In Thomasville, Tres Amigos opens and Cross Ties has new owner
Esteban Carrillo (from left), David Tran and Jesus Orozco stand in front of the bar at Tres Amigos Mexican Restaurant in Thomasville, where the flavors of the Far East and the Southwest combine for an eclectic menu. {Vikki Broughton Hodges/Davidson Local}
East meets Southwest on the menu of a new eatery in Thomasville called Tres Amigos Mexican Restaurant and a longtime Chair City restaurant, Cross Ties, has a new owner from Lexington.
Tres Amigos is owned and operated by three friends: David Tran, who is of Vietnamese descent and has owned Shoto’s Japanese Seafood and Steak in Thomasville for 20 years; Jesus Orozco from Colombia, who worked with Tran at Shoto’s; and Esteban Carrillo from Mexico, who has been the head chef for a dozen years at a Mexican restaurant in Thomasville.
While there are a number of Mexican restaurants in Thomasville, Tran noted Tres Amigos is different because the large and wide-ranging menu reflects the food not only of Mexico but also Colombia and Vietnam.
“We want people to know we’re nothing like a regular Mexican restaurant,” Tran said. “We like combining all the cultures together. People seem to like the diversity.”
There are traditional Mexican dishes such as enchiladas, fajitas, nachos, burritos and chimichangas as well as street tacos such as al pastor and carnitas. Additionally, there are Vietnamese dishes such as tamarind chicken and pho, a Vietnamese soup. Also on the menu is bandeja paisa, the national dish of Colombia, which is a platter of ribeye steak, sausage, rice, beans, fried pork rinds called chicharrones, plantains, avocado and a fried egg.
Enticing to the tastebuds is a “fusion” section of the menu combining flavors from the East and Southwest, such as bang bang shrimp tacos and banh mi tacos, which unites the ingredients in a typical Vietnamese sandwich such as spicy pickled vegetables and various meats in a taco instead of the traditional baguette.
In addition to the extensive menu, there are daily specials. On Wednesday there are specials with mole, a traditional Mexican sauce made from hot chiles and rich chocolate as well as herbs and spices. Tran said they may add some Korean barbecue dishes in the future.
Tres Amigos, which has been open about a month, is located at 108 Randolph St. in the former Loflin’s Family Restaurant, which closed in July after 45 years when the owner retired. Tran and his business partners have talked about launching a restaurant for years but jumped at the chance to get a location so close to downtown.
The three owners built a bar as part of the renovation work and serve cocktails as well as beer and wine.
The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, with lunch specials available until 3 p.m.
Just up the road from Tres Amigos, Cross Ties Restaurant and Catering is operating under new ownership. Jerry Towler, who has owned and operated Olde Well Tavern in Lexington since 2017, purchased the business in August.
The location at 11 E. Main St. has been a downtown mainstay for the past 10 years, first as Southern Sisters Restaurant and later as Chair City Tavern before it became Cross Ties.
Towler, a Thomasville area native who graduated from East Davidson High in 1997, decided to take the opportunity to expand because he’s familiar with the community.
“It’s pretty well established and the menu hasn’t changed much even through changes in ownership and management,” he explained. “So, we’re adding a little bit here and there.”
Jerry Towler, owner of Olde Well Tavern In Lexington, recently purchased Cross Ties Restaurant and Catering in downtown Thomasville. He holds up a T-shirt with the new logo for the Thomasville business. {Vikki Broughton Hodges/Davidson Local}
Towler said regular customers have lobbied him to keep some old favorites such as the meatloaf sandwich, stuffed flounder and banana pudding. But he has added some favorites from Olde Well like Angus beef burgers and chicken wings. He’s also offered lunch and dinner specials - a ribeye sandwich and flatbreads - to see what customers like.
More craft beers have been added to the full-service bar and Towler has brought back live music on Wednesday nights.
“The reception has been really good,” he said. “We’ve kept a lot of regulars and some people are coming back who hadn’t been there in a while.”
Cross Ties is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, when brunch dishes such as shrimp and grits and chicken and waffles are available.
