A few years ago, Faith Bernabe never thought she would find herself standing in the middle of a restaurant she could claim as her own, but on Aug. 8, she celebrated the opening of Mixasian Fusion at 1351 E. 8th St. in Odessa. Bernabe faced numerous hardships on the road to success including impacts from the COVID-19 pandemic, depression, unemployment and financial difficulties.
"It was always my dream to open a restaurant,” Bernabe said in an Aug. 10 post on the City of Odessa's Facebook page showcasing her new establishment. “I just thought it was going to be in two to three years. I didn't think it was going to be this soon.”
Bernabe recalled to the city how the original owner of her eatery first approached her about assuming ownership. She said being in the midst of struggle, she had no choice but to decline. The owner persisted for several more months until Bernabe relented and decided to take on the challenge, with some encouragement from a friend of hers, according to the post.
Bernabe said in the post that it wasn’t easy to start from zero all over again after she sold her house to pay off her debts. To say she’s living out a dream is an understatement as she told the city she loves owning a family business, which gives her the chance to introduce her fellow Odessans to her cherished recipes. A picture the city shared on Facebook is that of pancit bihon, a Filipino noodle dish rich in meat and vegetables that’s a must-have at every social function.
Per Bernabe, anyone who walks through the restaurant’s doors is more than welcome to make themselves feel at home. Mixasian itself has launched a Facebook page on which she provides constant updates. “Thank you all so much to all who came and ordered online and on the phone in our opening yesterday,” an Aug. 9 post on Mixasian's Facebook page reads. “We appreciate your support and please come back and see is again.”