Las Pinatas singled out for coverage on NECN

Armando Lezama could have hardly imagined what was in store for him and his family when he allowed his oldest child to leave Mexico City to come to Laconia to study English and American culture in 1979.

Today, the Lezama family is daily serving up tasteful helpings of the authentic Mexican food they grew up on to locals and visitors at their Las Pinatas restaurant located in the historic train station at Veterans' Square in downtown Laconia — and now they’re about to receive special recognition for their efforts.

Several months ago the restaurant was acclaimed on the website of the New England Cable Television (NECN) program’s “TV Diner.” A listing called Las Pinatas “the most authentic Mexican restaurant in New England.”

Now the Lezamas are ready to celebrate even further recognition from the popular TV show. This week’s “TV Diner” episode will feature a segment on the cozy local eatery.

Lezama is not sure exactly what the review will say, but producers of the program — who spent three hours enjoying themselves at Las Pinatas one day in August — told him not to worry about the review.

The story of how Lezama became a local restaurateur is almost as unique as his restaurant itself. After Armando Jr. visited the Lakes Region for the 1979 school year, the Lezama family became close friends with his host family. The families vacationed together and spent time learning about one another’s cultures.

On one visit to Mexico, the group thought up the idea of the Lezamas opening a restaurant in Laconia.

Lezama, who was a CPA in government in Mexico, took time to study the idea and, in 1991, Las Pinatas opened its doors. Connie Lezama, Armando’s wife, is the chef.

Over the years, the family has heard many compliments — often that Las Pinata’s food is the closest to genuine Mexican style patrons have ever tasted.

“I really feel like I’m sharing my culture with the food,” Lezama said. “People in America, they think of Mexican food as either something like Taco Bell, or just something cheap, not very good. But this is gourmet Mexican food. My wife is the chef and she’s very particular about using only the finest ingredients. Everything she develops is the real thing. It’s what we ate all our lives.”

This weekend, you can see if the “TV Diner” agrees with Lezama’s faithful patrons. The show is scheduled to be shown on NECN (channel 3) Saturday at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m.