria, wine and liquors.
The Brass Buckle began as part of a restaurant in the Cobbler’s Inn hotel in Conyngham. After operating as The Brass Buckle Restaurant at 334 Main St., Conyngham, for approximately 50 years, Seiwell purchased Junie G’s restaurant on South Main Street in Fairview Township earlier this year and after a complete remodeling, including the new deck, opened the second location in early summer.
The Mountain Top location is managed by his daughter, Cassie Seiwell, who is a Crestwood High School graduate. His younger children, he noted, attend St. Jude’s School. His son plays in Mountain Top Little League where he is a coach.
“We are part of the Mountain Top community,” he related.
