Is this where we’re headed? I hope so. (Red-Chile-Braised Shortrib at Chicago’s Topolobampo, my favorite “nuevo latin” restaurant).
So, the new restaurant at the firehouse will be a Nuevo Latin restaurant called “Malo.” The name comes from a moment chef George Formaro witnessed on a recent trip to Mexico. According to the press release:
“On the trip, [Formaro] witnessed a flirty couple’s interactions. As the man whispered in the woman’s ear, she smiled and said, ‘Malo.’ The term technically means ‘bad,’ but it is also used to describe someone being mischievous or naughty. ‘You don’t have to speak Spanish to understand what was happening there,’ explains Chef Formaro. ‘We want to bring that same sense of irreverent fun to Malo,’ he adds.”
The 6,000 square foot restaurant will pay homage to Latin cuisines found throughout the Americas, including Mexican, Cuban, South American and Tex-Mex.
Personally, I love the concept. But will Des Moines “get it”? In the late 90s, there was a great “Nuevo Latino” restaurant that served fabulous cosmopolitan Mexican food….(Anyone remember Cabo San Lucas?). But diners thought anything from south of the border meant “cheap,” “gooey,” and “plentiful.” Meanwhile, Cabo San Lucas was serving things like gorgeous duck breast with sublime fresh mole tweaked by an amazingly bright salsa—a dish that came neither cheap nor abundant. The restaurant didn’t last.
Dos Rios is another case in point. The place started with a highly ambitious nuevo/cosmopolitan Latin menu; it’s still somewhat ambitious, but I’ve sometimes found the food bulked up and sloppy (lots of rice and beans)—lacking the refinement that hinted at with such a great atmosphere. I suspect they’re not getting lazy, but responding to what diners demand.
Or will DSM diners demand that they revert to something more akin to this? (Photo by Mr. T in DC, via Flickr.)
So, what do you think? Will Des Moines be “up” for stylish Latino foods from Cuba and South America, as well as Mexican food that goes beyond the usual taco/enchilada, et al.? Or, after a few months, will they start having to swing less towards “nuevo” and more toward the tried-and-true “Tex-Mex” side of the equation?
Let’s just say that Orchestrate is known for making whatever they do a success, so I bet it will fly. I wish them all the best.
What do you think? Will it fly? Post here or on my All Things Food DSM Facebook page.
