Dearborn’s newest Mexican restaurant is now open for business.

Frida Mexican Cuisine, 22053 Michigan Ave. in downtown West Dearborn, officially opened its doors today. We first wrote about the business coming to Dearborn back in April.

Owner Ricardo Gutierrez tells DeepsaidWhat.com that Thursday’s opening is part of a soft ramp-up to the restaurant’s grand opening in a couple of weeks.

Frida will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. Breakfast is served all-day beginning at 8 a.m. Hours are Sunday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday until 2 a.m., to catch Dearborn’s bar crowd. Gutierrez says his restaurant will have a full bar in December.

Those who visit the restaurant for lunch in September will receive complimentary soft drinks, Gutierrez says.

Dearborn's newest Mexican restaurant, Frida, serves up a tasty selection of food.

Frida’s menu will offer a tasty selection of traditional Mexican food to the more popular Mexican mainstays. There also is a more contemporary food selection on the menu from salmon to fish tacos.

Gutierrez says he chose Dearborn as the place to open his first restaurant because he was familiar with the area, as he earned his MBA at the University of Michigan-Dearborn.

“I wanted to bring Southwest Mexican food closer to Dearborn,” said Gutierrez, who opened the restaurant with this mother, Laurdes. “I am doing this concept with my mother . . . So you can count on good homemade cooking.”

Gutierrez is no stranger to good Mexican food. He served as a general manager and administrator at a Mexican restaurant in southwest Detroit and also worked at the Hyatt Regency in Cancun, Mexico, as part of his food and beverage undergraduate study.

Gutierrez says he named the restaurant Frida’s after the famous Mexican painter, Frida Kahlo, who was married to another famous Mexican artist with ties to Detroit, Diego Rivera.

“Frida Kahlo has some very couple famous paintings about Detroit and its Mexican culture,” Gutierrez said. “She has roots. We have five replicas of her art work in our restaurant.”

We wish Gutierrez and his new restaurant the best of luck in Dearborn. Hopefully they too will establish deep roots in our city.

The public is invited to attend a free photography lecture-workshop series to be presented by award winning Dearborn photographer Teresa Lousias. The series is part of the Oakwood Arts for the Spirit program and will be held in the Rotunda Room of Oakwood Common, located at 16351 Rotunda in Dearborn.

The four-part lectures and workshop series will be held from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Wednesdays and include:

Photography Travel Lecture, August 31

“The Art of Seeing” Workshop, September 7

“The Zen of Photography” Workshop, September 14

Framing and Exhibiting Your Photos Lecture, September 21

 Photography workshop participants will have an opportunity to showcase their photos at an Exhibition Day event to be held in the Rotunda Room at Oakwood Common on Sunday, October 23, 2011.

“This will be a fun and informative experience that will help to enhance your photography knowledge,” said Delfina Mauricio, Activity Director for Oakwood Common.

For more details and to make a reservation, please call 313-253-9597 or send an email to [email protected].

About Oakwood Common

Oakwood Common offers one and two bedroom apartments located within a beautiful 29-acre retirement community that includes exquisite landscaping, nature trails and scenic views along the historic Rouge River Gateway in Dearborn. Oakwood Common apartments, available with flexible payment options, offer exceptional amenities for independent living and can be readily customized. Assisted living and a comprehensive rehabilitation and skilled nursing center are also available for those with additional needs. For more information and to arrange tours, call 800-642-4663 or visit www.oakwoodcommon.org