POCATELLO — When the addition of a framed Idaho State University jersey of four-time NFL first-team All-Pro Jared Allen is a sidebar during a complete overhaul of a restaurant, you must be doing something right. 

While Brandon Burtenshaw, who co-owns Mama Inez on Yellowstone Avenue in Pocatello with his siblings Andrew and Samantha, is over the moon about his new Allen jersey, he’s even more thrilled to know the front dining room of the restaurant finally has a look and feel that’s indicative of the great service and memorable meals that’s made Mama’s a Gate City staple for decades.

“The front of this place was very much like a cafeteria from the 1990s, with the pink and maroon colors throughout,” Burtenshaw said. “It was definitely outdated and after my dad passed away last year there were a ton of questions about whether or not we were going to keep this place going. This was a way for us to show the community that we are definitely going to keep Mama’s around and will do so with a space that’s more inviting and comforting.”

Mama Inez has called Pocatello home since 1981. Jim Gallegos was the original owner before Burtenshaw’s father, Brad, purchased the restaurant in 1996 after Gallegos died earlier that year. Brad had previously purchased the Mama Inez in Jackson, Wyoming, in 1994, Burtenshaw said.

Brad passed away in July 2021 and since then Burtenshaw, his siblings and long time general manager Jason Moore have stepped up to keep Mama Inez alive and well. 

Since its conception, the recipes of Mama Inez originated in New Mexico and are prepared using only the finest ingredients, Burtenshaw added.

“We source all of our chilies and chili powder directly from a farm in New Mexico,” Burtenshaw said. “Almost all of the recipes are directly from Gallegos’ grandma. We haven’t changed the recipes much since then. Everything is handcrafted here and nothing is ever frozen.”

Though some of the most common menu items include the famous Cheese Crisps and the Chili Colorado, what really makes the meals stand out is Mama’s homemade enchilada sauce, which is made fresh from the New Mexico-sourced chili powder, a spice that Burtenshaw likened to a trade secret.

While high-quality ingredients work to make the meals at Mama’s memorable, Burtenshaw said he knows that a dining experience encapsulates much more than what a patron puts into their mouth. That’s why he and his siblings reinvested most of their inheritance back into the restaurant.  

“We want to give the community a place that they can go that’s local but puts off a more clean and respected appearance,” Burtenshaw said. “We have a ton of regulars that come to our ISU sports area in the back, but we really wanted to breathe some new life into our front dining room.”

Though he likely could have managed on his own, Burtenshaw partnered with local interior design expert Jane Warnock of Caldera Designs to make sure the project lived up to all his hopes and aspirations.

Warnock began with putting together a design board that she presented to Burtenshaw and Moore in October 2021. 

“We wanted to give Mama’s a new, fresh feel and to make this place a family-friendly restaurant that’s as beautiful on the eye as it is delicious in the stomach,” Warnock said. “We weren’t going for something that is super trendy, but rather something that captured the warmth of the Southwest.” 

The extensive remodel brings with it a warm, homey Southwest feel that’s a perfect marriage for the Southwest Mexican meal offerings. Light yellow and a mellow blue paint along the walls are reminiscent of the sun setting along the cliffside of a steep canyon. 

All of the railings have a fresh dark bronze powder coating and all of the partitions between tables have been replaced with decorative glass. The entire restaurant now boasts new carpet and light fixtures throughout.

The far east wall of the front dining area now features stained wooden planks and a large custom carved longhorn skull adorns the wall. Bushels of real chillies, Kokopelli cutouts and thick woven rugs and baskets provide colorful accents throughout.

Warnock commended the staff at Mama’s, the patrons and the general contractors who worked together to complete the remodel without closing the restaurant. 

“We worked with local businesses and family friends to get this done,” Burtenshaw said. “Carpets Plus Color Tile and Brooklyn Potter did all the flooring, American Electric and Vardell Tate did all of the electrical work and Steve Hays with Ed’s Painting did all the painting. These are people that had known my dad since 2000. They have been instrumental in supporting us over the years and we are beyond grateful.”

The back ISU sports area also saw several changes, including larger tables, removed barriers for a more open dining experience and the addition of Burtenshaw's Allen jersey.

To celebrate the remodel, Burtenshaw said Mama Inez is hosting a grand reopening event on Saturday that will include all-day food and drink specials. And this year’s Cinco de Mayo celebration is going to be the biggest one yet, Burtenshaw added.

Burtenshaw said he started to realize there was room for improving the dining experience at Mama Inez when the The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints temple opening celebrations were kicking off in the Gate City.

“When the temple events were coming to town and we had groups of 25 or 30 people coming in from all over and I just didn’t feel like we were putting our best foot forward,” Burtenshaw said. “Now, It’s like a complete 360 degree shift. Finally we can feel like the front of the restaurant looks as good as our food tastes and we are beyond excited to see some repeat customers.”