The Tortilleria Nixtamal Story It all began with a heartfelt, stomach-led desire, and a simple (yet brilliant) idea. Fernando Ruiz, who grew up eating tacos in the local open markets of Puerto Vera Cruz, Mexico, and enjoying top-of-the-line authentic foods and high-quality service in New York City, wanted to change the predominate word on the street (or internet blogs) that say 'there is no good Mexican food to be found in NYC.' "What? How is that possible?" Ruiz asked of his beloved city--the city that has the best of everything and has since seen, over the past ten years, an exponential growth in Mexican cuisine. After a heavy brainstorm with his cousin in Mexico, Ruiz deduced that the lack of good Mexican food boiled down to one simple thing ... TORTILLAS.