Tucos is designed to do just that.”

Of all his duties at the restaurant, Pru primarily focuses on purchasing quality ingredients for Tucos’ menu items. He also creates the menus and recipes and oversees the café’s general operation, including supervising its 12 to 17 employees.

The process for creating new dishes is not as complex as it may sound. Pru often tries new combinations of ingredients at home, and when he needs a critical taste bud or two to sample new meals, his wife and children are always ready. “They are my toughest critics,” he says. “”If they like a dish, I know it is a good one.”

Tucos’ cuisine is unique, Pru explains, because of the rare ingredients he selects. “We’re working with some of the best ingredients anywhere,” he said. Among the options are Brazilian dishes, including Feijoada, stewed meat and beans; Pao de Quiejo, cheese bread; and Natural Rainforest juices. There’s also Cachapas, corn cakes, from Venezuela, among others. “The menu has lots of crazy, fun things that you can’t find anywhere else,” he said. “It’s hard to find anything like this even in the Bay Area or the Wine Country.”

The menu items are primarily “fresh, family-farmed, organic stuff,” he said. “We try to keep it casual while putting a funky twist to things so that folks can have fun.” The most popular menu selections are Tucos’ cheeses, desserts,